Wobbly RO 125

[morogue]

So, I know about "break in" and all, but my RO 125 (5-6 hrs run time) has a wicked wobble--the end of the handle circumscribes an at least 1 cm circle in RO. It slowly bobs around at what seems like the same rate as the orbit. My thought is the pad doesn't have parallel faces. Went to the dealer (skeptical, of course), tried their demo, which was pretty smooth. He admitted mine was bobbing. I suggested trying the demo pad on mine and it made it a great deal better. Also, the demo unit with my pad did the bob, so he sent me on my way with the demo pad (he needed to call Festool to see what they wanted to do regarding giving me a new pad, but Festool was closed for the Prez Day).
So, I get home and do a 2'x8' maple ply panel that was shellacked. It's waaay smoother, hardly any bob, but still a bit. I'm wondering, is it because the demo pad has had a bunch of ham-fisted monkeys honking on it, making it softer, just masking the bob or is it just flat?
However, I'm getting almost as many swirls as with the old bosch palm sander it's replacing. I'm a little frustrated. I'm paying magic money and not getting a magic feel from the unit or magic results.

 

[Dan Clark]

morogue,

What is your vac suction setting?  Some Festool sanders (I believe the RO125 is one) tend to stick and release when the vac setting is too high.  If it's all the way up, try setting the vac to 30-50% suction and test it again.

Regards,

Dan.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

One hand on the front, on hand back by the hose connection and let that sander float on it's own in RO.

Took me a while but, I figured out how to get good results quickly.

 

[tbellemare]

As Dan pointed out, a 125mm pad can't handle full suction from a Festool CT, the 150mm can. If you run the sander briefly without suction, you should notice a difference if you've had the suction too high. Notice how it behaves and also how it sounds.

Turn on the suction on its lowest setting. Turn it up slowly and at some point, you will here and feel the sander load up. You're suction is now too high so turn it down a little.

I also hole the Rotexes by the hose connection in RO but I only use one hand. I find I can keep it floating easier plus then I have a spare hand. The idea is to just keep the weight of the hose and cord from tipping the sander.

Tom

 

[morogue]

Thanks for all the advice about how to handle the tool, but:

The ct33 is set to nearly turtle; it's not a suction thing. Also, I'm a big "let the machine do the work" kind of guy, with no leaning into it. So, it's also not being manhandled. I'm moving very slowly, and it's not grabbing and releasing. Not changing direction abruptly, etc.

So maybe that's a different thread, and really not as worrying right now.

The big question is, what the he77 is the wobble up and down about? Other questions, in descending order:

• How do I figure out where the wobble's coming from?
• Is it what others are getting?
• Do I have to get Festool involved?

 

[AlexThePalex]

I took a pic from the Opinions on UK Dealers because this picture gives a perfect example on how to get wobbly pads.

[attachimg=#]

You can see how the sander stands upright but is leaning to the back. This way the front of the pad is lifted from the surface and on the back of the pad lies the full weight of the sander. This is a known killer of pads with angle sanders. Always lay the sander down on its side or upside down.

This is what probably explained the small wobble of the demo pad. The wobble of your own pad however must be some manufacture error since it is new. Or perhaps the sander didn't sit in the correct position in the systainer.

 

[Spike]

Mine was wobbly right out of the systainer day 1. Replaced pad....still wobbly....adjusted suction...still wobbly. It no longer makes dust just collects it, I use the ETS 150.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I run my ro 125 on full suction with my ct22.

I was told at the Festool training that the rotex's, 150 or 125 have enough power
that the suction should not affect how the tool operates.

The ets on the other hand it makes a difference.

Does the sander feel out of balance when running but, not on the work surface.

Alex-I do worse things to my RO125 then sit it on a table like that.

I can't remember how many times it has been dropped or knocked over.  Ladder work is hard on tools.
She still purrs like new though.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Mine was wobbly right out of the systainer day 1. Replaced pad....still wobbly....adjusted suction...still wobbly. It no longer makes dust just collects it, I use the ETS 150.

Taos man, that sounds like you should contact Festool's service department. Really.

Alex-I do worse things to my RO125 then sit it on a table like that.

I can't remember how many times it has been dropped or knocked over.  Ladder work is hard on tools.
She still purrs like new though.

The pad is made of some sort of foam. Foam is very flexible. If you drop it once really hard it just flexes right back. However, if you put a weight on it and let it sit for the night,  the constant stress will wear the flexibility of the cells down and make it sink in, causing a deformation.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Maybe they should use the temper-pedic  mattress foam for the pads!! [big grin]

I am hard on my ro125, and not real patient when it comes to finish sanding but,
that sander is a champ.  It will remove about what ever you want and leave it nice
finish for what I need it for.  I got it to use a lot vertically and over my head.
It was quite a bit easier for me to control and not feel as tired vs. the ro150.

 

[wnagle]

Maybe they should use the temper-pedic  mattress foam for the pads!! [big grin]

I guess the new commercials would show a guy sanding... with a glass of wine on the MFT... and a cute lady jumping up and down on the end of the table.  [big grin]

 

[harry_]

[thumbs up] [thumbs up] [thumbs up]

 

[morogue]

I am dewobbled. The dealer swapped the demo pad for a new accessory pad. It's nearly imperceptible now, so I'm good. Just lame that I had to take the extra trip to get the replacement and return the beat demo pad. THe dealer should have just whipped out a replacement pad, first thing.
Back to the sawmill.

 

[Brice Burrell]

I am dewobbled. The dealer swapped the demo pad for a new accessory pad. It's nearly imperceptible now, so I'm good. Just lame that I had to take the extra trip to get the replacement and return the beat demo pad. THe dealer should have just whipped out a replacement pad, first thing.
Back to the sawmill.

Yeah, that would have been nice. Glad it seems to be sorted out.

 

[CharlesWilson]

This just shows how under-appreciated gravity is. It can work for you, or against you, but it is always working (at least in my experience).

Don't get me started about gravity! (I dub it the great killer!).

Charles