Ridgid 6" ROS Review

[Mike Konobeck]

I just finished assembling my dining room table and the bubinga top has been quite a challenge to plane/scrape/sand. I tried everything from a PC belt sander w/ 50 grit to a LN #8 to every scraper I own. The #8 was sharpened with a 17 deg back bevel and the throat closed up really nice and tight. I would have trusted that with the most difficult of grain but this top was something else and ended up with some significant tear out. Not just superficial and I shed a few tears and put the plane down to go drink. I broke down and brought it in to a local shop and they did a great job taking out the tearout with their big 53" drum sander but I still had some minor sanding marks from the belt to get out. This led me to standing in front of the Festool display at Rockler drooling and nearly dropping $1k on the vac and one of the 150/3 or 150/5 sanders. It kind of annoyed me that I had to chose between the 3 or 5 so I decided to think about it and look around.

I stopped by Menards and pretty much nothing but junk. Stopped by Home Depot and looked at the 5" sanders and they were like every other one I have and have had. Simple and effective but I needed something bigger and was about to walk away when I saw the 6" Ridgid ROS sander (R2611). Started checking it out and I thought what the heck for a 1/3 of the price of the sander and it hooks right up any old vac. I already have one of the nice Ridgid vacs and the Dust Deputy so it killed me to think about buying the Festool vac. Then upon closer inspection I saw a button on the handle and it said 1/8" and 1/4". Read the back of the box and low and behold it was a selector for moving it between fine (1/8") and coarse (1/4") sanding. Something I thought the Festool should have had as I was looking at it. Needless to say I picked it up and began basically running for the door so I could get home and try this thing out.

Brought it home and went to work on the table top with 150 and 220 grit. It impressed me right from the start. The top was smooth as silk in about 2 hours. Having the selector was nice because I could simply work my way up from the 150 at 1/4" stroke to 1/8" stroke with the push of a button. Then do the same with 220 for a very nice surface. Now I just have to find some 320 for it and the table is ready for finish. The dust collection was great. I wouldn't say that I didn't need a mask and have the air cleaner running but it was close. Not a lot of dust in the air. Head and shoulders above my little Bosch and I don't need to buy a $15 adapter to hook it up to a regular vac hose.

The only downside is that it uses 6 hole paper and I feel that if it had 8 hole it might be better at keeping the abrassive clean. It never loaded up but bubinga doesn't really load up so on something softer it might.

Just thought I would mention this for those contemplating a new 6" ROS because there is not a lot of recent info out there on this sander. You can't beat the price and warranty. Just so it is clear I am not saying this is a better tool than the Festool sanders but just a better value for me. I still want one of everything when I look at the Festool display. My wife was very surprised I didn't end up buying the Festool package as she knows I have a soft spot for high quality tools. I believe Festool makes a very versatile product line but the cost to enter into that realm has been somewhat cost prohibitive for me.

[Julian Tracy]

The 2611 is the China-made version of their quite excellent model #2610 which was an Orange Ridgid Metabo clone made in Germany.

In general, the Ridgid/Metabo units got high marks for being about 1/4-1/2 the cost of the Festool or Bosch dual mode sanders.

For other folks contemplating one of these - search Ebay or CL for the 2610 - can't help but be a better sander than the OP's 2611, though I'm sure that for the money it's a good purchase as well.

And for the record, Festool sanders can also be used with any shopvac. But most sanders work better with a variable speed vac, that's why most folks suggest a Festool vac. For a cost savings, the New Dewalt vacs have variable speed and tool activation and can be had as low as $200 or so in the non-Hepa version and are made in Italy.

The Dewalt vacs are simply updated versions of the older Porter Cable vacs that were paired with their excellant (have one) drywall sanding system.

Julian

[Mark Ashmeade]

I've had a 2611 for a while now. It's been a steady performer. I did have an issue with the hook&loop pad and a warranty gamble. Basically the pad failed (ie was no longer "hooky" enough to retain the paper. It should have been covered under warranty, but my local repair joint wanted a $50 bond to take the tool, repair it, and claim on the warranty. If the warranty did not pay out (eg stated it was normal wear), I'd have lost the $50. The part was like $17, and three screws to fit it.

Other than that, it has been very good. Nice chunky cable on it, it makes quick work of sanding, not so heavy that it's awkward to use.

[Chris Fournier]

I have the 2610 and I used a 2611 and I agree that these are both very high value and capable ROS units.

[Ryan Hellmer]

I love my 2611. The switch or some small electrical component failed on mine and took it in for warranty work, a week later, no cost out of pocket and I'm back in business. Mark, I would inquire with Ridgid about the bond thing. That seems pretty crappy and I think the shop is out of line charging it.

Ryan

[Mark Ashmeade]

Ryan, I hear what you say, but frankly the $17 isn't worth the blood pressure increase and my time on the phone with them. I've been steadily offloading my RIDGID tools, and I pretty much had all of the stationary tools. Bandsaw, jointer, planer, drill press, RAS, TS3660, R4511 table saw (x2), together with 4x routers, 3x sanders.

I paid considerably less than RRP for all of them due to the various promotions, discounts etc over the last few years, and I've not lost money on any of them. However, either I've outgrown them, or were just average tools in the first place. The routers and sanders are good though. The "warranty rot" set in pretty much when I registered the LLSA on them, it took months and months to get the confirmations. Then with the local repair shop pulling that stunt, the warranty held no appeal, which it had previously. The final straw was the RAS when the motor went out. It's one of the gray machines (thus warranted for the life of the tool, no matter who owns it). I called, after a long hold to be told "no service, no spares on the RS1000". What's the point of the warranty then? Might I get the same story on some of the newer tools? The decision was made for me there and then.

Contrast with another well known manufacturer. There's some special bearings that a tool of theirs I have requires, and they have been unobtainable on back order for months. No equivalent generic or interchange bearings. I called the manufacturer to see if they would ever be available, or were they just discontinued as spares. Yes, there's 1200 of them order, 400 will be in next week. Today, they called me and took my serial number (a 1999 machine), and said "warranty repair, no charge". I can't name the manufacturer, the lady did me a favor that perhaps she wasn't supposed to, but it spoke volumes about that company. I have a couple of tools from them, and as I get round to upgrading my remaining orange machines, I know where I'll be looking.

Back on topic, the R2611 is a good sander!