RS2E Sander How to attach abrasive?

[vkumar]

I just purchased an RS2E used.  I believe this can use sheet abrasive.  Does anyone have pictorial instructions on how to do this, including punching holes with the punch tool.  The punches seem to be much smaller than the holes in the sander, so it would seem that the air flow would be restricted.  Also what is the right way to use the punch?

What size should the sheet size be to use with the clamps.

Thanks for any help.

Vijay

 

[Frank-Jan]

I don't have a RS2, but I do have a bosch sander with hole punch thing. The points on the hole jig are smaller because you use it by pushing The sander with the sandpaper mounted onto the pins.
Here is a link to the manual on the german festool site: link (I couldn't find the RS2E in the manuals section of the festool.us site).
Apparently you should insert it at the back first.

 

[polarsea1]

There are two black levers located on the top of each end of the sander body. Those levers operate clamps that hold your abrasive sheet.

 

[MarkF]

You have to press very hard against the punch tool if you use heavy duty abrasives or do it a few times to get the paper to be fully punched.

 

[vkumar]

Thank you all for your explanation.  I still dont understand why the punched holes are so much smaller than the pre-punched sheets.  Mybe the punched size is "good enough" ?

I used this sander yesterday to stirp the finish of an exterior oak door.  I must have sanded for about 3 hours, byt have never sanded this long without any discommfort.  Great sander!

Vijay

 

[Frank-Jan]

I don't have the same sander as you, so I don't know how much smaller the pins are then the holes. But the pins need to be smaller than the holes because they don't cut out the holes out of the sandpaper, but puncture it and push it through the holes of the sander. So the pins need to be atleast twice the thickness off the sandpaper smaller than the diameter of the hole.
When I used the bosh with the sandpaper in which I cut the holes with the jig, the holes looked smallish, but the dust collection wasn't noticeably worse.

BTW I do regret getting the bosch instead of a festool, but my reasoning at the time was, that I wasn't a painter, and I would have to sand a lot to justify almost 4x the price of the bosch. (and there where way to many sanders to choose from). In the meantime I have wisent up and got myself a rotex 150 recently when I needed a more aggressive sander for another job.