Which sander?

[Midnight Man]

I had a read quite some time ago now of the Festool Sander Guide linked here:http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tools-accessories/festool-sander-guide/

And, actually, I thought that guide got me sorted, and it probably should have - but being relatively new to woodworking, I am having second thoughts (or probably more likely, second doubts).

I was all set to get an RO90 - I figured it, with the delta head, could handle anything I could ever want.  In my lack of knowledge, I was thinking one sander could do all... then I kept reading, and kept noting people talking about "sanders" - that is, more than one of them.  And my doubts built up.

So... I would like to ask the knowledgeable people here - what sander(s) would suit my needs best:

(1) I will be making furniture from various hardwoods - coffee tables, desks etc.
(2) I will be making a new kitchen, from melamine, to be sure, but the edges may need some sanding.

I won't influence the advice by listing thoughts I had after the initial thinking that the RO90 will be the "one sander does all" answer, and I thank anyone who can lend advice and experience to help resolve the dilemma!

 

[AlexThePalex]

Having had many Festool sanders, now down to 5 I'd say the DTS400 is my favourite all-round sander. I certainly would not like to have the RO90 as my only sander, it's just too small for many jobs. 

 

[Shane Holland]

Agree with Alex. The RO 90 is not a sander that will do it all. Like Alex, I really like my DTS 400 a lot, but it's not a sander that will do it all either. For what you're doing, the DTS 400 with the combination of a 6" round pad sander would be a good combo. Having a 6" sander will help you knock out sanding larger surfaces faster. It would take forever to sand a large surface with the RO 90 and the results would be sub-par.

 

[SS Teach]

Welcome, you're right there is no one sander that covers everything. You will definitely have to get dust extraction. Once you know what the first project is get the best sander for it. Then if you find you need another get it. You will end up with more than one. Over a two year period I ended up with five. Also take into consideration consumables. The RTS and LS take the same papers: the 125s the same; the 150s the same and there is a half sheet sander for large flat objects. If you feel you got the wrong machine you have 30 days to return it and get a more appropriate sander. Check out YouTube to get an idea of how each sander functions best. Good luck and enjoy your new sanders.

 

[ear3]

I would look at an ETS-EC 150/5, which will handle almost all your flat sanding needs, and then an RTS or DTS 400 for corners, edges and other narrow surfaces.  The ETS-EC is really fast and smooth, and the EC family has the added feature of a pad brake that in the aggregate saves you time during sanding sessions when you're progressing through the grits.

I use my RO90 less now than when I first got it, but it still has it's place.  I still do most of my corner sanding with it or when I'm sanding at the edge of a butt joint.  It's also great when doing face frames when the members are a bit out of alignment, as in Rotex mode it will level the pieces pretty quickly.  And if you hook it up with an interface pad, it will do contour sanding and shaping superbly -- better IMHO than a larger sander outfitted with an interface pad, as its smaller pad size allows you to get into tighter/deeper concavities.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Agree with Alex. The RO 90 is not a sander that will do it all. Like Alex, I really like my DTS 400 a lot, but it's not a sander that will do it all either. For what you're doing, the DTS 400 with the combination of a 6" round pad sander would be a good combo. Having a 6" sander will help you knock out sanding larger surfaces faster. It would take forever to sand a large surface with the RO 90 and the results would be sub-par.

+1 on the 6'' combo, one sander just doesn't cut it.

 

[MrToolJunkie]

I agree that one sander is not going to cover all scenarios. I like the 6 inch Rotex and the DTS400 or the RO90. Sanding flat and getting the ability to get into corners is a key thing. The DTS400 is an awesome sander and a hidden gem. I also really like the new RTS400 - does not do as good a job getting into corners as the DTS, but for sanding edges and narrow pieces an orbital does a really good job. The Rotex 150 for bigger areas.

 

[Holmz]

...
(1) I will be making furniture from various hardwoods - coffee tables, desks etc.
(2) I will be making a new kitchen, from melamine, to be sure, but the edges may need some sanding.
...

1) RS2E (1/2 sheet) is worth a look, and paired with the ETS/EC 150/5 would make sense.

2) I believe you need a router or an iron for the melamine. Or one of these:https://www.cltoolcentre.com.au/ind...sdkIYy_v6mlu0cJ5vwyQcP1RiGzuSx-C-waAmF68P8HAQ

The pads on that one are the same size as the RS2E.

Also Mirka also has a selection hand blocks, including the RS2E size.

 

[Midnight Man]

Many thanks to all who have shared their wisdom and knowledge, it's truly appreciated!

It sounds like my suspicion of not trying to get a single "one size fits all" sander was right, and I"m glad to find my thinking there was correct.

I had already looked at the DTS400 - it's a very sweet looking sander, and it seems to me that it's very well suited to getting into niggly corners, and for small area final finishing work?

I see the logic in a 6" sander for larger areas - and to be honest, that single fact was the majority of my doubt behind the RO90 as a single sander - doing large areas would be an issue.  So, if I'm going to go down the road of a 6" sander, I guess the remaining question is - which one?  To my looking there is the ETS150/5 or the RO150.  It seems - based on the DTS400, this larger sander should be capable of quick material removal, and then be capable of "mid range" sanding, to get it ready for finish sanding?  If my thinking is right here, then it seems most logical that the RO150 is the right choice?

And, to bother folks with one final question, if I can finish down to a "mid range" with the RO150 (or other sander as may be suggested), then which sander should be used for the final finish?  I would suspect the DTS400 to be a bit small for this task?

Many thanks again, I feel more comfortable in going in the right direction now!

 

[Holmz]

If you are doing flat sheets, or flat surfaces then the sanders that get/keep it flat are a belt sander with a frame or the 1/2-sheet RS2E.
The RS2e has about an 8"x4" pad, and a bit more power than the DTS. (Which may be discontinued here)

If you are actually doing corners rather than flat sheets, then the DTS or another corner sander has use.

If the material is already flat, and you're just removing scratches, the a random orbital like the ETS/EC would be a top pick.

I would get the ETS/EC-150/5 and a different brand of corner sander unless you have a clear need for a lot of corner work. Or a nice 1/2-sheet like the RS2e if you are doing tables and need to make small undulations become flat, before using a random orbital.

There may be a ton of videos on Google/youtube on which sander and when and why..?