Thoughts on sanding drywall with a Festool sander.

I recently had to replace quite a bit of drywall due to some water damage.  Drywall work always causes fights with my wife because a perfectionist about the finish, and I'm lazy about tenting the areas.  She hates the dust and is extremely on edge when I undertake one of these projects.

In an effort to mitigate the dust and as an excuse to acquire another Festool, I ordered an ETS-125 before I started.  I am using the CT-22 as the dust collector.  I placed my order for the sander before reading this forum topic.  I was a bit concerned about whether I wasted my money on the sander due to the mixed reviews for drywall sanding posted here.

I have to say that the ETS-125 and CT-22 combination works beautifully!  I can't even describe how well it works.  The worst part of the drywall project now is cutting the drywall.  Sanding is now relatively dust free.  I think I can get a level 5 drywall finish without having to use a sanding sponge.

For future readers, I used Rubin P-80 paper with the sander and CT-22 power set at their highest settings.  I used very light pressure on the sander, just enough to keep the pad moving in a circular direction.  I then moved the sander in circles and kept the pad flat on the ceiling.  Almost no dust.  It is absolutely unbelievable!  My wife used to hate Festools because of the cost.  She is now a believer, and I can now purchase future tools without a fight.
 
Kodi,

Great use of the search feature to find this thread!  I have been sanding much drywall lately due to people removing wallpaper and gouging the walls.  I end up spraying the walls with wall texture, roughly smoothing that down quickly, and then the next day my helper uses the ets 150 to sand the walls smooth.  I did notice much more dust falling to the floor when he was doing it versus when I was doing it.  The reason was that he would sand in one area, lift the sander, and then fell if it was smooth.  Every time he did that dust would fall.  Once I showed him that he kept the pad on the surface and dust collection improved dramatically.  We also use a higher suction.
 
I'm with dan and others on this. I use a lot of "hot" mud, which dries harder than the premix. "IF" you can get the troweling method down, and any good finish carpenter should have that with-in, sanding is a minimum. the other thing about the 45 and 20 mud is it's harder and heavier, and it tends to drop on the spot and not pick up a charge a float everywhere (I still use a fake Zip Wall setup).

I use a something 360? round pole sander at 180 grit, and a corner sanding sponge. Someone posted a German video of a Festool Drywall sander.

All this being said, I've tried to use a power sander, but I think (not braggin' just statin') that the people who've taught me how to plaster have given me the abilities that my hand sanding is more effective. Now, my next purchase I'm hoping (aside from a right angle drill attachment that I've been waiting for a month for) is going to be a Kapex.
 
Start lobbying Festool USA for the Planex.  If I only have a patch to sand I use the smaller 125 Rotex (the 150 is too heavy)  The planex eats "spackle" "drywall filler" "enduit" or whatever all day.  They've even brought out a harness (which I don't have) to take the weight off your shoulders.

Richard.
 
Here's the method that I use:

I use the hot mud for the first 2 coats.  I then use thinned all purpose compound for the remaining coats.  I am getting better at the knife technique, so I don't have much to sand when the 2nd coat is dry.  The remaining coats are fairly thin with the all purpose compound.  I either use a string or a level to check for high/low spots.  As long as I am using thinned all purpose compound, and not trying to fill any low spots all at once, then sanding is minimal.  I am a DIY'er, so I can take my time.  I don't have any advice for those that do need to do it quickly because they make a living at it.  For me, the Planex would be overkill.

I wonder if the paper grit has an effect on how the sander behaves on drywall?  I was using Rubin P-80 with the sander and CT cranked all the way up.  Holding the sander lightly against the surface and using a circular motion resulted in an almost smooth as glass finish.  I ran out of P-80 paper and had some P-120.  I tried using that and I got a lot of chattering.  The local Woodcraft only had P-100, so I'll see how that works.

There are a lot of complaints in this thread about the paper not lasting.  I didn't think the thinner papers would cut it, so I started with the  Rubin since it is more stout than some of the others.  I could have sanded all the coats on 3 or 4 sheets with the same paper.  Unfortunately, I got into some semi-dry compound that loaded the paper up.  It still sanded fine, but I was just a bit skeptical seeing that all the grit was loaded.

 
My inside Festool source ( I took a blood oath never to reveal  [wink] ) says the planex system for sanding drywall is going through the UL approval process, so it shouldn't be too much longer.  I can't wait!  I too use the Radius 360.  I used the PC 7800 and even the PC sander like the Festool RT400.  I hated to use the 7800.  Never really got it to work to the point that it wouldn't make a gouge somewhere and always swirl marks, not to mention not giving an evenly flat surface the way the pad moves around.  Even replaced bearings to try and reduce the runout and replaced the cable system.  It wasn't designed as well as the planex...period.  My PC505 couldn't handle the drywall dust build up around the motor, even using compressed air after every job to clean it out.  Air sanders like my Hutchins would do a better job, but they require high cfm's which translates into a bigger air compressor.  I also prefer using setting compound when doing initial coats and finishing with the standard latex based compound.  Use as little as possible and practice your knife technique is the best advice.  Why have to sand away all that time and money in compound?  Get a good selection of high quality tape knives.  Practice your technique and maybe even check out Myron Ferguson's instructional DVD's or if you can, take a class from him.  I use the FastCap pole system with plastic sheeting for tenting off an area along with my big not so mobile air cleaner from JDS Company.
 
I almost never sand drywall mud...I scrape it down with the knife between coats and only sand lightly by hand after the last coat. I wouldn't likely expose my Festool sanders to this stuff. But that's just me...
 
I tend to concur with the thought about doing as much up-front work as possible, i.e., getting the mud as smooth as possible at application, then knocking down the high spots while the mud is almost dry, then hitting it with a light sanding.  I do notice that the drywall dust clogs the bags on my CT22 very quickly.  I was also wondering if anyone has ever used the Dust Deputy (http://dustdeputy.com/) products when sanding drywall.  I use one with my table saw to avoid filling shop vac bags at a rapid pace, but hadn't tried it with the Festool sander/vac combination.  I note, too, that they have a separate unit designed specifically to work with Festool vacs (http://store.oneida-air.com/dust-deputy-festool.aspx).  I've noticed that when I use the RO125 at ~3,000 rpm and use 180 grit Brilliant, I get a really nice finish (provided that I don't let the Rotex make big holidays!  [crying]). 
 
richard.selwyn said:
Start lobbying Festool USA for the Planex.  If I only have a patch to sand I use the smaller 125 Rotex (the 150 is too heavy)  The planex eats "spackle" "drywall filler" "enduit" or whatever all day.  They've even brought out a harness (which I don't have) to take the weight off your shoulders.

Richard.
Click to expand...

The Planex is BIG it even come in a maxi-Systianer.

[flash=200,200]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abLOrQ-QHlE[/flash]
 
Peter Halle said:
Brice,

I have used my rotex for sanding drywall patched and repairs.  I too found that the dust collection was not as I would have expected, until I found out that it is significantly better working in one direction versus the other.  I think it was better moving left to right or clockwise or down versus up.  In the other direction the dust was pretty much not collected.

Did you notice similar symptoms?

Peter
Click to expand...

Hey fellas.  I am a total amateur, new to the forum and new to festool just this summer.  A couple of weeks ago I bought the new Rotex 150.  One of the main selling points for me was literature that says the internal mechanisms are completely sealed.  I have used it a couiple of times in some small sanding/polishing endeavours and notice the unit seems to build up some heat after about a half hour of steady work.  I am writing because have a house full of plaster walls and ceilings to sand and paint.  I thought this would be a great all around tool that could also be used in this specific task.  Am I off the rails?  Thanks.  mb
 
I don't know, I have been a few job sites in my time and I can say that the guys that sling mud for a living don't sand. I never ever saw one break out a sander, at most I have seen them wipe an edge or two with a moist sponge.

A professional taper doesn't need to break out a sander. Before my home burned down I paid a 65 year old guy to tape. He came alone, taped the entire first floor himself, ceilings included(on stilts)in a day and came back a second day and finished and I never even saw him sand. The walls were like glass.

The problem with sanding drywall is most tend to over-sand and dish out the tape lines. When in reality you should only have to feather the edges at most and not sand the center tape line at all. Less is more when sanding drywall.
 
mb; do you use the Rotex with the vac or not? Without the vac there is definitely more heat build up. My Festool rep says the Rotex does fine without the vac though it does get warm, bordering on hot.

As for finishing off drywall I concur with the rule of thum that less is more and I tend to try and get as good a fit as I can from the get go to minimize mud/sanding. Though at the ongoing project there is some sanding involved with all the nooks and crannies.

I don't know what drywall boards look like in the US but here the edges are tapered (should be the same no?) which means you do have to apply mud and a paper (or fiber glass) strip inbetween the boards no matter how tight you can fit them. After the second coat I sand it down and check the "seams"/edges with the spatula/knife for flatness across the seam to make sure and then apply a very slight third coat where necessary.

I think for most people that aren't comfortable with drywall finishing they spend an awful lot of time with the first coat thinking they will get it perfect with the first coat but I think you actually spend less time doing two quick coats with sanding inbetween and - if necessary - a slight third coat.

For sanding I have used the Rotex 125 to great effect but most of the time I use a Mirka sanding block with the Abranet mesh hooked up to a shop vac, works fine and collects most of the dust.

Over here most of the drywallers don't sand either, they leave it to the painter.
 
@mb
It is normal for a new rotex to get pretty hot, it isn't necessarily linked to the drywall sanding. There are numerous topics on this forum about that subject, if I recall correctly the breaking-in period had to do with the brushes wearing enough to get "settled".

I had a similar experience with my trion jigsaw, which got really hot when I used it for the first time (it was also a job where it needed to run continuously for an extended time)
 
I learned from a pro plaster, and he does sand... he also has BIG butts... I think he would rather just plaster (a "5" finish) rather than partial.
 
Hey - long time since I've been here.  Have a sanding job at home I want to use my ETS-125 for sanding.  I see some of you mention using the ETS-125 with the CT-22 vac.  Question is, is there a Festool adapter you are using to connect the larger end of the CT-22 vac to the smaller port on the sander?  I believe the CT-22 has a 35mm hose, but the sanders smaller port only connects to the 27mm hose on the CT mini.  What adapter you use, and where did you get it?  I've searched google and can't find anything.  Thx!
 
Cool, thanks.  I PM'd the guy asking if the whips are still available.  My CT22 does have the larger hose, as it's mainly used on my Kapex.  I don't recall it being available with the smaller hose, as when I bought the CT22 it came with the D36 hose.
 
If you don't want to sand or are working in an environment that can't handle any sanding pick up a couple bags of 'buff topper'. That's what we called it years ago. I don't think they call it that anymore though. USG product. Comes in the same size bag as durabond. Not sure the big box stores carry it. Probably have to go to a drywall supply house.
 
Hi there,

I have been sanding a fair bit of drywall of late. I have been using an ETS150/3 and my CT26. There has been no dust missed by the sander. I was using a 180 grit paper which tended to work quite well. I will be trying some coarser paper this weekend to see if it copes.
 
[member=59890]Grakat[/member] with your recent sanding are you concerned or doing anything about the filter?
 
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