Surfix- first impressions.

[Timtool]

i got the Surfix in a systainer pack about a month ago.
the OS-SYS3-SET contains the applicator in a metal box, the 3 different oil containers (heavy, light, outdoor use)
6 spunges, 5 vlies green and 5 vlies white pads
10 P180 sheets and 10 P240 sheets.

i have used it so far on 5 projects, the 4 last were oiled together.
my initial impressions are that is is not as easy as it may look on the videos, when you start using it you need to spray a liberal amount of oil on the surface just to get the spunge soaked. otherwise it doesn't work well.
once that is done it becomes quite easy. though the shape and size of the bottle doesn't always make it verry easy to handle.
even though you need to almost constantly respray oil on the surface by squeezing the surfix, it doesn't use as much liquid as i thought it would.



a problem i found at the second use was that the bumps on the bottom of the metal box had compressed the spunge bottom after it sat in there for a week. the oil on the spunge also had started curing, wich the metal box is supposed to prevent. so the spunge was hardened and it was alot less effective.

so im not entirely thrilled by it so far,
pro's are:

-well it's an applicator for oil! no more rags with autocombusting liquids on them.
-nice finish quality
-relatively economical with oil

cons are:

-doesn't like corners, small surfaces or anything non horizontal
-spunge lifetime.

maybe the spunge should be rinsed after use and put upside down in the box so it doesn't get compressed by the bumps.
i will try that next time. but it's not supposed to be that way.

 

[ajones]

I am just waiting for mine to arrive from slingers, I think it could be a good idea to keep the pad in a ziploc bag or cling film.
I use this method on paint brushes to over night them if you need them the next day.I have left brushes this way for weeks.
keeps them good. there would be to much air in a tin that size to stop the drying/curing process indefinitely I see the tin
more as a clean safe and easy way to store the pad during periods of use.

 

[Kristian W]

maybe the spunge should be rinsed after use and put upside down in the box so it doesn't get compressed by the bumps.
i will try that next time. but it's not supposed to be that way.

I saw a pre-production version of the Surfix where the box was with out the 'bumps'. I was told that they should change the design and add the bumps to prevent the applicator from sucking it self stuck to the bottom of the box. Maybe it works better if the oil container is removed.

 

[Timtool]

maybe the spunge should be rinsed after use and put upside down in the box so it doesn't get compressed by the bumps.
i will try that next time. but it's not supposed to be that way.

I saw a pre-production version of the Surfix where the box was with out the 'bumps'. I was told that they should change the design and add the bumps to prevent the applicator from sucking it self stuck to the bottom of the box. Maybe it works better if the oil container is removed.

that makes sense, though it's still not ideal. over time the sponge sags to the bottom and the bumps become solidly imprinted into the sponge. rendering it much less effective.
you could remove the bottle to take away weight, but then the systainer has no room for the third bottle.

but anyway the metal container apparently does not effectively protect against curing and hardening of the sponge. removing the oil applicator and only storing the sponge in it would leave even more room for air, leading to more hardening.

i think i will do as footstool suggested and try storing the sponge in a ziplock

 

[Redfox]

Hi all,
I think it's a pretty good set, and I can stretch one bottle of oil further that I supposed (outdoor).

Anyway I also see that the pad I first used for the outdoor oil is a little bit harder after three weeks. But it kind of became soft again when using bittle no. 2 of outdoor oil (I had to buy extra for my job).
I think the pad is not as durable as I thiught, and it can relatively easy get a little torn. Does not seem to affect the result though, so I can live with that.

I see the metal container as something different. Oils can self ignite, and start to burn. The pad is contaminated with oil after use, and should be stored in a closed container, hence the metal box.
I do keep a set of plastic gloves in the systainer, as I clip off the botthe from the pad holder after use, and reinstall the screw on tip. Just to try and make it more airtight between periods of use. This gives some oils on the hands, therefore gloves.

Don't like the t-loc, otherwise a nice set. I must admit the handle is better than the systainer version.

Havent much use for the polishing pads yet, but that will probbly come in time. Some things I do by hand, and I like to feel the control and heatdevelopment in polishing by hand, not a machine. Therefore I still do it by hand.

Extra oils come in two-packs, and they won't spoil your budget, even though they are not exactly cheap. For private use, it doesn't matter, as I want these quite good oils, and for making money, the quality of the oil, and that it is ecological, is a convincing point for some I have worked for, and they don't mind the extra price.

I find the corner making work okay, with only a little tendency to leave smal areas without oil.
I also find it easy to apply oil on vertical surfaces, but only after a little getting used to. I was also surprived that I had to press more oil out quite often. I suppose oil, no matter the type always looks like a lot has come out, when in fact this is not the case.

I find it sometimes hard to get the last out of the bottle, being hard to squeeze.

I tend to sand with 400 grit, not the ones in the box.

I have dropped using other oild for the time being, as I find these ones gives a nice and  silky smooth finish, and it doesn't stick as easy as some other oils does, like Spekva and Junckers.

As usual from Festool a useless manual and hints.

Finally I find the oil after a period of settleing, easy to polish up for a good result. The final results were commented by other people as looking very nice indeed.

All in all worth it, but still useing gloves.

Just my two pence worth of experience,
Jacques.

 

[jmbfestool]

You could place the the surfix with sponge attached on the the Tin LID and then close the tin over the surfix or just drop it in the tin upside down this would avoid the in dents but not the drying out though.

JMB

 

[Timtool]

for the last application i have done since, i enveloped the sponge in a plastic domino bag and placed it under the container in the systainer. so far so good, the day after for the second app there was no curing or hardening. well see in a week or two when i need it again.
the festool rep told me the metal container also serves to protect from combustion wich was my no1 preoccupation, but then the white and especially green vlies pads that were used once and then re-stored in the systainer are imbibed with the oil aswell and sit "freely" in the systainer. but then the rep also told me the risk of combustion is very small with sponge type pads as it lets air through, not comparable to rags.

 

[woodguy7]

Just a thought, would the metal tin fit in the systainer on its side keeping the pressure off the dimples ?

 

[ajones]

Just a thought, would the metal tin fit in the systainer on its side keeping the pressure off the dimples ?

I dont know as Im still waiting for mine to be delivered I'm told its going to be mid july before I get it [mad]

but I guess its taller than its wide so I doubt it would fit on its side.

And I can't see how dimples in the sponge would make the slightest difference I will reserve jugment untill i get mine

 

[Timtool]

Just a thought, would the metal tin fit in the systainer on its side keeping the pressure off the dimples ?

I dont know as Im still waiting for mine to be delivered I'm told its going to be mid july before I get it [mad]

but I guess its taller than its wide so I doubt it would fit on its side.

And I can't see how dimples in the sponge would make the slightest difference I will reserve jugment untill i get mine

i think it's possible to store the box on it's side, but that wouldn't stop the curing problem. it seems to me that the metal container is handy when you use the surfix at least twice a week or so. my short experience tells me that you can throw the sponge away if it sits in there for more than a week.
the dimples themselves don't pose a problem, it's rather clever for short term storage. but as the dimples get imprinted into the sponge and the oil cures, the sponge stops being a sponge where the dimples were and turns into a rubber-like mass that doesn't absorb any oil