Wow! Mirka Ceros is "The Thruth"

[johnny means]

Friend of mine got the 6" version. This thing makes my beloved Festools feel and sound like giant angry hornets trying to attack me while I keep them pinned on their backs. I wouldn't think an electric sander could be so buttery smooth. :-)

[Peter Quinn]

Ditto. I fired one up at my local wood craft, it was an instant love affair. Better than a pneumatic ROS, lighter, quiet, beautiful, quiet, comfortable, quiet, powerful, agile variable speed, very ergonomic, quiet........did I mention quiet? Its on my short list, soon as my own beloved festools die (never thought I'd even think that let alone say it out loud). I've been leaving five gallon buckets of water around the bench under them, hoping they would jump in, they've been so loyal I can't bear to give them a shove, and I can't authorize or justify a replacement until they are gone. Its a high price tag, but I hate sanding, so anything to alleviate that. I'm thinking 5"-6" combo package, both pads, one body. THey make a cool vac too!

[Wade Lippman]

$500 for a ros?
20% of a Sawstop?!

Unless they do the sanding while you are off doing something else...

[David Sharp]

They seem to be firm on the price. I had to think long and hard before spending that kind of money on a sander, but I haven't had any buyer's remorse. It's the tool to have if you don't have compressed air.

[David L Morse]

They seem to be firm on the price. I had to think long and hard before spending that kind of money on a sander, but I haven't had any buyer's remorse. It's the tool to have if you don't have compressed air.

What's the tool to have if you do have compressed air?

[Richard Coers]

The answer is still the same, Ceros. Beats having that 7 horsepower hammering away in the corner. No moisture control problems in the heat either. They are great!



What's the tool to have if you do have compressed air?

[Peter Kelly]

What's the tool to have if you do have compressed air?Dynabrade
http://www.dynabrade.com/dyn10/content.php?page=catalog
Mirka and 3M also make some pretty good ones too.

Pneumatic sanders are great but very loud compared to most electric ones especially the Ceros. You'll also need a pretty powerful 2-stage compressor to keep up. The finish quality from an air-powered sander is best though.

[Erik Christensen]

how is the dust collection? re Pneumatic sanders - I have a 80 gal 2 stage 5HP compressor that could run one all day long but I never got over the running cost - here is SoCal with electricity > 23 cents/KWhr I could never see having what is in effect a 5 HP sander

[Chris Padilla]

...here is SoCal with electricity > 23 cents/KWhr... That is in tier 3, I think? Tier 1 and 2 are still in the midish teens but PG&E is having a ball jacking up tiers 3 and 4, which I always seem to be in.

[Steve Milito]

how is the dust collection? re Pneumatic sanders - I have a 80 gal 2 stage 5HP compressor that could run one all day long but I never got over the running cost - here is SoCal with electricity > 23 cents/KWhr I could never see having what is in effect a 5 HP sander

It still takes well over 1000 hours of sanding to make up for the difference in price.

[Peter Kelly]

how is the dust collection? re Pneumatic sanders - I have a 80 gal 2 stage 5HP compressor that could run one all day long but I never got over the running cost - here is SoCal with electricity > 23 cents/KWhr I could never see having what is in effect a 5 HP sanderThere's two types of dust collection for pneumatic sanders–the self collecting style which has a small venturi inside that sends the dust into a bag at the end of a hose and the more traditional type that uses a hose to a vac to pick up dust. Collection from the Dynabrade to a vac is very good but probably not as much so as the Festool system.

I don't think you look at it as having a 5hp sander so much as a different and I think more efficient way of sanding. The Dynabrade Dynorbital is an amazing tool and there's good reason why larger cabinet shops and solid surface fabricators use them over electrics. The downsides are needing the big compressor near you while working and noise levels.

[John Piwaron]

does the end of a hose from a Festool dust extractor fit the dust collection port of the Mirka sander?

[Peter Kelly]

Yep, the hose is almost identical.They seem to come from the same factory as Festool.

[Jay Jolliffe]

Would anyone give up their Festool sander for a Mirka sander. I have three Festool sanders & I'd like to use just one if that's possible.

[loren forney]

how is the dust collection? re Pneumatic sanders - I have a 80 gal 2 stage 5HP compressor that could run one all day long but I never got over the running cost - here is SoCal with electricity > 23 cents/KWhr I could never see having what is in effect a 5 HP sander

Yipes! You made me look for the rate we are paying for electricity. No tier system just: Residential electric rates are 8.16 cents per kilowatt-hour Source was Clark County (Southwest Washington State) Utilities website.

[Victor Robinson]

I'm thinking about giving up my Festool 150/3 for the Ceros...and really it would be just for the noise savings. The Festool, or any ROS really, is too loud for me to use in the evenings/night. Ceros might be ok.

[Paul Wunder]

$.194 per KW in Southern CT. Oh.....must add $15.50 to start with. These are the basic Residential rates

The rates go higher in the summer

[David Sharp]

A Hutchins da air sander is hard to beat.

[Dave Cav]

Another vote for Dynabrade. I just retired my two conventional ROS and replaced them with a pair of them.

[Erik Christensen]

sorry guys I just quoted a price from memory last time I had the courage to read an electric bill - here are the current rates for san diego off the SDG&E website - I only list tier 3 & 4 as I have never had a month not over tier 2 so we are talking incremental cost:

tier3 - 27/29 winter/summer
tier4 - 29/31

[johnny means]

Another vote for Dynabrade. I just retired my two conventional ROS and replaced them with a pair of them.

As well as they perform, air sanders just are not a universal option. Running costs are just too high for the small, for profit shop. I live in Delaware and routinely travel hundreds of not thousands of miles for work. It's hard enough getting a stack of systainers and tool bags past the TSA, I don't even want to think about getting an 80gl compressor on board or up a 6 floor walk up in Manhattan.

The Ceros excites me because it affords air sander performance and comfort with the convenience and cost effectiveness of electric.

[William C Rogers]

Well I bought the electric Ceros. Agree $500 is a lot for a finish sander. But you can make that comparison to a lot of tools such as vacuums, some +$700 and $99. Just simple, the tools that perform well cost a lot more. That is why Festool sells so many tools. The Ceror out performs any finish sander I have ever used without a doubt. Easy to control and easy on your hands. Excellent dust control. You can get a ROS for $50, but many who do a lot of sanding spend x times more for performance. No regrets at all on the Ceros as it is better than expected.