Sander Suggestions

[Stew Hagerty]

I have been considering getting a new RO sander. Mine old Craftsman Professional is on it's last legs.

I have been looking at the Mirka Ceros, Mirka Deros, Festool ETS EC 125/3 EQ (Brushless RO), and the Festool Rotex.

Any comments, suggestions, recommendations?

[Bill Adamsen]

Very happy with my Festool ETS EC 150/3 (1+ years use?). It has replaceable pads of varying softness and works very well with the Festool dust collection system. Best hand sander of this ilk I have owned. On par with the pneumatics and with better dust collection.

[Bill Sutherland]

I love my Rolex and 150 FEQ.

[Stew Hagerty]

I love my Rolex and 150 FEQ.

What do you like about the Rotex over one of the low profile brushless models? Does the Dual-Mode really make that much of a difference?

[Ben Rivel]

Another vote for the ETS EC 150/3. So far mine has been very nice. Although now that I know you can use the 6" pads on the ETS EC 125/3 but not the 5" pads on the ETS EC 125/3 I might have gone with the ETS EC 125/3. I at least have the Pro 5 LTD if I want finer/smaller but there are no pad changes for that. Rotex's were too heavy IMO and I dont need the aggressiveness they offer. If I did I would have gone with one. Although the Rotex 90 FEQ with its specialty shaped pads is tempting. Down the line perhaps.

[Stew Hagerty]

Although now that I know you can use the 6" pads on the ETS EC 125/3 but not the 5" pads on the ETS EC 125/3 I might have gone with the ETS EC 125/3.

Ben, I did not know that. The 5" was my first choice because it's what I've been used to, and I have a whole bunch of 5" hook & loop disks on hand. However, after seeing everyone vote for the 150/3 I was thinking more about that one. But, if I can use a 6" pad on the 125/3 that would be perfect. I could use the 6" with Abra net for heavier work and switch back to the 5" and standard paper disks for the finer stuff.

[Ben Rivel]

Ben, I did not know that. The 5" was my first choice because it's what I've been used to, and I have a whole bunch of 5" hook & loop disks on hand. However, after seeing everyone vote for the 150/3 I was thinking more about that one. But, if I can use a 6" pad on the 125/3 that would be perfect. I could use the 6" with Abra net for heavier work and switch back to the 5" and standard paper disks for the finer stuff.

Yea that was why I ended up with the 6", everyone was saying that was the one to get and I didnt find the thread talking about that advantage of the 5" until after it was too late.

[Stew Hagerty]

Yea that was why I ended up with the 6", everyone was saying that was the one to get and I didnt find the thread talking about that advantage of the 5" until after it was too late.

You don't happen to have a link to that thread do you?

[Ben Rivel]

You don't happen to have a link to that thread do you?

Here ya go: LINK

[Bill Sutherland]

I find so many uses for the RoTex. From sanding down my large deck to shaping wood there is nothing I've seen that can be so aggressive and when used with fine paper, so fast in finishing. The dust collection is not up to the 150feq but since I've used the RoTex mostly outside it hasn't been a issue

[Andy Giddings]

+1 on the Festool ETS EC 150/3 - plenty of power, light-weight and the usual excellent dust extraction

[Roy Turbett]

What do you like about the Rotex ...? Does the Dual-Mode really make that much of a difference?

I have the Rotex 125 and find that it works much better than my belt sander for rapid stock removal in rotex mode and is more than adequate for most finishing work. Dust collection is exceptional with the Festool vacuum. I used it in rotex mode to strip an oak bathroom floor and flush trim the edges on a pantry I built this week. It also performs very well in ROS mode but is a bit heavy and not as comfortable to use as a palm sander. Today I used it in ROS mode at its slowest speed with a single sheet of 80 grit paper to remove 100 year old varnish and shellac from a pine door. It gently removed the finish without going all the way down to bare wood and didn't gum up the sandpaper by heating the finish. I was able to dissolve the remaining shellac with DNA and OOOO steel wool to achieve a consistent color that I'll be able to easily refurbish with some fresh shellac.

I was a skeptic about there being much difference between sanders but would buy the Rotex 125 again in a heartbeat. Well worth the money.

[Larry Edgerton]

I love my Rolex and 150 FEQ.

I find Rolex to be to heavy, but it does keep good time.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I find Rolex to be to heavy, but it does keep good time.

I wear an Omega that keeps good time too.
Doc

[Van Huskey]

Originally Posted by Larry Edgerton
I find Rolex to be to heavy, but it does keep good time.

I wear an Omega that keeps good time too.
Doc

That is oddly analogous to this thread. Possibly my greatest hobby passion is mechanical watches and for the vast majority of people a Rolex is the pinnacle of watch making, which honestly is far from the truth. Rolex and Omega are mid-level watches and the majority of both lines are tool watches. Much like sanders (tools) there are usually many more options out there than most of us are familiar with. Lange, Patek, AP and Vacheron for example make watches MUCH more expensive and built much better than a Rolex. My point is something out there is usually better and usually comes with a price premium but we all live within some budget and just like a $30K or $100K watch at some point the price tag becomes unfathomable to all of us and it may be just the price tag vs our budget and it may be we simply aren't that devoted to the particular hobby. A $500 or $600 ROS may make a pro money and it may make the task of sanding a little more pleasurable for a hobbyist so for some it makes perfect sense and for others it seems insane but every hobby has this same issue.


BTW before someone chimes in I know mechnical watches are an anachronism and a $10 Walmart quartz watch keeps better time than even the finest mechanical movements.


Edit: before anyone thinks I am poo pooing Rolex and Omega I am not, I love both brands and together they make up roughly 40% of my collection.