Sander recommendation? I have RO90/Ro150.

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tbeaulieu

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Nov 29, 2017
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Hi!

I'm a hobbyist with a Festool addiction. I have the RO150 and love it. I recently bought the RO90 that has the Delta head. I have not yet used it. I'm all loaded up with discs for both sanders.

My question is if there is another sander that you think I should add to the mix? Would you recommend a DTS or ETS? I know nothing about them yet. Thoughts on stroke? 3mm vs 5mm? Will try to find some videos. Also, does a 150 model use the same paper as my RO150? Oh, my assumption is that buying a RO125 wouldn't make sense for me. Would you agree? Would another model add some different characteristics into my tool collection, that I'd find myself choosing for certain tasks?

Thanks!
 
Rotex is a great tool. It's also a heavier tool that really likes two hands when possible. For normal finish sanding, one of the ROS will be good to have in your toolbag. I've had my sanders for a long time, so my go-to 95% of the time is my 150/3. I only use the (older) Rotex 150 when it's the right tool for the job. Were I buying a new "go-to" sander today, I'd likely opt for the 125mm model that can also take a 150 pad and abrasives for the ultimate in flexibility...I'm in a rush, so can't provide the exact model, but it's been mentioned here about, oh...a gazillion times...in similar threads with the same question you ask today.
 
ETS EC 125/3 can take the pad from the ETS EC 150/3, then you have both a 5" and a 6" sander. That swap does not work in reverse though.
 
It really depends on what type of work you do mostly.  The RO sanders are best for rapid stock removal.  The ETS EC is more of a finish sander.  Since you have 2 RO sanders already I wouldn't be adding a 5mm stroke to the collection.  As others have mentioned you can put a 150 pad on the 125 machine but the 125 pad wont fit on the 150 machine so the ETS EC 125/3 is the smarter choice.  The others such as the RTS/DTS would get into corners without using the delta on the RO90 sometimes a sander need can be do to space limitations. I specifically bought the DTS and ets req because of the compact size. Some complain about the high center of gravity of those style sanders but sometimes a taller stubbier sander is better than a low wide/longer sander and vise versa.  Bottom line is it just depends on the type of sanding, how much you sand and what you sand. However, I will say its hard to have to many different sanders. 
 
Yes, the festool website shows the same part number for both the ro150 and the ets ec 150.  same paper.  If you havent tried 3m cubitron II I would highly recommend it.  Granat is good but second best compared to 3m cube. based on my trials.  Less loading and lasts longer stuff is pretty amazing. 
 
Keep in mind that the ETS 125 (not ETS EC), even though it's "only" a 5-inch sander, can also use the edge guide, even if it can't use a 6-inch pad.  If you do a lot of edge sanding work, it may be a better choice.  The ETS 125 plus edge guide is less than the ETS EC 125, too.
 
yep, I like my little non ec 125 too.  I dont have an edge guide yet but its on the short list.  It also has the smallest stroke and footprint.  I originally got it because its the most compact.  Sanders that are hooked to a dust hose get big fast.  If you try and do any sanding in tight quarters it gets tough trying to maneuver it around .  The ETS 125 req,DTS,RTS have the smallest form factor I could find among any brand and the way the hose angles up helps keep it even more compact.  I dont do anything that requires an RO but a ETS 125 req, DTS and ETS EC 125 with a 150 pad would be were I start but others might be much better off with something competely different. However, Its hard to pass up the little 125 req for the money.  Wish I could have gotten a pro5 but o'well.  The LS130 looks interesting to me as well and will probably pick one up someday. 

     
 
afish said:
However, Its hard to pass up the little 125 req for the money.  Wish I could have gotten a pro5 but o'well. 
Click to expand...

Well, your wish is fulfilled because the 125 REQ is the Pro5.  [smile] It just cost you a bit more money.
 
Funny. I had the pro that I never used once. Sold it recently for what I bought it for. $100.
 
That was kind of my original point. Different strokes for different folks.  I have no need for RO sanders while others may only use a RO 99% of the time.  It really just depends on the individuals needs. 
 
Chainring said:
ETS EC 125/3 can take the pad from the ETS EC 150/3, then you have both a 5" and a 6" sander. That swap does not work in reverse though.
Click to expand...

My recommendation exactly, unless you have a need for a lot of edge sanding. Then the ETS with the edge guide might make more sense.

I started, years ago, with the RO90, because of it's versatility. Then I moved to the ETS EC 125 for better dust collection while finish sanding. I had been using a pneumatic 5" sander that had no dust collection ability at all. I was good with these for quite a while, then realizing that I was using the RO90 in some cases where it was just not big enough for the task. That's when I got the RO125. I have better supply/access to 5" paper, so that was they way to go for me.
 
Chainring said:
ETS EC 125/3 can take the pad from the ETS EC 150/3, then you have both a 5" and a 6" sander. That swap does not work in reverse though.
Click to expand...

I would say this, but in reality you need to decide based on your usage and needs.
 
afish said:
That was kind of my original point. Different strokes for different folks.  I have no need for RO sanders while others may only use a RO 99% of the time.  It really just depends on the individuals needs.
Click to expand...

My issue was that I never used it once and assumed it would need another line of paper. I love my RO 150 and used it exclusively. Lately I've been snapping up recon equipment at a break neck pace, much to the dismay of my CFO/Wife and grabbed the RO90. I bought a million grits for both systems. I find it difficult to understand the difference among the festool line, not having any in person exposure. It would be funny if I ended up buying a $400 sander to replace my $100 sander if they are super similar. Not the end of the world.
 
I bought the ets ec 125/3 , That is the best sander that i have used hands down !! i have the ro 125 and the rts 400 ,
The day that i got my ets ec 125/3 i sanded for 6 hours !! My wife sanded all the cabinets in the house and was amazed by it
 
I like all of my sanders...to add to what you have I would opt for the DTS/RTS or a 150/3 or 150/5 ETS EC sander. These would compliment your Rotex sanders and give you some added functionality.
 
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