Sanding Pad Replacement

[Reinhards]

I have the ETS EC 125 EQ Plus. A great sander, but I made the mistake to try net sanding discs, and now the Granat discs no longer sticks to the hook and loops. I read on another thread that I should have used a protection pad. I am looking for the following advice:

1. Can I replace only the hook-and-loop pad? Or do I have to replace the entire sanding pad / backing pad? What is spare part number that I need?
2. How does the protection pad attach to the backing pad? Is it via the hook and loop system? Or is there a way that Ifor a protection pad directly to the damaged hook and loop pad?
2. In your experience, will it not be wise to allways use a protection pad?
3. Any other advice on this theme?

Thanx

Reinhard

 

[Jim_in_PA]

The sanding pad is essentially a disposable item that's going to need to be replaced over time anyway. The heat generated from friction during sanding when one tends to press down helps contribute to that, but so do other factors. There are also choices for "hardness" appropriate for different sanding situations. You do need to replace the whole pad if the hook and loop is buggered and yes, be sure to use an interface pad when using net type abrasives of any brand. If you do a lot of sanding, keep an extra sanding pad in the shop so you don't lose time should it need to suddenly be replaced. I buy a new one when I start to sense the need coming...I'm not a heavy user. I've gone through about four of them since the mid 2000s.

 

[lilymette]

The sanding pad is essentially a disposable item that's going to need to be replaced over time anyway. The heat generated from friction during sanding when one tends to press down helps contribute to that, but so do other factors. There are also choices for "hardness" appropriate for different sanding situations. You do need to replace the whole pad if the hook and loop is buggered and yes, be sure to use an interface pad when using net type abrasives of any brand. If you do a lot of sanding, keep an extra sanding pad in the shop so you don't lose time should it need to suddenly be replaced. I buy a new one when I start to sense the need coming...I'm not a heavy user. I've gone through about four of them since the mid 2000s.

I'm still new to Festool sanders, and was looking at this model

https://beavertools.com/576070-festool-random-orbital-sander-ets-125-req-plus-usa.html

Would it be a good fit for beginners? Or should I consider somethings else?

 

[onocoffee]

I learned that lesson The Hard Way while using a friends ETS EC 150/5 and had to buy a new pad. The new pads for the ETS 125 are $53 (was looking at them yesterday) and you have three choices: soft, medium and hard (medium is the OEM). You will have to replace yours.

Another alternative is the $24 third-party pad on Amazon. I recently bought a used ES 125 EQ which came with a new pad and its hook and loop is significantly tighter than any other Festool, which leads me to believe that it's a third-party pad. So far, this pad has performed very well and would be worth considering.

https://amzn.to/3JVMYTJ

The protection pads are $20 for two and work very well. Most importantly, they're cheaper than replacing the sanding pads. Just line up the holes on the protection pad with the sander pad and then the mesh abrasive goes on top of the protection pad. Really quite easy.

3 - that all depends on your cash flow. If spending $53 every so often isn't a big deal (and for some that's not an amount even worth considering), then no worries.

 

[Cheese]

The new pads for the ETS 125 are $53 (was looking at them yesterday) and you have three choices: soft, medium and hard (medium is the OEM). You will have to replace yours.

Just to prevent any further confusion when looking for the pads on the Festool website, Festool refers to the pads as super soft...soft and hard.

 

[bertv]

H is Hart = Hard
W is Weich = Soft
SW is Super weich = Super soft

 

[Jim_in_PA]

I'm still new to Festool sanders, and was looking at this model

https://beavertools.com/576070-festool-random-orbital-sander-ets-125-req-plus-usa.html

Would it be a good fit for beginners? Or should I consider somethings else?

Never make a tool decision based on being a "beginner". Buy tools because they bring you the capability you need for the work you want to do. If you do small work, one of the 125mm sanders will do just fine. I personally prefer the 150mm sanders...the only reason I own one 125mm sander is because it's the only one compatible with the edge guide. The sander I use the most if the 150/5 (current version)

 

[luvmytoolz]

@lilymette +1 for what Jim said, it's horses for courses and everyone's fit might be different

Personally I have no real use for the edge guide so all my sanders are 150mm. For me I get a lot more bang for my buck with the 150mm discs, as they are only fractionally more expensive than 125mm discs, but are 5400mm2 larger surface area. So discs last longer, do more work in less time, etc.

I also had the ETS 150/5 which is still a brilliant sander, but I've replaced it with the ETS EC's which I think hands down are the best sanders on the market.

So media cost, ergonomics, etc all play a part in deciding which sander is the best fit for the sort of work you not only do now, but what you see yourself doing in the future with a competent sander.

 

[smorgasbord]

You can buy 3D printed edge guides for the ETS-EC 150 sander. I have one and it works just fine.

 

[Neil Lickfold]

I have the 150 2 series and got a spare pad and the protector pad as well. I think the 125 sanding pad is FE-492284 .

 

[Steve1]

The pad that came with your sander would be the "soft". It is still reasonably hard.

The "super soft" pad is much softer. I use it for parts of the process of polishing out urethane finish. When using this pad, the pad is just following the existing surface.

I guess the "hard" pad has better ability to flatten a surface.

 

[onocoffee]

The pad that came with your sander would be the "soft". It is still reasonably hard.

The "super soft" pad is much softer. I use it for parts of the process of polishing out urethane finish. When using this pad, the pad is just following the existing surface.

I guess the "hard" pad has better ability to flatten a surface.

How is the Super Soft in comparison to using an Interface Pad with the Soft?

 

[Steve1]

How is the Super Soft in comparison to using an Interface Pad with the Soft?

Hard to say. I don't use net discs so I don't have an interface pad.
Probably the interface pad adds some soft reliance, but only has maybe .005" of compliance. But that might be totally sufficient when sanding a nominally flat workpiece.

 

[Cheese]

How is the Super Soft in comparison to using an Interface Pad with the Soft?

If what you're asking is to compare the density of the Super Soft pad to the density of the Interface pad...it isn't even close. The Super Soft is 5-10 times more dense than the Interface pad, compare photos 3 & 4. Here's a comparison of the 3 pad options for the ETSC 2 125.
A Bessey spring clamp is placed in approximately the same area on each pad. The 4th photo is an interface pad and you can see that it's completely compressed by the spring clamp.

 

[onocoffee]

If what you're asking is to compare the density of the Super Soft pad to the density of the Interface pad...it isn't even close. The Super Soft is 5-10 times more dense than the Interface pad, compare photos 3 & 4. Here's a comparison of the 3 pad options for the ETSC 2 125.
A Bessey spring clamp is placed in approximately the same area on each pad. The 4th photo is an interface pad and you can see that it's completely compressed by the spring clamp.

Thanks! I appreciate the demonstration pics!