Festool RS 2 anyone?

[Larry Edgerton]

I use Hutchins air boards for flattening tabletops, and they do a wonderful job, but I need to quit breathing so much dust and was contemplating one of these. I have a PC half sheet, and it is slower than the air boards, and has no provision for dust pickup. My Hutchins RO longboard is acting up,, so maybe a good time to try something new. Do they flatten a surface well?

Anyone have one of these. I see good reviews, but mostly by homeowners, and I have to make a profit as this stuff is how I eat. Different perspective.

Thoughts?

[peter gagliardi]

In my opinion, that type of sander has no business in a pro shop, unless your polishing piano finishes or the like. Waaaay too slow! I used to use a 4x24 belt sander for all flattening prior to my SCM widebelt . Now i use that, and follow with my festool Rotex 6" to finish.
However, onsite, or if i dont want to run the widebelt for a small piece, the Rotex is quite capable at aggressive removal and pretty good at flattening within reason.
Sanding is one job i want done as fast as possible- that sander is the opposite.

[Mike Jungers]

What Peter said. I borrowed one for a set of maple doors and after maybe five minutes I gave up on it. I now use the 6" rotex or a belt sander if necessary. I know a few of the Hutchins in-line sanders have dust ports if that helps.

Mike

[Ron Teti]

the Festool RO150 with a hard pad (sold separately) will work, also be sure to use the right paper for the job

http://www.festoolusa.com/abrasives

[Bill McNiel]

Larry,
I do a fair amount of large slab tables, etc. and have the RS2. I surface mill my slabs with hand planes, a router sled, belt sander and use the RS2 for final smoothing and leveling. It will not level a surface quickly but it does have a viable place in my shop. The RS2 is, IMHO, a quality FINISH sander and does a great job knocking down epoxy void fills but a belt sander or the Rotex is a better choice for aggressive material removal.

[Larry Edgerton]

Thanks, I'll just save some money and buy a replacement Hutchins. Sounds like it would end up on the same shelf as the PC, but in a pretty box. I am not touching this table with a belt sander, pie shaped veneer with a bunch of inlays. Its the dust I was trying to get away from.

Festool sells a sander in Eur.that looks exactly like what I want, and electric Hutchins basically, but we do not get it here. Its longer, bigger orbit, dust collection but in 220v and not available here. Like this but electric.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Festool-Comp...3D321760839675
.

[Greg Mann]

Larry, I am pretty sure that is an air powered sander.

[Larry Edgerton]

I realize that listing is air Greg, but they make one just like it in an electric version, but 220V. I just could not find the listing. I saw one for sale in Italy a few days ago but did not mark the listing.

They also make the RS 2 in Europe with a 5mm orbit, which would be more to my liking, although I would prefer the electric version of the one I linked as it is longer and narrower like the air board I am used to.

I never use a belt sander. I am just not talented enough to use one without screwing something up. So I spend extra time on the joints, and the only places I use the boards are on large tabletops that I want perfect. The table/booth I am working on now is $30K, so I can afford a little extra time.

[Bill Sutherland]

I have the RS 2 plus the Rotex 150 and the Ras that I use on my large deck. The Ras really gets the job done fast and the RS 2 flattened what I gouged. I have two decks that I used it on and it worked beautifully with the Ras and no dust. I wouldn't hesitate to use the RS 2 on a slab. You can always return it within 30 days if you don't like it.

[Greg Mann]

I realize that listing is air Greg, but they make one just like it in an electric version, but 220V. I just could not find the listing. I saw one for sale in Italy a few days ago but did not mark the listing.

They also make the RS 2 in Europe with a 5mm orbit, which would be more to my liking, although I would prefer the electric version of the one I linked as it is longer and narrower like the air board I am used to.

I never use a belt sander. I am just not talented enough to use one without screwing something up. So I spend extra time on the joints, and the only places I use the boards are on large tabletops that I want perfect. The table/booth I am working on now is $30K, so I can afford a little extra time.

Intersting, I couldn't find an electric version listed, but my German is not so good either. I use the RO 150 to get a surface more or less flat and then switch to the RS2 to finish getting the flatness. It really is not that slow using the two together. You think the RO has done the job until you lay the RS on it and the high spots just telegraph right to you. I recently did a glue up of about 30 x 24 with five boards,not that big but it was Ipe. The time with the RS could not have been five minutes before I could no longer feel any high spots. Probably only half of that. Then I go back to the RO to work my way up the grits. Like you, I don't use a BS either and would only consider trying one with a sanding frame, and those are pretty rare these days.

[Joe Jensen]

The RS2 is the opposite of a 4 by 24 belt sander. It's for finish sanding and it does a wonderful job. I think the coarsest paper I have for mine is 150 grit. With red oak for example, I get very flat surfaces with the RS2 and with the orbitals the softer parts of the grain are always sanded just a bit deeper than the harder parts.

[Larry Edgerton]

I chickened out and ordered another Hutchins 3800 with what they call vacuum assist. Not sure what that is exactly, but I will be able to tell you in a couple of days.

Thats the problem with living in the middle of nowhere, I have to be my own Ginny Pig, no dealer within a reasonable distance that I can get a hands on look at stuff. did order the new Festool suitcase vac just for sanding. Going to mount it on the ceiling.

[Larry Edgerton]

With red oak for example, I get very flat surfaces with the RS2 and with the orbitals the softer parts of the grain are always sanded just a bit deeper than the harder parts.

That is exactly why I use a board sander. I learned how to finish painting cars, so it just kind of carried over.