I am working on a very large bookshelf project (walnut ply, solid walnut face frame) and am thinking about getting a new sander. All the face frame parts will be sanded to 220 with my drum sander so I am only looking to do final sanding and finish leveling. I'm planning on using Waterlox (wipe-on), maybe after starting with a coat of orange shellac. -So- I need a finish sander for the assembled piece up through 320 grit and something to knock down the nibs / level the finish. Is the RS2 what I'm looking for or would a Rotex 150 be a better option? Would anyone recommend using the buffing capability of the Rotex on this project? Keep in mind that I'm looking for fine finish sanding and have a lot to do (14ft of 8ft bookshelves). How is the dust collection on the RS2 (vs the Rotex units)? Thanks!
Which sander?
- Thread starter Greg_R
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I often use my RS2 to do surface preparation on face frame. I am not sure I would use it on the finish though. It is an heavy sanders that requires two hands to operate and might be a little bulky for a light finishing touch.
As for the dust collection I have found the RS2 very good but not as good as the Rotext 125. The sand paper tends to load a little faster.
Emmanuel
As for the dust collection I have found the RS2 very good but not as good as the Rotext 125. The sand paper tends to load a little faster.
Emmanuel
RTS 400 is nice and light, and has square corners. Really nice easy sander to use, great for finish work. DTS400 is essentially the same, but delta foot.
Maybe the LS130? But that has linear motion. A bit heavier as well. If you have renovation work on moldings you might consider it, otherwise go with one of the top two mentioned. Has the same pad size as the RTS400
Maybe the LS130? But that has linear motion. A bit heavier as well. If you have renovation work on moldings you might consider it, otherwise go with one of the top two mentioned. Has the same pad size as the RTS400
So you'd recommend the smaller DTS sander over the RS2? What if I was considering pre-finishing the panels before glue-up? Keep in mind I'm talking about 14 linear feet of shelving (8ft tall).... i.e. a LOT of area to sand! Thanks for the suggestions so far!
Greg, that is a toughy....
On one hand you have the RTS 400; smaller, friendly on the hands and arms.
On the other hand you have the RS 2 E; big and beautiful.
Stroke pattern on them is near negligable 5/64th on the 400 and 3/32 on the RS 2 E. $190 on the RTS 400 and $300 on the RS 2 E....Your call dude! Is dough an issue? Usability after the "bookcase" extravaganza? Brice Burrell has a good review on his site on the RS 2 E regarding finishing with the "big mamba jamba" sander.
Personally, I like my ETS 150/3,
Two Cents From Timmy C
On one hand you have the RTS 400; smaller, friendly on the hands and arms.
On the other hand you have the RS 2 E; big and beautiful.
Stroke pattern on them is near negligable 5/64th on the 400 and 3/32 on the RS 2 E. $190 on the RTS 400 and $300 on the RS 2 E....Your call dude! Is dough an issue? Usability after the "bookcase" extravaganza? Brice Burrell has a good review on his site on the RS 2 E regarding finishing with the "big mamba jamba" sander.
Personally, I like my ETS 150/3,
Two Cents From Timmy C
I was going to post a "which sander" question,too. Given the expense of these, I really want a "swiss army" sander. One that does a little bit of everything. I think I've decided on the RO 125, for it's versatility.
As mentioned in other posts, I'm not a pro, just a new enthusiast. I've been through buying (and later replacing) cheap tools/toys/whatever in other areas, and I've decided to pursue this (woodworking) the right way, and just spend the money once, up front. Ultimately I'll save money,....right? ;D
Oh, and I only intend on buying one sander, mainly for larger pieces (no fine detail work to speak of), so would the Rotex be my best bet?
Thanks...
As mentioned in other posts, I'm not a pro, just a new enthusiast. I've been through buying (and later replacing) cheap tools/toys/whatever in other areas, and I've decided to pursue this (woodworking) the right way, and just spend the money once, up front. Ultimately I'll save money,....right? ;D
Oh, and I only intend on buying one sander, mainly for larger pieces (no fine detail work to speak of), so would the Rotex be my best bet?
Thanks...
Dave Ronyak
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If you have to choose only one sander a Rotex 125 or 150 is viewed by many on FOG has an excellent choice. It was my first choice of any Festool. If you look around this site, you should be able to find other strings discussing the capabilities, advantages and disadvantages of different sanders made by Festool.
Dave R.
Dave R.
chrisrosenb
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I also went with the Rotex. I have the 150. I am very pleased with it. A very nice all around sander. It works just like in the Festool video.
According to Festool, the DTS has a 2mm stroke and the RS2 has a 2.5mm stroke. The ETS and Rotex sanders have strokes greater than both of these (3mm and 5mm IIRC?).
Timmy C: Yes, I plan on using my sander choice in the future. My plan is to have 2 sanders that will cover the bulk of my needs. It seems that the Rotex 150 can do everything except corners and ultra-flat sanding (and maybe ultra-fine sanding?).
Some more questions
:
- Would the DTS sander work with 1/2 a sheet of the RS2 paper?
- What's the difference between the Rotex (large stroke) on a slow speed vs. a DTS (small stroke) on a higher speed (in terms of finish)?
- Is there really a difference in finish quality between the Rotex and DTS at slow speeds (If not I'll just get the Rotex and add a corner or profile sander down the road).
Timmy C: Yes, I plan on using my sander choice in the future. My plan is to have 2 sanders that will cover the bulk of my needs. It seems that the Rotex 150 can do everything except corners and ultra-flat sanding (and maybe ultra-fine sanding?).
Some more questions
:- Would the DTS sander work with 1/2 a sheet of the RS2 paper?
- What's the difference between the Rotex (large stroke) on a slow speed vs. a DTS (small stroke) on a higher speed (in terms of finish)?
- Is there really a difference in finish quality between the Rotex and DTS at slow speeds (If not I'll just get the Rotex and add a corner or profile sander down the road).
Dave Ronyak
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Frans said:
Greg_R said:
If you are sanding everything with a drum sander (I am assuming you do not mean belt sander), then my guess is you do not need anything heavier than the LS 130. For my shop, without a drumsander (on my wish list) I do the heavy sanding with RO 150 and finish off with LS 130. I have the DX 93 for going into corners. If you are using drum sander and then doing most of the fine finish sanding before assembly, I think the LS 130 would do the job for you.
My advice is given in that I only have room in my shop for one small to medium sized project at a time. You may need a larger sander to do something on the size you are talking about.
Tinker
Dave Ronyak
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My very first project (long before Festool or the internet came to the public in the USA) was a floor-to-ceiling (8 ft), wall-to-wall (>10 ft) built in cabinet with bookcase made of solid cherry excepting the inside member of the base which were made of plywood. The cabinet was a single piece, and so was the bookshelf that sat on its top (finished with crown molding that followed the contours of the built-out pillasters of the bookcase). That made it a challenge to fit into the room, but it worked! I was much younger and inexperienced then, and stupidly left myself only 1/8 inch of lengthwise slack room to play with. Much of the time, my "work bench" was the garage floor. Each of the uprights (standards) and shelves as well as the cabinet top were glued up boards, yet I found very little sanding was needed due to running all the boards through a thickness planer and carefully gluing them up with their faces pressed firmly down into contact with the pipes of the pipe clamps I then had. I did not attempt to glue more than 3 boards at once, and thereafter sequentially added a single board to reach the final panel width needed. Doing so forced the finish side surfaces to come out very nearly flush with one another and thus very little sanding. This approach certainly takes longer than working with veneered plywood as you have chosen, which plywood I would think would require much less sanding. A good flush trimming router bit may become your best friend for your bookcase project.
Dave R.
Dave R.
Sorry, I recommended the RTS400 with the assumption that you weren't removing a lot of material. For finish leveling and doing edges I still think it's killer. But as others before me did, I chose a Rotex as my first sander. You can prefinish all your material quickly and forget about your drum sander if you wanted to. An all-in-one sander the RTS400 isn't. The Rotex is though, and then you can go polish your car with it.
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