Sanding cedar

[Carpe Diem]

Looking for some input and a recommendation. I am about to start refinishing a Rainbow Playset that was given to us from a family member. The playground is made of cedar but has been outside for the past 10 years. A few pieces need replacement but for the most part it seems to be in good shape. The stain has started to peel and needs a good sanding to make smooth again. I need to take it a part to move it so I figure now is the best time to sand and refinish. The playground is big, approximately 14’ x 28’. I have attached a pic for reference.

I am looking for an efficient sander to sand the cedar. I have a ETS 125 but that is to slow for such a large structure.

Is a Rotex to aggressive for Cedar? Would I be better off with an ETS EC?

Looking for the best choice for this project, can you offer your opinion for sanding such a softwood but a large project.

Thanks,

Carpe Diem

 

[Birdhunter]

I like the Rotex for aggressive sanding. However, it can hop around vigorously until you get the knack of handling it. Take it out of the Rotex mode and it becomes more docile. I don’t think the non-Rotex sanders will be aggressive enough for the job you describe. I like the 5” sanders. They seem more flexible than the 6” for my work.

 

[leakyroof]

Let the work dictate your size of sander. So, if the majority of the smaller wood that I see in your link is easier to sand with a 5” sander, go with a ETS EC version. Way more versatile than most people know for removing finishes.
I’ve stripped doors of 100 year old varnish and stain to bare wood for refinishing with my EC 125 3mm due to the smaller 5” pad fitting the inner panels of the door and the frame wood.
My 6” sander , a 150/5 got the field areas  , but was too big in other areas .
  Cedar is softer than the old Birch I was stripping , so you don’t want too aggressive of a grit on that Playground.  Dust Collection is a must, Cedar dust can affect people who previously didn’t show an allergy to it if you get overwhelmed with dust from sanding. The human body puts up with only so much allergens before the immune system kicks in.
 
Good 3M dust mask or similar , I like ones with an  exhaust valve .

Abrasive choice, Granat to strip the stain and sand with.  Saphir would probably be too aggressive. And Rubin would probably clog with the stain.
Start with 80 grit , you may not need to dip below it if that stain is ready to peel off. If you have to use 60 grit, light touch
 

 

[Holzhacker]

I've serviced a number of Cedar decks over the years. Faded stain, a few funky pieces, lack of uniform color, etc. Basic servicing. I've always used a combination of the ETS 125 and DTS 400. I mostly use 80 grit. Sometimes 60 for some rough spots. And 100 for grasping areas or very noticeable areas that should look better.
I've done decks that have more square footage than the playset you show.
A - for me its just about being patient
B- if you are looking for perfection forget it. Any sander is going to take too much time for that. Think 'nice rustic' appearance and you'll do great.
I'm not a big mask wearing guy for woodworking (besides of course now) but unless you are going to have reliable wind blowing away from you, you gotta wear a mask sanding Cedar. Even with DC its really a better choice to make. Cedar dust can be a bit much.
As someone else mentioned a Rotex could be a bit tough to handle, especially 1st time out. Also probably wouldn't work so well in the connection areas.

I don't want to preach but you know I don't think the ETS 125 and DTS 400 combo get enough love and respect. Those two sanders can really handle a lot of jobs together. Everybody wants a badass Rotex.

Hey Festool how about putting them in a combined systainer combo pack!

 

[AlexThePalex]

Removing stain is not a difficult job, it is a very thin and soft finish compared to paint. Older stain is very often weathered to the point it drops of by itself.

So you'd be surprised how quick you would work with 80 grit on the ETS 125. Only problem with stain is that your paper can clog very quickly so you'll burn through papers.

I would use my Rotex 150 and DTS400 mostly for a job like this. 150 on the large parts where it fits, and the DTS to clean it all up.

 

[Carpe Diem]

Thanks for the responses. I am planning on sanding just beyond the stain to expose the wood. I need to make a few new pieces and would like them to match or get close after staining. I am not looking for perfection, it’s a play set that will be outside, rustic looking is fine.

I have started to disassembly and will have individual components to sand. I will use my ETS 125 (2 mm) for the small parts if needed and just take my time. For parts wider than 3” (76.2 mm lol) I want something efficient.

Sounds like a Rotex might be to aggressive, I don’t want a Rotex for the sake of owning one. I would however buy one if it’s the right tool for the task. I guess that’s what I am looking for, the right sander for this job to work efficiently. Efficiently is the key, my kids would rather play on the play set all summer rather than watch me sand. I would rather be playing with them than sanding.

A belt sander is out of the question, a few years back I sander a cedar pergola (16’ x 32’) and while efficient it was just to dusty. Which is one of the reasons I switches to Festool, for there dust extraction. I am in Canada and Festool doesn’t offer a belt sander here.

 

[Cheese]

I'd go straight to my ETS EC and DTS 400.  The RO 90 & RO 125 would remain in their systainers.  [smile]

Remember, if you go the ETS EC route, the 150 pad will also fit on the ETS EC 125. However, the ETS EC 150 will NOT accept the 125 pad.  [mad]

 

[Michael Kellough]

Is this thing stained or vanished? Stain doesn’t “peel”.

Do you need to disassemble the whole thing at once? Maybe you can remove a few parts here and there to keep it functional while you refurbish/replace pieces. The big structural pieces could be sanded in place or you could make temporary substitutes from ordinary construction grade lumber so the kids could continue to play.

If the finish is actually a film that peels rather than a stain then you might want a more aggressive sander than the ETS 125. Go ahead and sand some of the pieces you’ve removed and judge for yourself.

If you aren’t locked into Festool abrasives there are also good RO sanders from Bosch and Makita that use less costly and more readily available abrasives.

 

[WastedP]

We sand a lot of cedar in our shop.  We use a Rotex (which I just sent in on warranty this week, never had one fail in fifteen years) and an ETS EC 125.  I agree that the choice of sander depends on personal preference and size of the work.  But the choice of pad and paper is pretty important.  On bare cedar, Rubin is the way to go.  Granat does not have the same lifespan.  In full rotary mode, 60 grit levels the surface out fast, then we step up through the grits with the ETS for finishing.  If the surface is already leveled out, I would be as conservative as possible, trying 120 first and stepping down if that doesn't work fast enough.  If the cedar has knots, the varying hardness of the wood is going to sand weird with a soft pad.  The hard blue pad is the choice for a flat surface.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Sounds like a Rotex might be to aggressive

No way. You decide how aggressive it is. The sander has two modes, you can vary the grit of paper and the RPM.

If you put 50 grit Saphir on it in agressive mode you can cut your cedar in half.

Put 320 on it fine mode, and you'll hardly make a dimple in a bar of soap.

The sander gives you options, you just need to find the right balance for the job. 80 in fine mode on cedar works just fine.