Rts or Dts 400

[leakyroof]

I own and recommend both.  I bought the RTS many years before the buying the DTS.  But, I ended up liking the DTS 400 more for all of the reasons stated above.

FWIW...Multi-tools are great saws, decent scrapers and lousy sanders.

One thing to keep in mind is the DTS is one of the only sanders that doesn't have interface pads available for it. I love mine and really wish they made some for it like they do the RTS.

I've never had a need for an interface pad on a DTS.  In a pinch, it seems that you could trim up a 150 interface pad to fit.

I'm a drywall contractor and use mine for mostly prep work and removal, it cuts a to much even with really fine paper for most finish sanding. If I had an interface pad I could likely finish sand with it when dust was a real concern.

  Good point, I never thought of that, and yeah, you're right.. Why don't they offer that special pad for the DTS?.... [huh] [huh] [blink] [blink] [blink]

 

[Brent Taylor]

I like the and have the RTS 400 and the RO 90 combo, I can see the  need for the DTS,  but for my style of working the DTS is not a needed expense. I wish Festooned would just make the pad interchangeable like the rotational sanders or the LS, so you don't have to buy and store another tool and box, just wishful thinking I guess,  might make to much sense.  I'm a remodeled and  furniture builder, not  so much a painter now, so that is what I base my opinion on.

 

[Tayler_mann]

So went out today and picked up the Rts and a box of 180. I'm going to use it this weekend and see what my thoughts are on it. I was at the store holding both sanders in my hand trying to decide which one to buy and realized the RTS had a 90 year systainer so I figured I would try that one first. I also was handling it and I feel that I like the square over the delta shape. Depending on how it goes when I use it and put it to the test the DTS delta shape may be to large for my liking. I think for that I will buy the RO 90 for my delta sander as I liked the thought of having a very small delta shape to control for corners and than a nice square for linear straight edges to get more sanding surface with the square. Also of course there is the ability to flip the paper. I will post a review after I have thoroughly tested its abilities.

 

[leakyroof]

So went out today and picked up the Rts and a box of 180. I'm going to use it this weekend and see what my thoughts are on it. I was at the store holding both sanders in my hand trying to decide which one to buy and realized the RTS had a 90 year systainer so I figured I would try that one first. I also was handling it and I feel that I like the square over the delta shape. Depending on how it goes when I use it and put it to the test the DTS delta shape may be to large for my liking. I think for that I will buy the RO 90 for my delta sander as I liked the thought of having a very small delta shape to control for corners and than a nice square for linear straight edges to get more sanding surface with the square. Also of course there is the ability to flip the paper. I will post a review after I have thoroughly tested its abilities.

. Don't forget about the extender Pad for the Delta pad on the RO 90- Helps reach further when the stock pad won't.

 

[Ajax]

I just bought the RTS400.  My logic was that I already have the RO90 for tight corners.  I wanted something small and light weight for linear surfaces and narrow for furniture legs, stiles, rails, etc.

I also got the 90 year anniversary sustainer.  I hear there is a break in period for the RTS and you want the vac on low.

 

[Tayler_mann]

So first impressions of the rts are fairly good. However, right out of the box I realized it could have used the larger systainer. You can barely fit any paper in it and shut the lid. Plus you have to roll the chord up so small to fit in it's spot it is bound to get kinks. I feel the chord will never reach the insides of that systainer again.

My next thing and the main reason for this post is about the dust extraction. I have my ct on as low as it can go and it still is way to much extraction for that little guy. I can pick up a 12 x 12 chunk of 8/4 white oak with the vac on low. It tends to jump around a bit. I know it comes with a filter bag but let's face it I want to use dust extraction. I even used my older fine turbo ii and it had a little less suction than the ct but still had way to much extraction force. Is there a way to run the airflow down a little on the sander itself. I feel festool should have realized this potential problem for users and made a small shudder valve to let a little airflow out of the sander during dust extraction operations.

This brings me to my next point of the sander. Using it with the jet bag or whatever they call it is ok but it does not do a good enough job of extracting the dust there still tends to be a good amount of dust coming off of the pad and even getting a bit marred back to the wood itself and in the paper. I am always and will always be a dust extractor type of contractor. I myself would never feel ok about using that sander in someone's home without an extractor hooked to it. My shop gets vacuumed once a month and I barely get anything off the floor except the dust left behind from hand sanding and the ends of a track saw cut.

Now with all that said this sander is amazing. I've used pad sanders before that make me feel like I was better with a hand block. This sander had such a nice pattern I couldn't even try to get visible scratches that a lot of cheap finish sanders leave behind. I feel this sander is going to be my next most used tool in the shop. I will do a more in depth review later I really needed to ask the question about he dust extractor. If anyone had a fix other than buying a hose with a valve on it please tell me.

 

[leakyroof]

So first impressions of the rts are fairly good. However, right out of the box I realized it could have used the larger systainer. You can barely fit any paper in it and shut the lid. Plus you have to roll the chord up so small to fit in it's spot it is bound to get kinks. I feel the chord will never reach the insides of that systainer again.

My next thing and the main reason for this post is about the dust extraction. I have my ct on as low as it can go and it still is way to much extraction for that little guy. I can pick up a 12 x 12 chunk of 8/4 white oak with the vac on low. It tends to jump around a bit. I know it comes with a filter bag but let's face it I want to use dust extraction. I even used my older fine turbo ii and it had a little less suction than the ct but still had way to much extraction force. Is there a way to run the airflow down a little on the sander itself. I feel festool should have realized this potential problem for users and made a small shudder valve to let a little airflow out of the sander during dust extraction operations.

This brings me to my next point of the sander. Using it with the jet bag or whatever they call it is ok but it does not do a good enough job of extracting the dust there still tends to be a good amount of dust coming off of the pad and even getting a bit marred back to the wood itself and in the paper. I am always and will always be a dust extractor type of contractor. I myself would never feel ok about using that sander in someone's home without an extractor hooked to it. My shop gets vacuumed once a month and I barely get anything off the floor except the dust left behind from hand sanding and the ends of a track saw cut.

Now with all that said this sander is amazing. I've used pad sanders before that make me feel like I was better with a hand block. This sander had such a nice pattern I couldn't even try to get visible scratches that a lot of cheap finish sanders leave behind. I feel this sander is going to be my next most used tool in the shop. I will do a more in depth review later I really needed to ask the question about he dust extractor. If anyone had a fix other than buying a hose with a valve on it please tell me.

  You can buy the sliding blast gate from Festool that fits between the hose end and the vac. It will allow you to really turn down the suction level as you need.I don't have the part number, but I'm sure it's on their web page in the Vac accessories.

 

[Tayler_mann]

So first impressions of the rts are fairly good. However, right out of the box I realized it could have used the larger systainer. You can barely fit any paper in it and shut the lid. Plus you have to roll the chord up so small to fit in it's spot it is bound to get kinks. I feel the chord will never reach the insides of that systainer again.

My next thing and the main reason for this post is about the dust extraction. I have my ct on as low as it can go and it still is way to much extraction for that little guy. I can pick up a 12 x 12 chunk of 8/4 white oak with the vac on low. It tends to jump around a bit. I know it comes with a filter bag but let's face it I want to use dust extraction. I even used my older fine turbo ii and it had a little less suction than the ct but still had way to much extraction force. Is there a way to run the airflow down a little on the sander itself. I feel festool should have realized this potential problem for users and made a small shudder valve to let a little airflow out of the sander during dust extraction operations.

This brings me to my next point of the sander. Using it with the jet bag or whatever they call it is ok but it does not do a good enough job of extracting the dust there still tends to be a good amount of dust coming off of the pad and even getting a bit marred back to the wood itself and in the paper. I am always and will always be a dust extractor type of contractor. I myself would never feel ok about using that sander in someone's home without an extractor hooked to it. My shop gets vacuumed once a month and I barely get anything off the floor except the dust left behind from hand sanding and the ends of a track saw cut.

Now with all that said this sander is amazing. I've used pad sanders before that make me feel like I was better with a hand block. This sander had such a nice pattern I couldn't even try to get visible scratches that a lot of cheap finish sanders leave behind. I feel this sander is going to be my next most used tool in the shop. I will do a more in depth review later I really needed to ask the question about he dust extractor. If anyone had a fix other than buying a hose with a valve on it please tell me.

  You can buy the sliding blast gate from Festool that fits between the hose end and the vac. It will allow you to really turn down the suction level as you need.I don't have the part number, but I'm sure it's on their web page in the Vac accessories.

I looked for the part and had no luck. Could you help me out with that. I found the sliding blast get but that was for cleaning the ct's filter

 

[peter halle]

I believe that is the modern version.  I don't own it but I believe that you can slide it part way and reduce the suction.

Hopefully someone else can confirm.

Peter

 

[benwheeler]

I'm also looking at both of these sanders. My main application at this point is sanding into 90° edges and corners. I'd really appreciate any feedback from RTS owners about how that machine handles that work - i think I'd prefer the RTS over the DTS, but it may not do what I want.

 

[leakyroof]

So first impressions of the rts are fairly good. However, right out of the box I realized it could have used the larger systainer. You can barely fit any paper in it and shut the lid. Plus you have to roll the chord up so small to fit in it's spot it is bound to get kinks. I feel the chord will never reach the insides of that systainer again.

My next thing and the main reason for this post is about the dust extraction. I have my ct on as low as it can go and it still is way to much extraction for that little guy. I can pick up a 12 x 12 chunk of 8/4 white oak with the vac on low. It tends to jump around a bit. I know it comes with a filter bag but let's face it I want to use dust extraction. I even used my older fine turbo ii and it had a little less suction than the ct but still had way to much extraction force. Is there a way to run the airflow down a little on the sander itself. I feel festool should have realized this potential problem for users and made a small shudder valve to let a little airflow out of the sander during dust extraction operations.

This brings me to my next point of the sander. Using it with the jet bag or whatever they call it is ok but it does not do a good enough job of extracting the dust there still tends to be a good amount of dust coming off of the pad and even getting a bit marred back to the wood itself and in the paper. I am always and will always be a dust extractor type of contractor. I myself would never feel ok about using that sander in someone's home without an extractor hooked to it. My shop gets vacuumed once a month and I barely get anything off the floor except the dust left behind from hand sanding and the ends of a track saw cut.

Now with all that said this sander is amazing. I've used pad sanders before that make me feel like I was better with a hand block. This sander had such a nice pattern I couldn't even try to get visible scratches that a lot of cheap finish sanders leave behind. I feel this sander is going to be my next most used tool in the shop. I will do a more in depth review later I really needed to ask the question about he dust extractor. If anyone had a fix other than buying a hose with a valve on it please tell me.

  You can buy the sliding blast gate from Festool that fits between the hose end and the vac. It will allow you to really turn down the suction level as you need.I don't have the part number, but I'm sure it's on their web page in the Vac accessories.

I looked for the part and had no luck. Could you help me out with that. I found the sliding blast get but that was for cleaning the ct's filter

  497926 is the #.  although Festool touts it for 'deep cleaning' of the CT filter, it's just a nice sliding blast gate that 'also' works as a restrictor for the level of suction going to your sander in addition to setting the vacuum level on the CT dial.  Works well to really lower the vacuum level for small sanders.  $59, worth it I think..