Sander pad differences

[pkunk]

I use a 150-3 & a 150-5, both with the standard pad that they came with.  I'm mostly sanding stuff that comes out of my Woodmaster38 & some in the house stuff after an install.  Should I have a different set of pads & why.  Thanks

 

[Bob Marino]

I use a 150-3 & a 150-5, both with the standard pad that they came with.  I'm mostly sanding stuff that comes out of my Woodmaster38 & some in the house stuff after an install.  Should I have a different set of pads & why.  Thanks

Paul,

The standard pad is soft and is a good compromise. If you need very aggressive sanding, a harder pad would be a bit faster. Also a harder pad is better on smaller stock - say rails and stiles, where much of the pad overhangs the material. A harder pad tends not to round over these edges as a soft or super-soft pad would.
On the other hand, a super-soft pad has that extra "give" which may work better on "curvy' type materials.

Bob

 

[Michael Kellough]

Hey Bob I noticed the web site says the 150-3 comes with the soft pad. It didn't say which the 150-5 comes with. Do you have that info?

 

[Bob Marino]

Hey Bob I noticed the web site says the 150-3 comes with the soft pad. It didn't say which the 150-5 comes with. Do you have that info?

Michael,

All ros' and Rotex's (Roti?) come with a soft pad. In fact all the Festool  sanders do.

Bob

 

[nclemmons]

Bob

I can find the replacement hard pad for the Rotex on your site.  What is the right hard pad part number for the 150/3?

Neil

 

[Bob Marino]

Bob

I can find the replacement hard pad for the Rotex on your site.  What is the right hard pad part number for the 150/3?

Neil

Neil,

It is item number 484-850.

Bob

 

[John Langevin]

Bob,
While we're on the subject of Sander Pads, could you enlighten us as to the proper use of:
1. The Interface Pad - is this required for porper performance with the 400 grit and higher abrasives? Does it affect (either way) dust collection?
2. The various Sponge Pads for use in Paint Removal/Preparation operations - I tried a Yellow Smooth pad in my RO150EX with no result, then I noticed on the product card it showed what looked like plastic bottles of Polishing Compounds?

 

[Bob Marino]

Bob,
While we're on the subject of Sander Pads, could you enlighten us as to the proper use of:
1. The Interface Pad - is this required for porper performance with the 400 grit and higher abrasives? Does it affect (either way) dust collection?
2. The various Sponge Pads for use in Paint Removal/Preparation operations - I tried a Yellow Smooth pad in my RO150EX with no result, then I noticed on the product card it showed what looked like plastic bottles of Polishing Compounds?

John,

The interface pad is not required but useful,for higher grit abrasives - it does act as a cushioning agent of sorts though and does help when sanding a curvy type surface. The hole patterns are matched to the pad and papers, so dc is only minimally, if at all, affected.

The sponges are used primarily with compounds or polishes, not for sanding. Coarse sponges are more aggressive, fine sponges less so.

Bob

 

[Dave Ronyak]

From experience I would like to add to Bob's statement.  The interface pads are softer than the "soft" pads supplied with the sanders.  They can also be a big help when the surface of the work piece is not perfectly flat and you don't want to destroy the original raised portions, e.g. when sanding an old veneered flush door whose flush surfaces are actually slightly rippled due to shrinkage of the wood strips that run lengthwise inside the veneer faces.  Using an LS 130 with the factory supplied pad would cut noticeably more aggressively on the high ridges, giving me a "striped" door and risking cutting entirely through the veneer.  Using a soft interface pad eliminated this problem.  Another use for the soft interface pad is to enable you to better follow a gently contoured surface.  Another is where you want to break or soften the sharp edges as you sand the main flat surface of a workpiece. 

 

[Lou Miller]

I bought the hard pad and have used it on my rotex. It seems to make a substantial difference in how aggressive it makes the sander. Wears out the paper a bit faster though.

I also bought one of the "long-life" pads and used it on my ETS150/3. Let's just say I won't be doing that ever again, there wasn't anything long-life about it. It was worthless in about two or three weeks. I recently bought a standard pad (same as the one the came with the sander). I've already used it as much, if not more, as the long-life pad, and all is well.

 

[John Langevin]

Bob,
Thanks for the info. Does Festool market Rubbing or Polishing Compounds in the U.S.? As I said they were shown on the sponge product card but do not appear in the catalog.

 

[Bob Marino]

Bob,
Thanks for the info. Does Festool market Rubbing or Polishing Compounds in the U.S.? As I said they were shown on the sponge product card but do not appear in the catalog.

John,

No they do not have them available here.

Bob

 

[Michael Kellough]

I bought the hard pad and have used it on my rotex. It seems to make a substantial difference in how aggressive it makes the sander. Wears out the paper a bit faster though.

I also bought one of the "long-life" pads and used it on my ETS150/3. Let's just say I won't be doing that ever again, there wasn't anything long-life about it. It was worthless in about two or three weeks. I recently bought a standard pad (same as the one the came with the sander). I've already used it as much, if not more, as the long-life pad, and all is well.

What is a "long life" pad? Is it an abrasive or what?

 

[Lou Miller]

Its just a pad for the sanders. Supposed to be for heavy use, but I didn't think so. 

http://www.bobmarinosbesttools.com/product_detail.html?sid=cb2f1a47b161e1e1976e132e0d4a29b8&pid=491935

 

[classicflytyer]

John,

If your looking for compounds I would recommend Meguiar's professional line, tan colored bottles. You can also use 3M but I like Meguiar's better. Check PepBoys, Auto body supply stores, e.g. FinishMasters or the Ultimate Garage.

HTH.

Stephen

 

[Dave Rudy]

Both Jerry Work (in the target coatings manual) and John Lucas recommend Minerza.  I haven't tried them yet, but intend to shortly.

Dave

 

[pkunk]

Its just a pad for the sanders. Supposed to be for heavy use, but I didn't think so. 

http://www.bobmarinosbesttools.com/product_detail.html?sid=cb2f1a47b161e1e1976e132e0d4a29b8&pid=491935

I'm on my 3rd pad replacement and think that at the price they charge for these things they ought to last a little longer. I'm not pushing these sanders hard, and before long the disks start flying off. ???  I'm familiar with how velcro works as a Woodmaster owner and I need to sand at a reasonable cost.  Ad the replacement pads to a box of paper and it's getting expensive.

 

[Warrior]

The hook and loop things on the pads wear out faster when you put pressure down on the sander. Pressing down on the sander during operation may remove stock faster but creates more heat than the the pad can withstand premature h&l failure is the result.
I find that if I let the sander do the work I get better results on the work piece and my arms and sanding pads last longer. ;D

Thanks.

 

[Michael Kellough]

The hook and loop things on the pads wear out faster when you put pressure down on the sander. Pressing down on the sander during operation may remove stock faster but creates more heat than the the pad can withstand premature h&l failure is the result.
I find that if I let the sander do the work I get better results on the work piece and my arms and sanding pads last longer. ;D

Thanks.

Excessive vacuum pressure does the same thing. I wore out a pad by puttinf a point on a dowel and the concentrated heat and pressure ruined the hooks on the pad.