Festool Rotex RO150 FEQ abrasive questions

[Michael Alu]

Good morning Creekers. I have the chance to pick up my first ever Festool product at what I believe is a great price. Found it on Craigslist. It's a Festool Rotex RO150 FEQ. Come to find out I actually know the man selling it as I graduated school with his son awhile back. It's a small world. I do not have a Festool vac right now, but I do have a dust deputy set up with a Ridgid vac. I know a lot people will have varying opinions, but I believe I want to stick with the Festool line of paper. Did I drink the Kool-aid, probably, but I've always used Diablo paper and ready to try some really good sand paper. Now onto the different styles of paper that will fit 90-95% of my use.

Festool Rubin P80 Grit
Festool Rubin2 P120 Grit
Festool Rubin2 P220 Grit

I don't believe there is a need for 5 different grits between 80 and 220, but I absolutely could be wrong. Anything over 220 I will be hand sanding. Again I know there are going to be a lot of varying opinions, but if you guys were to stay within the Festool brand of paper would you change any of the styles. Say 120 or 220 grit in Granat as an example?

Side note I also have the Festool Pro 5 LTD sander coming in early next year and I plan to use that as my finish sander. I just couldn't pass up that $99 deal. Maybe I can skip getting the Rubin2 P220 grit for the Rotex and put that money towards paper when I get the Pro 5. Just weighing all my opinions and would love some of your knowledge.

Mike

[Jim Becker]

I generally keep Rubin for my 150/3 and my Rotex 150 in 80, 100, 120, 150 and 180 grits. I do have some 220, but it's not the Rubin...I don't recall of the top of my head which one it is and my shop isn't handy at the moment.

I don't really use the Rotex very much...95% of my sanding is with the 150/3 and I only pull out the Rotex when it's unique capability for heavier work is needed. It's heavier and really requires two hands to work with. Having both sanders the same size is convenient relative to abrasives purchase... ;)

[Dan Friedrichs]

I'm no expert, but the new "Granat" abrasives seem much better than the Rubin...

[Marc Burt]

120 to 220 is quite a jump imo. I too use the Festool paper, I think it lasts longer than what I've used previously. I keep 80,120,150,220 although I very rarely use the 80.

As above, I have a rotex 150 but use my 150/5 & 150/3 far more often. Welcome to the slope!

[peter gagliardi]

Raw wood, and the Rubin is all you need, and has decent life. It is when you get into between coat scuffing of finishes you should look to another type such as Brilliant- it is stearated for non stick of finishes. The Granat line is for metal and manmade materials as I remember it.
If you ever want to give your wallet a break, you should check out Klingspor's lineup. Better life than the Brilliant, and a fair bit less $$
I used to use the festool brand until i found the klingspor.

[Gary Muto]

I use both types and prefer the Granat. I was told that this is there General purpose sandpaper. Both start with G which helps me remember.

[Russ Ellis]

Everything that I've read about the Pro 5 and ETS 125 suggests not going lower than P150 (150-grit).

Brilliant 2 is still available through some retailers. Ace Tool has some of the 125mm discs on sale at $36.25 per 100 and some of the 150mm discs on sale at $43.20 per 100. There are other retailers with Brilliant 2 at the last retail price of $52 per 100 or at different sale prices.

Klingspor's will have their brand of sandpaper on sale for 15% off starting this Friday. There is also a promo code on their website for free shipping on orders of $50 or more. Unfortunately they do not offer their Heavyweight discs for the 150mm Festool.

[Alan Lightstone]

I use 120, 150, 180, and 220 the most on my 150/3. Virtually never use grits below 120.

I really used all of those all the time.

Like Jim, I very rarely use my Rotex.

[Andy Giddings]

Another vote for Granat - lasts forever, never seems to clog, just does it's stuff. In my experience much longer lasting than Rubin and can be used for a wide range of tasks. According to Festool, "Granat is our most long-lasting and highest performing abrasive and is well suited for nearly all applications, including bare wood, paints, most modern paint systems, VOC clear coats, plastic materials, solid surface materials, acrylics, and composites. Hardened Aluminum Oxide, Synthetic Resin, Closed Coated." - so also designed for bare wood

[Van Huskey]

As a base suggestion I say don't skip grits...

I also suggest trying as many abrasives as you can, everyone has their favorite, mine is Abranet.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Van about not skipping grits...each progressively finer grit is necessary to remove the larger scratches from the prior, coarser grit.

[Michael Alu]

I agree with Van about not skipping grits...each progressively finer grit is necessary to remove the larger scratches from the prior, coarser grit.

Well I got the Rotex for an amazing deal that I couldn't pass up. He included a stack of paper with it. I love this thing. Also I will be using all your advise and upgrading my sandpaper. And Jim, I agree only having one size sandpaper would be so convenient, but with such a great deal on the Pro 5, I think only using it with 180 or higher will be ok. Eventually I plan to upgrade my Festool collection and include another 6" sander. I'm just starting out and I already want more. Down the slope I go.

[Jim Becker]

Yup...'tis a slippery slope, but one where the ride is always fun! And the tools last and last and last...making them more economical than might first seem the case due to "cost of entry".

[Peter Kuhlman]

I need to ask the SC community for forgiveness and legal counsel as I have sinned. When Michael came over to pick up the Rotex I made the grievous mistake of letting him fondle many of my Festools. I found out he is just as much a tool geek as I am and now I have doomed him to perpetual poverty as I know Michael or his lady will seek legal action for my failings. Having gone down the same path I know where this is going. Crap! What have I done?

[Victor Robinson]

I need to ask the SC community for forgiveness and legal counsel as I have sinned. When Michael came over to pick up the Rotex I made the grievous mistake of letting him fondle many of my Festools. I found out he is just as much a tool geek as I am and now I have doomed him to perpetual poverty as I know Michael or his lady will seek legal action for my failings. Having gone down the same path I know where this is going. Crap! What have I done?

If you counsel Michael on the art of...not mentioning...his Festool purchases then his lady will probably leave you alone. :D

[Michael Alu]

I need to ask the SC community for forgiveness and legal counsel as I have sinned. When Michael came over to pick up the Rotex I made the grievous mistake of letting him fondle many of my Festools. I found out he is just as much a tool geek as I am and now I have doomed him to perpetual poverty as I know Michael or his lady will seek legal action for my failings. Having gone down the same path I know where this is going. Crap! What have I done? Surprisingly my lady was not mad at me. Now that attitude might change in the future when I purchase more Festool equipment. And yes, Pete, you are to blame for that. Finally able to get my hands on all that Festool equipment and I'm sold.

[Kevin Jenness]

I followed Peter Gagliardi's advice and use Klingspor discs on my Festool ET125 with good results and value.

I find I can skip a step between grits (120 to 180 for instance) but no more without taking much longer to erase the rougher scratches.

[Van Huskey]

Klingspor and Rhino Grip both make Festool hole pattern discs and at least Klingspor makes triangle paper to fit the sanders that use DX paper. Feeding a Festool or Mirka sander paper isn't a big deal if you use a vac, quality paper lasts so long given their excellent dust collection it is much cheaper than feeding a lower end sander cheap discs. I gave up years ago and have 3 sizes of round paper, it mainly hurts with the initial investment and a true Festoolian will have a Systainer for each of their paper sizes. :D

[Chris Padilla]

I have the older 8(?) hole pattern of Rubin. I bought every single grit they made from 24-180. I use 80-180 most often.
When I thought I needed something finer than 180, I went with the Brilliant (made for car paint, I think) and picked up all they had from 220-800.

I may be handing off my discs to my daughter's kids but it is nice to have access to all these levels of grits. I've used all of them at one time or another.

One level of an upper garage cabinet is packed full of these discs!! I also have F sandpaper for the rectangular and delta shaped sanders although I very rarely use them. I really should break them out more--often forget I have 'em.