Which Festool Sander Should I Get?

[AlexThePalex]

I'm just a bit worried that they are way to rough to use when it comes to doing the sanding between layers of paint for example. But I guess that if I slap on 800+ grit paper, it should all be fine..?

I paint a lot. I think any sander is bit too rough for sanding between layers. That includes my ETS 125. A quick hand sanding with a flexible sanding sponge gives me the best result. The problem with using a machine for sanding between coats is always the edges. They are very fragile and easily stripped. Even by hand. Now if you have to sand a large area, you can easily use a Rotex with grits from 240 and up in the fine mode. No risk involved. But as soon as you hit an edge, you're on bare wood or metal again and you don't want this. If you do your painting right then you don't need to do much sanding anyway between coats, all you need is to roughen the previous layer.        

 

[hhh]

==> It is not about the size of the stroke, it's what you do with it.

==> A skilled person will get a better finish with a 7 mm sander than a beginner with a 2 mm sander. If a skilled person has both, the 2 mm is the easier route to succes, but he will be able to get the exact same result with either one of them.

While I agree in principal, it is easier to finish-out with a small stroke then large -- all things being equal (especially for someone just starting out).  I keep to /5 for 100-150 and switch to /3 for 180, then final hand with 180 or 220, depending.  Have found it more efficient to make the /3 to hand swap, then a /5 to hand swap.  I have every sander FT makes (and multiples of some), so have spent some time on workflow.  I Use Rotex for anything below 100.  So on any given job, I may use up to 3 or 4 sanders -- have found that it cuts my workflow literally in half by swapping sanders over doing everything with a DO (my old workflow).

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Everybody's got there own way of doing things and many times it makes no sense to the next person.  If Baskin Robbins can have 31 flavors, so can Festool.  [wink]

 

[davee]

If Baskin Robbins can have 31 flavors, so can Festool.   [wink]

LOL!  I think you've summed up Festool sanders!