Which sander to buy first! - First Post in the Forum
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The centec hosehas a adjustable port to bleed off some of the vacuum if its to much. Works like an old school vacuum with a port and a cover you twist to cover all or a portion of the port.
remote outlet is the one I use and it has never given me any issues. I put some velcro on it and the hose so I can keep it close by or remove if needed. I have channel 1 as the shop vac Channel 2 works the shop fans and channel 3 will be used to trigger a 2-3hp dust collector when I get it. It only works on 120 so a contactor will be needed but the remote can be used to trigger the contactor.
Most obstacles can be mitigated it just depends on how you will be using it and budget. I would hate to lug around a shop vac but for dedicated shop use is a different story.
remote outlet is the one I use and it has never given me any issues. I put some velcro on it and the hose so I can keep it close by or remove if needed. I have channel 1 as the shop vac Channel 2 works the shop fans and channel 3 will be used to trigger a 2-3hp dust collector when I get it. It only works on 120 so a contactor will be needed but the remote can be used to trigger the contactor.
Most obstacles can be mitigated it just depends on how you will be using it and budget. I would hate to lug around a shop vac but for dedicated shop use is a different story.
mrboult
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The Mirka feels lower, lighter, more powerfu. Can be had in 5mm orbit while still having both pad size choices. The Mirka has more constant forced rotation where the festool goes from relatively still to rotating depending on the pressure applied. Also the pads have holes to accept all paper types not just festool hole patterns.hammy said:
As stated I have more faith in the long term reliability of the festool as well as the long term parts availability and speed of ordering/repair etc. And this is why I bought the ETS EC as my second/backup sander. I prefer the Mirka without doubt, but whenever have the ETS EC with me instead I’m happy with it.
I’m a daily/weekly professional user so happy to spend money these things. If I were a hobbyist I would want the extra value of festool reliability beyond the warranty period.
EDIT: Thought I'd add that I definitely feel the ETS EC has better Dust Collection than the Deros. The Deros is fine, just not as good as the Festool. This is my opinion using 125mm paper, not mesh, with the festool hole pattern on each machine.
Also the Festool likes a reduced suction a little more than the Deros cares. If that makes sense. .
I do have a tool activated vac (Fein) its handy but Its been in storage for years. As I mentioned My shop vac is in a different building so if im only stopping for a minute or less I tend to just leave it running since its barely audible, but Its easy to turn on and off since the remote is always at hand if needed. If im just switching board out then it just stays on. They do make aftermarket tool triggered outlets too but its been working good this way for years so I cant say I really miss it. If I didnt have have it located where I dont have to hear it or had to tote it around it would be different story so its not that I dont see a value in a CT and was actually thinking about buying it since I have some extra funds set aside and was looking at the 48ac but just couldnt justify the purchase and add a 4th vac so I'm holding off on a CT until an actual need arises.
Welcome to the Forum & Festool! Don’t go to another brand! I have the CT36/RO150. Using the FT dust extractor and sanders will change HATE to at least
hate, I think even more. As mentioned it will last for years and you’ve already got money allocated... don’t let the opportunity get away.
I promise a year from now you won’t have any regrets.
hate, I think even more. As mentioned it will last for years and you’ve already got money allocated... don’t let the opportunity get away.
I promise a year from now you won’t have any regrets.
somewhereinla
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I have many Festool sanders, but if I had to only have one, I would get the RO150. One of the best and most versatile sander ever made imo.
I don't really think you need to go to the expense of a Festool extractor. There's plenty of much less expensive auto start/stop alternatives on the market which will amply fulfil your non-demanding requirements.
As far as a new sander is concerned, as you already have a serviceable rando there seems little point in purchasing another. Perhaps, as others have suggested, a "standard" orbital with a delta-shaped platen would be quite versatile. It's just about the only type that will provide access to those inconvenient nooks & crannies.
The current state of the art in delta-shaped sanders is from Mirka. If you spend a proportion of your budget on a Mirka DEOS Delta sander & a lesser proportion on an aftermarket auto vac, then you should have lots of spare change to accumulate a selection of mesh abrasives to suit without blowing your budget. You can always upgrade to a 125/150 Mirka DEROS rando later.
As far as a new sander is concerned, as you already have a serviceable rando there seems little point in purchasing another. Perhaps, as others have suggested, a "standard" orbital with a delta-shaped platen would be quite versatile. It's just about the only type that will provide access to those inconvenient nooks & crannies.
The current state of the art in delta-shaped sanders is from Mirka. If you spend a proportion of your budget on a Mirka DEOS Delta sander & a lesser proportion on an aftermarket auto vac, then you should have lots of spare change to accumulate a selection of mesh abrasives to suit without blowing your budget. You can always upgrade to a 125/150 Mirka DEROS rando later.
It really depends on what your main use is, no one sander will handle everything. I chose the DTS over the Mirka for one really simple reason. It has a shorter body in length. My main need for a delta sander was for getting into drawers and a shorter body length really helps along with the angle of the hose port. The deros looks a lot longer than the DTS so it was a no go right from the start for me. I was going to live with the 125req and dts for awhile then the 125 will most likely live in the edge sanding guide. I was thinking of adding the ec125/150 later but I now have my eye on the 3m pneumatic RO sanders I can get almost 3 of them for the same price as the festool and I actually probably prefer pneumatic sanders for shop use but I already have a large compressor so if you dont you have to factor that in. An electric sander is much more convenient if you do mobile work at all.
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[member=74584]hammy[/member]
As others have said, ETS EC 125 or 150.
I have the ETS EC 150/3 and it does just about everything even some good progress coarse work with 60 or 80 grit Granat. After this you might want to look at a sander with a delta capability and the RO90 would be good as you get the bonus of Rotex mode or the DTS400.
Whatever you get, for wood I always recommend Granat and you do not (normally) need to go above 180 or 220 grit. I use 80 grit 15% of the time, 120 grit 35% of the time and 180 grit the remaining 50 %.
Peter
As others have said, ETS EC 125 or 150.
I have the ETS EC 150/3 and it does just about everything even some good progress coarse work with 60 or 80 grit Granat. After this you might want to look at a sander with a delta capability and the RO90 would be good as you get the bonus of Rotex mode or the DTS400.
Whatever you get, for wood I always recommend Granat and you do not (normally) need to go above 180 or 220 grit. I use 80 grit 15% of the time, 120 grit 35% of the time and 180 grit the remaining 50 %.
Peter
No complaints with the ETS 125 REQ with the smaller vac. I professionally build furniture and this is my go to sander for doing a range of tasks. When I need to remove more material I go to the Rotex 125 but the ETS 125 REQ is a much better solution for 120 grit and up etc. The Rotex line is notoriously difficult to control and I find the sander less ergonomically satisfying. Plus the sanding stroke on ETS 125 REQ is 2mm which is pretty fine. Preventing "pigtails" on the Rotex requires more care. I do recommend on all of the sanders NOT to use the vacs on full suction. That is usually how "pigtails" get out of control etc. I have also found being very deliberate about the motion one chooses helps and making sure you sand in both the horizontal and vertical direction like on a grid. The orbital does a much finer job if the "swirl pattern" gets finer and finer. The easiest way to do this is to have the sander pass evenly in those two directions. Using the orbital in a random fashion and picking up and placing down the unit a lot during sanding will leave a less uniform surface. Keeping a consistent rate of motion on the sanding pad is also important so less suction and sand paper that isn't gummed up helps. And lastly if sanding above 320 I would transition over to hand only. The reason for this is at those very high grits it will be very hard not to get any swirl patterns. Therefore, hand finishing works best and in most cases like in furniture ending at 320 is usually fine. Going higher on small surfaces like boxes and the like is more common etc.
Buying your first Festool sander can be a tough financial nut to swallow and the real problem comes when you realize that you need variable suction. That makes that first purchase much more expensive. The good news is that once you have a Festool sander and a Festool CT vac you have accomplished two things. 1. You now can get the full benefit of a level of dust free sanding ease and even enjoyment that is hard to come by otherwise. 2. From that point on you will own a Festool vac. So if you contemplate other Festool tool purchases you will already own the vac. It may not be the most sexy purchase since it is pricey but it can then be put to use with the entire Festool system of tools. From other specialty sanders, Track saws, routers, to the Domino, you will be ready.
mino
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I would vote for the ETS 125 with the angle guide (aka ES ETS 125).
The guide allows uses not possible otherwise.
And +1 on a proper dust extractor with variable suction.
Mini/Midi + the Bluetooth remote for the hose. That thing is worth its weight in gold-pressed latinum!
EDIT: Forgot the Bluetooth remote use case. Oh, how can one ..
The guide allows uses not possible otherwise.
And +1 on a proper dust extractor with variable suction.
Mini/Midi + the Bluetooth remote for the hose. That thing is worth its weight in gold-pressed latinum!
EDIT: Forgot the Bluetooth remote use case. Oh, how can one ..
New question as a follow up. If I get the ETS EC 125, what would be the drawback with using my regular shop vac? Would a hobby woodworker like me even notice the difference from using a variable speed vac? I mean I've only used a Dewalt ROS and Shop vac for the past five years.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
mrboult
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hammy said:
Ha, Literally just edited my last post to include the following. .
EDIT: Thought I'd add that I definitely feel the ETS EC has better Dust Collection than the Deros. The Deros is fine, just not as good as the Festool. This is my opinion using 125mm paper, not mesh, with the festool hole pattern on each machine.
Also the Festool likes a reduced suction a little more than the Deros cares. If that makes sense. .
I can't say it's a deal breaker, but I have noticed I often reach to reduce the suction on my Mini with the ETS EC as it can feel a little jumpy. If your vac is really powerful and you can't turn it down you might find the ETS EC not the smoothest ride. The Deros handles full power on the extractor much better.
Michael Kellough
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mino said:
Not so.
I’ve been sanding edges with my 125 for more than a dozen years. But I do plan to buy the edge guide because it will make the task easier, and probably turn out better.
Rutabagared
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.somewhereinla said:
I agree. I’ll praise the virtues of the RO150. I’ve used for well over 10 years and would never be without one again. Its versatility and durability are tough to beat. It’s difficult to put into words what a time saver the rotex mode is. Using the rotex mode in lower grits (I always use rotex mode through 120 grit, which is the grit I usually start at with a planed surface), and random orbit mode in higher grits gives you the best of both worlds. While rotex mode is a two-handed operation, it really isn’t difficult to control at all. And it acts as an easy-to-control finish sander in higher grits, producing excellent results. I don’t notice any difference in the end results of the 5mm stroke vs. 2mm of my ETS 125.
If weight isn’t an issue, especially if sanding your work flat on the bench, I would choose the 6” over the 5” every time. It is just such a time saver. I use the ETS 125 for narrow work and sanding vertically (which is a role your DeWalt can continue to fill), but I use the RO150 for everything roughly 4” and wider. Using the hard pad, and being just a bit attentive, greatly helps in maintaining crisp edges on pieces narrower than the pad size.
As mentioned, once you have a tool actuated switch on a vac and variable suction, you’ll wonder how you lived without it
The RO150/vacuum package is a lot of cash, no doubt. But it is an investment that will pay dividends for years to come. If something happened to either, I would replace them tomorrow.
Whatever you choose, good luck!
Jim_in_PA
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hammy said:
Aside from noise...the singular downside is that the sander might get "sticky" as you get to the finer abrasives if it doesn't have a way to vary the speed/vacuum. The CT extractors (and some other higher-end vacuums) have controls that allow you to vary the suction. You can use a bleeder attachment on the hose if need be to simulate a "speed/vacuum" control, of course, but I never found them to be quite as effective as the electronic control on the front of my CT.
The "sticky" effect can be a little more noticeable with the Festool sanders because of the increased air flow design includingn the center hole. The combination of very fine abrasive being somewhat "smooth" and high vacuum makes for what starts to emulate a "vacuum clamp".
Jim_in_PA said:
Thanks, I can live with the noise since I always use hearing protection anyway. My Shop Vac probably only sucks with half the force of the Festool Vac so I might be fine there as well. I guess the only way to find out is to buy a sander and give it a whirl.
I went from leaning towards the Rotex to the ETS EC but now think I am back to the 6" Rotex. As a previous post mentioned I always have my Dewalt for small jobs anyway. I don't currently have any type of belt sander so I can kill two birds with one stone with the Rotex.
