Should I buy another sander

[mino]

I was giving the Rotex125 a workout last night removing some lacquer from pine boards (recycling an old wardrobe).

Rotex mode was great, nice and easy to use, no problems - even with the CTM vac turned up to max power.
RO mode was awful.  120granat lowest vac setting and the machine was all over the place.  Nothing made any difference to stopping the machine jumping around (other than not using it).

It seems weird that Rotex mode is OK but RO mode is not.  Is there something about the orbit distance on the Rotex?  Do dedicated RO sanders (Mirka / Festool) also try to rip your arms off?
I'd like to get an ETS EC 125, because I already have the Rotex125 and don't want to get another sand paper size, but Festool UK have stopped offering it.  Maybe need to look at the Mirka that Kevin recommended.

Thanks
Bob

If you survived till this point without a proper RO sander (the ROTEX can never be that), as a hobby user, just get the ETSC 125 with the edge guide.

It is an excellent finish sander, the edge guide is a blessing for a hobbyist and the abiliy to use it cordless and without a vac for small jobs is great. It can also catch some fine oak dust in the dust bag which is great for fix-up jobs.

Get the basic version /sans charger/ and just one battery. As a hobby user you will unlikely need two bats.

example from quick search:https://www.angliatoolcentre.co.uk/...basic-gb-ergo-plus-free-battery-pid53100.html

Get the edge guide separately, the bundle it not worth it.https://www.festool.co.uk/accessory...ries/other-accessories/205316---ah-es-etsetsc

If you do not have a Festool charger, get the SCA16 (skip buying TCL 6 new), or buy a TCL 3 or TCL 6 charger used. There are plenty around and these chargers just do not die ...

Later on, you will probably want to add the DTSC to cover those hard to reach places.

 

[woodferret]

Second the ETSC.  Paint removal / plywood doesn't scream any ETS EC to me.  I'm more prone to using a carbide scraper and touching up with a light sander.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

Read the whole thread. He already took back his 125 and bought a new 150.