I am in the market for a RO sander and I’m wondering what makes the Festool sanders better? I have a Bosch 5” RO sander. After reading the guide on here about sanders, I’m pretty sure I want to get an RO 90. I like it’s versatility. The rotex mode seems like something I want. I guess I’m just curious about the other models and why they are better. I understand the rotex models but the others seem to do the same thing as their less expensive competition. Also, why would I want to decrease the suction on a sander? I see the CT vacs have that capability. What am I missing? I’ve used the Bosch hooked to a shop vac and it seems to pull the dust away pretty efficiently. The only time it doesn’t is when the vac is full and the suction is decreased. So, why would I want to intentionally decrease the suction?
What makes the Festool sanders better than other brands?
- Thread starter RNEMTP
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bkharman
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RNEMTP said:
To answer the question about the vac strength...
Think of a suction cup, it is great at what it does. Now think of a 90mm suction cup, which is what the head of an ro90 is when you have the suction turned up. Now think if that spinning at the RPMs and trying to keep the head on the workpiece. Not fun.
Basically with too much suction you get a lot of jerky action out of the RO and curse it a lot. Crank it down to about half way and it does its job very well. The 90 was my gateway drug into Fessy sanders. I still use it on occasion, but the ETS EC 125 is quickly becoming my favorite! I use it for a lot of things including edge work and stuff that needs to be "ground down" quickly.
Hope this helped!
Cheers. Bryan.
PS. Forgot to say welcome aboard earlier!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've owned and used porter cable, makita, bosch and dewalt RO sanders, and now only own several Festool sanders including the RO90.
What I've come to find with Festool sanders...
1 - Much smoother operation and less vibration in my hand
2 - Definitely better dust collection. I use them with a CT-26 dust extractor and find the dust collection to be excellent. Far better than any other sander I have used.
3 - Better paper - I use mostly Festool Granat paper across 6" round, rectangle and the RO90 circular and triangle bases. It lasts longer and is more durable. Plus I frequently will remove a piece to change grits and just save the pieces and reuse them. I never really was able to do that effectively with non Festool paper for the other sanders
4 - Plug-it cord makes it really easy to change tools. I'll sometimes be working on sanding a piece and switch from a 5" to a 3" to a rectangular sander for different areas of a chest, for example. Easy hose and cord swaps speed up my work.
5 - Systainers make for a convenient way to organize accessories and store paper.
6 - Warranty - in the US, 3 year warranty and they cover the shipping to/from their repair center.
7 - Variable speed if you need it. Some competitive sanders do not offer it. Every one of my Festool sanders have VS so I can tune the speed to the work.
The one sander beyond Festool that could be a contender for their line is the Mirka finish sanders and I know many on FOG really like them. As I understand they are DC sanders with a separate power supply, so for me, more to deal with than a sander and a power cord.
If you go with the RO90 or RO150, both are excellent for auto polishing. Festool offers a full range of pads for them for polish application and removal. They also offer abrasive paste up to 11000, which will do an amazing job of bringing a piece of wood or metal to life like you've never seen. I've had dining tables and chests and even stone countertops that these tools will bring back to life without a huge amount of effort.
Hope this helps. If you share some details on the kinds of projects you work on or even photos, I'm sure others here can give you further ideas on the right sanders for you.
neil
What I've come to find with Festool sanders...
1 - Much smoother operation and less vibration in my hand
2 - Definitely better dust collection. I use them with a CT-26 dust extractor and find the dust collection to be excellent. Far better than any other sander I have used.
3 - Better paper - I use mostly Festool Granat paper across 6" round, rectangle and the RO90 circular and triangle bases. It lasts longer and is more durable. Plus I frequently will remove a piece to change grits and just save the pieces and reuse them. I never really was able to do that effectively with non Festool paper for the other sanders
4 - Plug-it cord makes it really easy to change tools. I'll sometimes be working on sanding a piece and switch from a 5" to a 3" to a rectangular sander for different areas of a chest, for example. Easy hose and cord swaps speed up my work.
5 - Systainers make for a convenient way to organize accessories and store paper.
6 - Warranty - in the US, 3 year warranty and they cover the shipping to/from their repair center.
7 - Variable speed if you need it. Some competitive sanders do not offer it. Every one of my Festool sanders have VS so I can tune the speed to the work.
The one sander beyond Festool that could be a contender for their line is the Mirka finish sanders and I know many on FOG really like them. As I understand they are DC sanders with a separate power supply, so for me, more to deal with than a sander and a power cord.
If you go with the RO90 or RO150, both are excellent for auto polishing. Festool offers a full range of pads for them for polish application and removal. They also offer abrasive paste up to 11000, which will do an amazing job of bringing a piece of wood or metal to life like you've never seen. I've had dining tables and chests and even stone countertops that these tools will bring back to life without a huge amount of effort.
Hope this helps. If you share some details on the kinds of projects you work on or even photos, I'm sure others here can give you further ideas on the right sanders for you.
neil
neilc said:
Thanks guys! I want to be able to refinish furniture and I was thinking the RO 90 would be a good place to start. I want to be able to take off paint, sand bare surfaces and polish new finishes. After reading the sander guide on here it seems to me the RO 90 will fit that task well. I like that I can use it as a detail sander also. Sanders have always been an after thought. The nicest most expensive one I’ve bought to date has been that Bosch 5” RO. It has served me well but I knew there had to be something more to the Festool sanders.bkharman said:
Birdhunter
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I have most of the Festool sanders including the RO90.
I find the RO90 is excellent for small area sanding with the 3.5" circular pad. It's also excellent for getting into tight area with the triangular pad on.
It's not all that good for sanding large areas. The 3.5" pad is just too small.
For that reason. I also have a few 5" Festool sanders.
You will probably find the RO sanders have a learning curve. I had to lean the right level of vacuum and the right handling to get the best results.
I find the RO90 is excellent for small area sanding with the 3.5" circular pad. It's also excellent for getting into tight area with the triangular pad on.
It's not all that good for sanding large areas. The 3.5" pad is just too small.
For that reason. I also have a few 5" Festool sanders.
You will probably find the RO sanders have a learning curve. I had to lean the right level of vacuum and the right handling to get the best results.
ear3
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It sounds like the RO90 is perfect for your application, as it will get into those tight spaces on a chair. The one downside of the RO90 is that it can burn through the delta pads pretty quickly when doing corner/edge work -- the velcro on the corners gets melted and the paper loses adhesion. You can minimize this by being conscientious in delta mode, and not dig in with the corner, but sometimes you don't have a choice. I just make sure to have some extra delta pads on hand before I start a project with a lot of corner/edge work.
I had the RO150 and RO90 and sold them both. For my needs the ETS sanders were so much easier to control and use for extended periods of time. Your choice of sander is totally dependent upon usage. From what you describe the RO90 should be very helpful but really it is a poor panel sander. The tiny pad really affects sanding larger flat areas as it is much more difficult to keep flat. The ETS are made for that and work very well as edge sanders depending upon profile. You will need a couple sanders so plan accordingly.
One other option is the little 400 series delta sander. Super light, low cost, can handle most of the functions of the RO90 in delta mode although it is a larger pad. It balances perfectly and gives a nice finish. It is orbital but not random in action.
One other option is the little 400 series delta sander. Super light, low cost, can handle most of the functions of the RO90 in delta mode although it is a larger pad. It balances perfectly and gives a nice finish. It is orbital but not random in action.
I have no regrets getting an RO90, I use it often for small projects and have a wide range of abrasives and polishing pads for it. My dissapointment with it is dust cakes up under the pad and I have to periodically remove the pad and dig out the chunks.
I also use Ridgid 5" and 6" sanders connected to shop vac/DD and use them alot for drywall sanding. With the vac connected they have excellent dust collection, but those little bags they come with are useless. The hose connections aren't well thought out though and I resort to bailing wire and duct tape to keep it on, especially when I'm up on a ladder lifting a lot of hose.
I thought I wasn't going to get a larger Festool until my Ridgid ones died but then came the Pro5 promo and jumped on it. It's a lot easier to use than the Ridgids in terms of vibration and dust collection is fine on the CT. But I'll keep working with the Ridgids on drywall and keep the Pro5 for the woodworking projects.
I also use Ridgid 5" and 6" sanders connected to shop vac/DD and use them alot for drywall sanding. With the vac connected they have excellent dust collection, but those little bags they come with are useless. The hose connections aren't well thought out though and I resort to bailing wire and duct tape to keep it on, especially when I'm up on a ladder lifting a lot of hose.
I thought I wasn't going to get a larger Festool until my Ridgid ones died but then came the Pro5 promo and jumped on it. It's a lot easier to use than the Ridgids in terms of vibration and dust collection is fine on the CT. But I'll keep working with the Ridgids on drywall and keep the Pro5 for the woodworking projects.
Holmz
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shdesign3 said:
^This^
Where or not FT is better, doesn't matter if that is what you believe. There are lots of good sanders, and what type of sander you need may be different than the type you want.
I have a triangular delta dsander, which I needed.
A random orbital
A 1/2-sheet.
I need a belt sander.
Another sander type is a rotary sander, which the RO90 is part-time.
You may be better off with an ETS/EC, a FT-RAS or a flap wheel in a Bosch grinder, and a dedicated polisher.
Longevity, not sure how many years I have had my ETS 150/3 but got it when Festool was trying to get noticed in the US. I bought it for $59 and it has been dropped, used well and still keeps going. I would have gone through several cheaper models by now.
yetihunter
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I wouldn't recommend an RO 90 as an introduction to Festool sanders unless
you really knew what you were getting into with that model.
In aggressive mode, it may be the hardest to control of their North American lineup.
In "finish" mode, it's still 400 watts to a 90mm sanding pad.
Now, I did buy one to replace my similar 80mm, 200 watt, Metabo for the very reason
that it's 400 watts. Paul Marcel (Half-Inch Shy) has a video demonstrating exactly
what needs the sander fulfills for me (sanding power carved cavities).
The delta is a nice bonus, and if, like me, you don't need it often, it will suffice.
However, if I needed to use a detail sander, often, I'd definitely look at the DTS or the
Bosch detail sander over it (I'd probably buy both).
Rotex mode is why someone should want any of the Rotex sanders, and in that area, they shine:
removing a lot of material but without worrying about gouging the heck out of a surface.
The tool-less pad change is nice, too, as the polishing pad may quickly end up in your finishing repertoire.
The smooth operating, low-vibration, quiet Festool sanders that people wax poetic about are the ETS range,
the RTS, the DTS and the R2E.
Considering that some end users are successfully using 150mm pads on the EC ETS 125, I'd probably recommend
that as a first Festool sander. If you're removing a lot of paint/finish, yes the RO 150, but the sweet spot is using
the geared sanders when needed and then having the finish sanders on hand for med-fine sanding.
If you need a 3.5" pad, then go for the Rotex. Just know that it has it's caveats. It's definitely a very well built machine.
you really knew what you were getting into with that model.
In aggressive mode, it may be the hardest to control of their North American lineup.
In "finish" mode, it's still 400 watts to a 90mm sanding pad.
Now, I did buy one to replace my similar 80mm, 200 watt, Metabo for the very reason
that it's 400 watts. Paul Marcel (Half-Inch Shy) has a video demonstrating exactly
what needs the sander fulfills for me (sanding power carved cavities).
The delta is a nice bonus, and if, like me, you don't need it often, it will suffice.
However, if I needed to use a detail sander, often, I'd definitely look at the DTS or the
Bosch detail sander over it (I'd probably buy both).
Rotex mode is why someone should want any of the Rotex sanders, and in that area, they shine:
removing a lot of material but without worrying about gouging the heck out of a surface.
The tool-less pad change is nice, too, as the polishing pad may quickly end up in your finishing repertoire.
The smooth operating, low-vibration, quiet Festool sanders that people wax poetic about are the ETS range,
the RTS, the DTS and the R2E.
Considering that some end users are successfully using 150mm pads on the EC ETS 125, I'd probably recommend
that as a first Festool sander. If you're removing a lot of paint/finish, yes the RO 150, but the sweet spot is using
the geared sanders when needed and then having the finish sanders on hand for med-fine sanding.
If you need a 3.5" pad, then go for the Rotex. Just know that it has it's caveats. It's definitely a very well built machine.
For me it's vibration - or lack of it. I haven't tried Bosch's vibration isolated chassis 5" model , but I can't say as I've used anything better. Haven't tried Rupes' full lineup. I have tried Mirka.
Longevity - who knows I have some porter cable sanders that are 20 years old or more. Only changed the pads, and brushes in one of them. Got a 1/4" sheet sander from B&D professional range that's 30 yrs old. It even has dust collection !!!! I have a EC125 that lasted about 10 minutes - and I'm not alone.
Dust collection - it's good, very good. But I found those PC sanders above to be more than adequate and - for 25cents on the dollar. Ditto with a bosch I used for a bit.
I find them to be darn good sanders - if you can get over the price. They don't have anything that someone else doesn't have except maybe that RO90.
This coming from a guy who said he'd never buy a FT sander but now has 5. I'd say try one, You'll know if it's worth it to you. If not; send it back within 30 days.
Longevity - who knows I have some porter cable sanders that are 20 years old or more. Only changed the pads, and brushes in one of them. Got a 1/4" sheet sander from B&D professional range that's 30 yrs old. It even has dust collection !!!! I have a EC125 that lasted about 10 minutes - and I'm not alone.
Dust collection - it's good, very good. But I found those PC sanders above to be more than adequate and - for 25cents on the dollar. Ditto with a bosch I used for a bit.
I find them to be darn good sanders - if you can get over the price. They don't have anything that someone else doesn't have except maybe that RO90.
This coming from a guy who said he'd never buy a FT sander but now has 5. I'd say try one, You'll know if it's worth it to you. If not; send it back within 30 days.
I would agree with at least one other on the RO90. I resisted RO sanders for quite some time because I really use sanders mostly for finishing and the RO90 just didn't fit my view of what I needed. I used the RO90 in a Festool class and found it difficult to control and the result was that, even, small surfaces didn't stay flat when in the Rotex mode. I got a lot of curved edges when they were supposed to be square and some mild "gouging" on surfaces. I admit that I was new to using it and my opinion might have changed once I used it for awhile.
I have a DTS400 finish sander which has a delta shaped pad. I find that it works well for most corners. Since it's a finish sander, I get none of the gouging problems and almost never have a problem rounding a face/corner over when not desired. I love it and it also works well for just standard flat surface sanding. If you have to take a lot of wood off, use coarse sandpaper.
I finally did buy an RO sander but an RO125. I found it works great with 40 grit paper when I want to shape something. I plane to do more carving and I think it will help there. I think the RO90 would also be great for carving (better even) because it has a smaller pad and would allow more flexibility carving smaller shapes.
If you have the opportunity, try the RO90 and RO125 first; or buy the one you think you want and try it for 30 days; then return if not what you want. All Festool sanders have superior dust collection. They do work better with a Festool CT vac but I did use my ETS125 and ETS150 with a Fein vac for awhile and it worked OK. The Festool vacs allow adjustment of the suction to lower levels which allows the sander to move freely on the surface and improves sander performance.
I have a DTS400 finish sander which has a delta shaped pad. I find that it works well for most corners. Since it's a finish sander, I get none of the gouging problems and almost never have a problem rounding a face/corner over when not desired. I love it and it also works well for just standard flat surface sanding. If you have to take a lot of wood off, use coarse sandpaper.
I finally did buy an RO sander but an RO125. I found it works great with 40 grit paper when I want to shape something. I plane to do more carving and I think it will help there. I think the RO90 would also be great for carving (better even) because it has a smaller pad and would allow more flexibility carving smaller shapes.
If you have the opportunity, try the RO90 and RO125 first; or buy the one you think you want and try it for 30 days; then return if not what you want. All Festool sanders have superior dust collection. They do work better with a Festool CT vac but I did use my ETS125 and ETS150 with a Fein vac for awhile and it worked OK. The Festool vacs allow adjustment of the suction to lower levels which allows the sander to move freely on the surface and improves sander performance.
yetihunter
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joinercp said:
Yes, so true. According to the North American recalls, the Mirka's even save you money on your heating bill. [big grin]
I love their sandpaper, though. Even when it says Festool on it.
