[OP]
Member
My wife, bless her heart, has purchased a Festool 150FEQ Rotex sander for me for Christmas. Is this really worth nearly $200 more than the Festool 150/3EQ sander? I told her I thought a new sander would be nice for Christmas, but goodness -- $440 is a lot of money!
Member
I would say don't discourage the wife when she wants to buy you a really nice tool. Just say Wow. Thanks, this is really going to help when I make that dining room table for you.
Guest
looks like she wanted to buy you the best.
Member
Depends, the Rotex has two modes which really makes it two sanders. The rotex mode and the ros mode. If you are going to use it to buff, strip, aggrisive sanding you will be happy you have the rotex mode a 150/5 doesn't really cut it. I would say if the form factor doesn't matter to you it is worth the extra money because it is so much more versitile.
Sound like you have a great wife who did some research, thoes are had to come by.
-=Jason=-
Member
Touchy subject. If you want a finish sander, the 150/3EQ is probably better for you. I love mine. But you'll never get another tool from her again if she thinks she screwed up. Only you know how she'll take it if you want to exchange it.
In Memoriam
I have really used it! Its great!
"All great work starts with love .... then it is no longer work"
Member
I'd be happy if my wife bought me a Festool t-shirt...much less any form of tool. Either way, you're a lucky man
Tom
Contributor
In my opinion, yes it is worth the extra money. You are getting 2 sanders in one.
Member
Does she have any sisters? Just kidding...sounds like a great gift.
Guest
Harley I have them both and they are different tools for different uses. The Rotex is great for buffing, rough work, heavy sanding, solid surface, and initial fine sanding. It can do fine work but the ergonomics aren't optimal for a light touch. The 150/3 is a great fine sander. It can be used to hog off material but it is slow. The best setup is to have both and a CT22 to collect the dust.
Contributor
The nice thing about buying Festool in the US is that you may take up to 30 days to use the tool to see whether you like it. If you don't, then return it. (If you do, I hope your wife's feelings won't be hurt.) I haven't tried the new Rotex, but I own the 150/3 and couldn't be happier with the way it handles boards from the planer to finishing. Best of luck to you, and merry Christmas.Originally Posted by Harley Lewis
Regards,
John
What this world needs is a good retreat.
--Captain Beefheart
Member
Keep it! And start hinting that a 150/3 would be a great present next Christmas...
I have both. Use the Rotex for initial aggressive stock removal and at the other end of the process for buffing. The 150 is great for intermediate work. The Rotex needs your undivided attention, but the 150 is so smooth you forget its there.
Member
the Rotex is my goto sander of choice. I do work with a lot of sheet goods and it excels at that. although I was refinishing a douglas fir beam in the basement not to long ago, and it excels at that too; using both sanding modes made quick work with only one machine.
The rotex and vacuum were my first introduction to festool and it has been downhill since (5 festools later) but I have yet to regret any of them. I took some of my festool stack to a side project at a friends house and only half joked that the small stack was worth way more $$$ than my truck.
Harley, you are doomed....so doomed.
She gotta sister?JK
What you listen to is your business....what you hear is ours.
[OP]
Member
Thanks guys. I am not going to return the sander, but I guess I needed confirmation that it is worth the money for a hobbiest. I am going to use a shop vac for dust collection with it for now, I may buy the festool system later on. And by the way, I did marry up a bunch, but she is stuck with me. She does have sisters but not the same quality!
Harley
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