Sander Advice

[William C Rogers]

As far as the sacrificial pad life,
I don't know, I am still on my first pad still holding strong guessing about 40-50 sheets of Mirca that last at least twice, maybe 3 times as long as regular disks.

[William C Rogers]

One thing to consider is the Mirca is about 2 pounds vs the weight of other palm sanders. That is what makes this a one hand sander for a longer period of time. The power cord is slightly heavier, but it is easy to use one handed and I really like the paddle switch. Since it is a DC motor you have a power supply, but mine just stays with the vac and not really an issue. The only real disadvantage is the steep price. It think the systainer will fit the Festool vacs, however the color match ( Mirca yellow ) might be too much to handle. The Mirca hose is a screw in connection to the sander and I do not know if other hoses will fit.

[Sam Murdoch]

Seb, the ETS 150 is indeed a one handed machine. It is incredibly smooth and my personal favorite sander.

I have not personally used the Mirka sanders, but a lot of very knowledgeable folks sing their praises. If I were you, I'd give both models a try and see which one will be best for you.

I agree nearly completely with this comment - the one qualifier is about the one handedness of the ETS150 - yes and no I would say. Depends on the size of your hands. Large or EX large OK - smaller than that and I would say that one handed is fine for bench work on panels but for in the field install type work, especially for vertical work such as on face frames or door casings, The ETS150 is more than a one hand machine.

I really really like ETS150/3 and have never found the size to be a deal breaker but if I were looking to replace I would most definitely consider the Mirka Ceros.
For those who can't believe there is an appreciable difference between these sanders and the others I can only say - try one through a project. I was skeptical too but no longer.

[sebastian phillips]

Thanks to everyone for the info, guess I'll have to try the Mirka & the Ets 150, and then spend some money-an investment in quality, production, and comfort.
Seb