Needing a good random orbit sander

[Jim Hager]

Hey guys and gals. I'm beginning the search for the best and most affordable random orbit sander. I don't care if it is electric or pneumatic but I need a sander that will stand up to 4-5 hour sessions at each use. I build custom furniture and cabinets in a part time professional shop and also offer raised panel doors to contractor customers. I may do orders of 30-60 doors at a whack and have just about exhausted my trusty ole dewalt sanders. I have 3 of them but am looking for something that is more user friendly and durable. I would like to have something that has some kind of dust extraction that is better than is on the dewalt sanders. My dust bags and boxes have long been gone from the sanders due to excessive wear.

I typically use 2 sanders at the bench when I'm doin doors, one with 80 grit and the other with 120 to sand out the crossgrain scratches from the drum sander. I use H&L paper and really want to stay with that application.

What have you guys got experience with that I might want to consider?

[Tyler Howell]

With that type of production Festool is your tool. Hard working and very user friendly.

:cool:

[Jim Becker]

Ditto what Tyler said. Fein and Metabo as runners-up. You can also go pneumatic with Festool and still have dust collection. (Keep in mind that pneumatic requires a major air source...)

[Corey Hallagan]

It seems like Festool may be something you may want to check out, they are costly but looks like you could take advantage of what they offer. Other than that their are so many good sanders under 100.00 today. I have one of the Dewalts and one of the PC's. Like them both. Dewalt has 3 new models out with new dust collection, VS and heavier duty motors... you may want to check them out.

Corey

[Doug Jones from Oregon]

I have gone completely pneumatic with my OS collection and have been very satisfied with them. I use whatever brand it is that Klingspor sells...2 of them are H&L and 2 PSA. At about $150 each I feel they are reasonably prices for a professional grade tool.

[Andrew Ault]

Since affordability is one of your criteria, I would suggest that you look at the Ridgid 6" ROS. I have it and I really like it. It vibrates less than my Porter Cable 5" ROS and really removes material FAST in the larger of the two selectable orbits.

When hooked up to my shop vac, the dust control is the best I've experienced. For a long sanding sessions I've zip tied the power cord to my vacuum hose and set the vacuum outside my garage shop.

Note that I have not tried a Festool, which by all accounts are excellent.

I like the long cord on the Ridgid. It does not come with a case, which you would may not care about for your purpose. The hook and loop sanding paper are, like the sander, available at HD.

I think you might find that just switching orbit sizes may preclude the need for two grits in this application. You turn the sander off, press a button, rotate the disk and continue.

If you search this site, you will find that at least some users have had problems out of the box with this sander, though my experience has been good. You will also find that the Metabo is a very similar or nearly identical sander - it looks like this Made in Germany sander is maufactured by them. The dust collection is different on the two, though.

The warranty on the Ridgid is really good.

Good luck finding what you need.

-Andy

[JayStPeter]

If electric I'd go Festool.

If you've got the serious quantities of air, Festool also makes pneumatic. But, some friends swear by Dynabrade. They are made for the auto body industry, but come in a variety of sizes and orbits and are supposed to have excellent dust collection. I've never used one myself. But on a shop tour, I was shown that they are easily rebuildable. Seemed pretty ergonomically friendly also.

Jay

[Greg Mann]

If electric I'd go Festool.

If you've got the serious quantities of air, Festool also makes pneumatic. But, some friends swear by Dynabrade. They are made for the auto body industry, but come in a variety of sizes and orbits and are supposed to have excellent dust collection. I've never used one myself. But on a shop tour, I was shown that they are easily rebuildable. Seemed pretty ergonomically friendly also.

Jay

We use Dynabrade "dynafiles". We have about 3 dozen in constant use and would not be without them. Unfortunately, they have changed to a composite housing for the airmotor and they don't last as long as they used to. I do not know if similar changes have been made to the ROS's. OTOH, Festool's sister company, Festo, is a world leader in pneumatics, and the biggest player in Europe. It does not appear to be a corporate philosophy for them to cheapen a product.

Greg

[Ian Barley]

Another vote for the Festool here. I have the Metabo (Ridgid) and the Festool 6"ers. I will walk across the workshop to get the Festool rather than pick up the Metabo on the bench next to me - and the Metabo is a good sander.

[Mike Hedges]

Go with the FESTOOL. Great sander . I have one and have never been sorry that I got it .

[Christian Aufreiter]

OTOH, Festool's sister company, Festo, is a world leader in pneumatics, and the biggest player in Europe. It does not appear to be a corporate philosophy for them to cheapen a product.

Please correct me if I'm wrong but as far as I know Festo (http://www.festo.com/INetDomino/coorp_sites/en/index.htm) doesn't produce air tools such as sanders. They do offer some pneumatic "stuff" but that's more some kind of industry automation equipment.
It's Festool (http://www.festoolusa.com/) (the company that produces power tools) that also makes air tools.

Regards,

Christian

[Kurt Voss]

I'll 8th or 9th the recommendation for Festool. I've been using the Rotex 150 model that can be switched from an aggressive rotational mode to a more gentle random orbital mode in about 5 seconds. I'm prone to numb fingers with tools that vibrate too much and have had little of that even after sanding 2-3 hours at a time. Additionally, the dust collection is amazing. Over the past week I've sanded both sides of 42 14"x43" shelves and 3 of 7 48"x84" cabs and have half filled the bag on my Festool vac and still have not needed to sweep the floor. I'm sold on 'em. Bought mine from Bob Marino here on the Creek - great guy.

[Jim Hager]

Well guys looks like the concensus is for me to own a festool. I ain't got any of that brand of tool yet but it may be in the works.


I have been over to their website and found the r/o sander you guys have been talking about. Looks bigger than I want to work with all day. Something was said about the tool having a removeable handle, what is the deal on that? I would like to see one of them without the handle to determine if I might could use it better with or without the handle attached. Anybody got a pic of the tool without the handle?;)

Thanks for the replies, since I've got to spend so much of my time sanding I will work pretty hard to make a decision before I take the plunge again. :cool: I can't believe how long these old dewalts have lasted but for sure it is time to retire the oldest of them and the pad needs replacing on the newest one. Just thought I might want to turn over a new leaf with a different brand. Got lots of sanding discs for the dewalt that I'll need to pass along to somebody if I do the change.:rolleyes:

[Chris Mann]

I wouldn't get the rotex for what you want to do. I have the ro 125 and find that I only use it in rotary mode. The random orbit mode just isn't as nice as the ets 150 (which I also have). The 150 is so well balanced you can pretty much walk away from it and it won't move.
I'd get the ets 150/3 and maybe the 150/5 for your situation.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Chris...the 150/3 (or 150/5) are what you want for your described functionality. I use the 150/3 as my primary sander and can work with it for hours without getting numb hands...without wearing gel-filled gloves like I had to with the PC for even short sessions. The Rotex 150 I leave for occasional "really heavy sanding" or for polishing...I can't one-hand it with that tool! I can with the 150/3. Talk to Bob Marino (http://festool.safeshopper.com/) (SMC member) about your needs and he can give you good suggestions on how to proceed.

[Greg Mann]

Please correct me if I'm wrong but as far as I know Festo (http://www.festo.com/INetDomino/coorp_sites/en/index.htm) doesn't produce air tools such as sanders. They do offer some pneumatic "stuff" but that's more some kind of industry automation equipment.
It's Festool (http://www.festoolusa.com/) (the company that produces power tools) that also makes air tools.

Regards,

Christian

You are quite right Christian. My point was more along the line that there exists alot of corporate wisdom about things pneumatic. Another example would be the extruded aluminum components that show up in Festool products. Extrusions are used extensively in industrial pneumatics. This is an example of technology transfer between sister companies. Festool benefits greatly from Festo expertise.

Greg

[Greg Mann]

I would also agree with Jim and Chris. The 150/3 is focussed right in on your job description and significantly less expensive since you are not buying capabilities you won't need, at least for the work you have described.

Greg

[Charlie Plesums]

I picked up the Ridgid 1/4 sheet ROS figuring the square pad would make it easier to get into corners. It was cheap enough that it didn't matter if I didn't use it much (it was my 5th ROS at the time). It has become my favorite sander... Easy on the hands, good dust collection with the bag; fantastic dust collection if you hook it to a shop vacuum, gets great life out of the Norton 3X paper I keep in stock, powerful enough to work quickly.

I can't compare it to everyone's favorite Festool, but the $50 price isn't in the same league either.

[Sam Blasco]

I agree with Chris...the 150/3 (or 150/5) are what you want for your described functionality. I use the 150/3 as my primary sander and can work with it for hours without getting numb hands....

Ditto. Best sander I have ever used. The Rotex, also, really shines as an aggressive sander and polisher, but the 150/3 is what I reach for most. In the pneumatic world, the Dynabrades we had in the big shop were workhorses, too.