RO 5" Sander - Reason to spend $300+ VS $60 ??

[Marc Jeske]

Many of you have Festool or other high end ROS.

I have a couple Bosch ones that sell for $60-70 that work OK for me.

How will I benefit from purchasing a Festool or similar for ?$300 - $400?

In my situation, dust collection is a minor issue... I'm Asking more about reducing my sanding time/ labor ?

Thank you all, Marc

[Frank Pratt]

I don't have any Festool, but I spent somewhere around $300 CAD for a really nice Bosch 6" ROS. It is so smooth running & powerful that I hardly use my 5" Dewalt anymore. I won't be buying any more cheap sanders.

One day I'll try out some Festool sanders to see what all the fuss is about, but they'd have to be pretty spectacular to be worth the price.

[Jim Becker]

I made the move to get feeling back in my hands. The PC sanders I used early on would cause me to lose that feeling in only a short period of time. So in addition to dust collection, the better sanders tend to be more productive...I can sand for hours (literally if necessary) without the major discomfort I experienced with the old way. That's very much a productivity thing, IMHO.

[Dave Sabo]

have a couple Bosch ones that sell for $60-70 that work OK for me.

Just OK ?

What don’t you like about them ?

[Brian Tymchak]

My Dewalt 5" wasn't that great but I tend to wring out every last dollar of value I can on gear. So, when the Dewalt finally died, I bought a Mirka Ceros. The difference was night and day. Dust collection was so much better, ergonomics much better, no tingling hands, and it just does a better and faster job.

[Phillip Mitchell]

Choose your own order of importance but the higher end sanders will be better in general in the following areas.

Ergonomics
Dust Collection
Wood surface quality
Power
Vibration
Speed
Build Quality, country of origin, supporting a living wage

Not sure how dust collection wouldn’t be at or near the top of the list for anyone using an orbital sander, but higher end sanders with decent extractors make all the difference in terms of dust collection and safety / health.

[Andrew Hughes]

Many of you have Festool or other high end ROS.

I have a couple Bosch ones that sell for $60-70 that work OK for me.

How will I benefit from purchasing a Festool or similar for ?$300 - $400?

In my situation, dust collection is a minor issue... I'm Asking more about reducing my sanding time/ labor ?

Thank you all, Marc
The key to reducing sanding time before finishing is milling of the wood. Tablesaw,bandsaw,planer or jointer spending time to get the absolute best from each machine.
Good Luck

[Phillip Mitchell]

Totally agree. With well behaved species coming out of my planer I can start the sanding routine at 150 or 180 grit and make relatively quickly work of random orbit sanding.

[Matt Day]

Since I got a couple Festool sanders I haven’t touched my Bosch, Dewalt, Makita sanders. Far less hand fatigue and good dust collection - DC matters to me. Better for my lungs and less cleanup.

Biggest thing you can do with any sander is buy good paper though.

[Roger Feeley]

I’m amazed at how far we’ve come. Why, when I was a young sprout, we didn’t mind the vibrations that came from our craftsman half sheet orbital sander. I sanded the floor of my eldest brothers room when he moved out. Couldn’t feel a thing with my left hand for a couple of days. I inherited that sander and continued to use it until I tried a PC ROS whereupon the old sander went into the trash.

[Mitch schiffer]

I have several sanders in my shop a cordless Milwaukee, a corded performax, a corded mirka deros, a corded festool ets125, and a corded Bosch. The Milwaukee is almost worthless. It takes forever to sand anything the dust bin constantly falls off and its not very comfortable to use. The performax is not much better it does sand a little faster but has bad vibration. The Bosch is ok but I don't find it comfortable for a extended period of time and it doesn't sand quite as fast as the higher end models. The festool used to be my go to until I bought the mirka. The festool ets is a cheap model for festool and isn't really any better then the Bosch maybe even a little worse. The mirka was a game changer for me I would guess it shaved maybe 30 percent or better off my total sanding time, it is very smooth and comfortable to use for a long time. I very rarely reach for any other sander anymore.

[Marc Jeske]

They are fine, but reading about all these Festool and other to me "High end" sanders I am thinking I may be missing something.
Most folks especially in business do not toss out more money than logical, so I figure there is some logical benefit.

BYW, I typically use Klingspor discs.

Marc

[Prashun Patel]

The biggest difference is the paper you use and how often you change it.

I have a ceros that is nice to use because it has a low center of gravity and doesn’t vibrate, so it is comfortable to use. It also gets into some spaces better than the higher Bosch I used to use. But the Bosch produced as fine a surface as my ceros.

It’s a question that comes up all the time. I’ve read enough of these threads to conclude what I confirm through my own experience: If you don’t own an expensive sander you won’t miss it, but if you do, you will probably think it’s worth it.

[chuck van dyck]

I think how quickly a festool stops when hitting the kill switch is worth a few bucks as well. If you need to address something while sanding you can kill it, and put it down immediately without worry of it needing to wind down. That 5 seconds it takes lesser models to stop can seem a lot longer if something is goin poorly. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Marc Jeske]

Ok, so my Bosch sanders link below have sufficient for me dust collection w the attached filter box.

I have had hand numbness/ "tingling" from other sources, but the sanders I have do NOT cause any of that.

I am ok w the 5 second wind down time, I set it on a folded up thick towel.

I make a specific product and start and finish w 120 grit... totally adequate for my specific purpose.

I am mostly removing minimal but still slightly seeable planer ripple.

The resultant "Scratch pattern" I get is also totally acceptable for my specific use.

Years ago I used the Porter cable 4" sq block sander... The model virtually all cabinet shops used back then, and the Bosch is much less scratch and much less vibration.


So, all is good, the main or maybe only thing I want to improve is reduced sanding time.

I make a specific product and start and finish w 120 grit... totally adequate for my specific purpose.

So, at this point in the post, I am clarifying it is reduced sanding time I am hoping for.

Marc

I dunno, I recall paying more like $70 than $90, but here is what I'm pretty sure I have ----

https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-ROS20VSK-Palm-Sander-Collector/dp/B0018Z8D64/ref=sr_1_16?crid=2MOEA2JKA1G63&keywords=bosch+ro+sander&qid=1643257408&sprefix=bosch+ro+sander%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-16

[Chris Sonego]

I’ve never tried the Festool. I have a Dewalt that I paid $45 for over 20 years ago and I have a Bosch that was top of the line from around that time. For large surfaces like table tops, I’ll use the Bosch which is definitely better, but for me it’s big and bulky. For everything else, I use the Dewalt. (Even after my wife left it in the yard for an entire Michigan winter)

[Prashun Patel]

Then experiment with different paper.

You may also want to switch to a 6” ros.

Also, fwiw. If your dust collection is sub par. It can marginally affect sanding efficiency.

What’s the thing you make?

[Kevin Jenness]

Ok, so my Bosch sanders link below have sufficient for me dust collection w the attached filter box.

I have had hand numbness/ "tingling" from other sources, but the sanders I have do NOT cause any of that.

I am ok w the 5 second wind down time, I set it on a folded up thick towel.

I make a specific product and start and finish w 120 grit... totally adequate for my specific purpose.

I am mostly removing minimal but still slightly seeable planer ripple.

The resultant "Scratch pattern" I get is also totally acceptable for my specific use.

Years ago I used the Porter cable 4" sq block sander... The model virtually all cabinet shops used back then, and the Bosch is much less scratch and much less vibration.


So, all is good, the main or maybe only thing I want to improve is reduced sanding time.

I make a specific product and start and finish w 120 grit... totally adequate for my specific purpose.

So, at this point in the post, I am clarifying it is reduced sanding time I am hoping for.

Marc

I dunno, I recall paying more like $70 than $90, but here is what I'm pretty sure I have ----

https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-ROS20VSK-Palm-Sander-Collector/dp/B0018Z8D64/ref=sr_1_16?crid=2MOEA2JKA1G63&keywords=bosch+ro+sander&qid=1643257408&sprefix=bosch+ro+sander%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-16

Sounds like you don't need a new sander.

I would suggest trying 3m Cubitron discs as they are supposed to cut fast and last a long time. Depending on your product you might want to use 6" discs or try using a stationary flat belt or edge sander.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Marc, give Indasa discs a try. I found or think anyways that they have very consistent grit size and pattern. I have a DeWalt 20v cordless. It's not anywhere near the Festool, but I do like the cordless and it stops with a brake when you turn it off. I like that way better then my EVS Bosch. Oh yes the cordless is variable speed too. It does get heavy with a 5 or 6 amp battery.
Anyways, as someone already said, try good paper. I like the Indasa.

[Darrell Bade]

I started in the ROS world with a PC when they first became the rage years ago. Switched to the Bosch like you use about 15 years ago and ran the snot out of that thing. It needed a new pad about 3 years ago so I bought the same Bosch as a replacement. I had trouble controlling it, ended up taking the pad off and putting on the old one. Well a few weeks ago the old one finally died, switched the pad back and fighting with that sander again. I don't know what is so evil about it compared to it's brother that I used for so many years but it is going to have to go. I want to try one of these high dollar sanders but keep fighting the Bosch because I hate to spend the $$$.

[Mitch schiffer]

If reducing sanding time is the biggest issue i would suggest trying different kinds of sandpaper. If you are looking at a new sander the longer, the stroke the faster it will sand. If you have a 3mm stroke maybe try a 5mm.

[Marc Fenneuff]

Biggest factor for me would be dust collection. I've finally realized that the pinkie-sized hole on the back of my Makita ROS connected to 10' of 3/4" ID vac hose is not helping keep the dust down.

[Keegan Shields]

If you want to speed up your sanding, switch to a 6" pad. 6" pads have ~44% more sanding surface than 5" pads.

The other item that helped me speed up sanding was better quality paper and vacuum dust collection.

Clearing away saw dust with a shop vac/dust extractor attached allows the abrasive to remain in contact with what you are sanding. That means faster material removal and less time sanding.

One of the big reasons I started down the Festool road is because of the interoperable system. The accessories are nice and available (but expensive). Changing tools doesn't mean I need to change dust collector attachments or power cords or resort to duct tape.

[Richard Coers]

The price of these has gone up considerably, but this Bosch is a great sander too. https://www.amazon.com/BOSCH-GEX34-6N-Multi-Hole-Random-Polisher/dp/B09DQ6SZFD/ref=asc_df_B09DQ6SZFD/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=533371127898&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13985762390614204991&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9022072&hvtargid=pla-1456978983978&psc=1

[Michael Drew]

I bought one of the Airvantage sanders a while back, thinking it would be a life changing event, but sadly enough - it wasn't. I would have been better off just getting another Bosch or possibly one of the Festool sanders. At least with the Festool, I could color coordinate my sanding tasks....LOL

It doesn't really matter what sander you buy, if you are going to use a vac and an awkwardly connected hose that will negate any ergo advantage the sander brings to the party. That is an aspect of this topic I don't see mentioned very often. My little ergonomically correct Airvantage sander is kind of a PITA to use because 1) hose adapters are designed for a larger hose end than what you normally find in the woodworking marketplace (I have not found one yet, despite wasting way too much money trying different connectors) 2) the hose itself is bulky and makes sanding small things or sanding in any position other than "flat", well - awkward.

If you are really wanting quicker material removal, focus on paper, or get a dual mode sander like the Bosch GET75 or comparable Festool that will hog a lot of material.

[Mark Bolton]

if you are going to use a vac and an awkwardly connected hose that will negate any ergo advantage the sander brings to the party <clip> hose adapters are designed for a larger hose end than what you normally find in the woodworking marketplace (I have not found one yet, despite wasting way too much money trying different connectors) 2) the hose itself is bulky and makes sanding small things or sanding in any position other than "flat", well - awkward

The hoses on all these sanders are the same 1 1/4" LH corrugated hose. Not sure how much smaller/slinkier any hose can get. We have all the sanders with dedicated hoses right to the vacs. No one could argue that a hose does kinda suck to use but even shops running downdrafts still get better pickup with the vac on the sander and the downdraft.

I get annoyed with the vac hose myself but even after years and years of using vac equipped sanders the horror of sanding with a bag or no pickup at all is vivid in my mind. I visit another shop occasionally that has nothing but on-board bag on sanders (that likely never get emptied or blown out) and the entire shop is blanketed in wood flour. The worst to cleanup (leaf blower time).

Theres enough in the archives on the sander subject but from a shop that sands for some hours, up to 8 hours, every single day, I cant fathom thinking you could outrun a nice sander. Hogging, sure, the Bosch Dual mode or the old PC right angle come out. But day to day there is zero comparison.
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[Michael Drew]

I do not disagree with anything you say Mark. But - the fact that a hose is attached to the sander does make using the sander more aggravating, and the whole debate around vibration and correct ergonomics goes out the window when you have that leash attached. I do not recall that being discussed, at least not with any candor.

I would also rather have one hose to deal with than two or three or four. Or, have my AV sander with a hose permanently attached to it that I then need to find a suitable storage location large enough for the sander - and hose. It sure would be nice to have an adapter that the smaller Festool hose could fit to, without have to stretch the hell out of it to fit over the adapter.

[Myles Moran]

One thing I noticed when I upgraded from my 5" porter cable sander to the 6" Bosch with vibration reduction (ros65vc? Can't remember the model number off hand) was that the Bosch with the built in filter was almost as good as the porter cable with a shop vac connected. To the point I've decided to accept the slight additional mess in exchange for the ease of handling it without the hose. Would the hose make it better? Yes, as close to perfect as I can imagine a sander being when it comes to dust control. But if I'm 90% there, I'm still happy with the slight mess it leaves for me to clean.

[Dave Sabo]

Marc

based on what you say your needs are , and that you’re currently happy with your sander’s performance - it makes no financial sense for you to get a different sander.

If you still have reservations that you may be missing something, why not try out a festool ets125 for $200 +/- ? You can use it if 30days and return it of a full refund if you’re not happy for any reason. That includes you thinking it’s just not an improvement over your Bosch.

[Clifford McGuire]

I decided to drink the green kool-aid and bought the Festool Rotex 125. It's supposed to be a good dual purpose agggressive and finish sander.

IMO, it doesn't excel at either. It's a bit better using the agressive setting. But in fine sanding mode, it jumps all over. There are forum posts of the problem that suggest holding it in different ways. It helps a little, but it's still not great. I'm afraid to use it as a finish sander, because the jumping mars the wood.

I feel that I'm stuck with it because I paid so much.

[Mark Bolton]

I decided to drink the green kool-aid and bought the Festool Rotex 125. It's supposed to be a good dual purpose agggressive and finish sander.

IMO, it doesn't excel at either. It's a bit better using the agressive setting. But in fine sanding mode, it jumps all over. There are forum posts of the problem that suggest holding it in different ways. It helps a little, but it's still not great. I'm afraid to use it as a finish sander, because the jumping mars the wood.

I feel that I'm stuck with it because I paid so much.

Techniqe when sanding is everything. Dont ignore yourself being a major part of the problem

[Rod Wolfy]

I've been using the same Dewalt 5" ROS for about 20 years. I've changed the pad a couple of times. I have a couple Bosch ones and a Festool 6", too. But the Dewalt is always at hand and easy to use. The Festool has a very aggressive sanding pattern or fine, but it's too big and unwieldy for most projects, so it stays away. I had an air sander, but the compressor was always filling the 60 gal tank, so I sold it.

The key I found is to get the dust off the surface immediately. I have had a vac attached for about 15 years. About 10 years ago I figured out that if the vac hose is attached via bungee to the ceiling above my bench (about 3' above my head, it works great. I have the hose attached to a Dust Deputy that feeds into a tall/narrow 30 gal drum, for easy cleaning. I switch out the hoses between my sander hose, Miter saw hose, router table hose and 20' hose.

I now use the Diablo abranet type pads, as there's better dust collection than with just the holes. The other thing that helps significantly is the Rockler Dust Right connectors to switch out tools.

I would be interested in a Deros; however, I can't justify $500 more than what a decent 5" ROS costs. Especially, considering how many reported issues I've heard over the last few years. If it had a 5 year warrantee, then maybe.

[Dave Sabo]

I decided to drink the green kool-aid and bought the Festool Rotex 125. It's supposed to be a good dual purpose agggressive and finish sander.

IMO, it doesn't excel at either. It's a bit better using the agressive setting. But in fine sanding mode, it jumps all over. There are forum posts of the problem that suggest holding it in different ways. It helps a little, but it's still not great. I'm afraid to use it as a finish sander, because the jumping mars the wood.
I feel that I'm stuck with it because I paid so much.

You've discovered (the hard way) the age old conundrum with dual purpose tools. They rarely do anything well.

In this instance I think you're a bit off in the Rotex's ability to aggressively / quickly remove material. I (and many others) think it's a very good at heavy removal. It replaces a belt sander for many. Now, you may not like the two handed ergonomics of getting it to work properly, but that doesn't make it a bad tool. A belt sander is a two handed operation too. As a "fine" or "finish" sander........most agree - it's a turkey. No one wants, expects or trains to finish sand with two hands on the tool.

The good news is you're not stuck with it. If you purchased within the last 30 days - return it for a full refund. No questions asked. If not, they are in short supply these days, so you should should have no trouble finding it a new home and be able to recoup most (if not all) of your $$$ on the secondary market.

Depending on your true needs, I'd suggest getting a Bosch GET75 for the heavy removal tasks and a Festool ETS125 for finish duty. You'll save 50 bucks over the rotex125 and have two sanders, better suited and dedicated for their task. If you are really set on one sander only - the festool ets125 EC is a better all-rounder for the majority of people. It still has drawbacks - principally it's not great for heavy stock removal. The ets150 EC /5 is better suited for rougher grits , but gives up usability in the finer finish grits.

[Phillip Mitchell]

Clifford

Do you have adjustable suction on your vacuum? I have a RO125 also (and a MIDI extractor) and found that turning the suction almost to the lowest setting really helps with the jumping. I was confused at first using the rotex with that happening until I looked it up and read to turn down the suction.

It ain’t a finish sander that’s for sure. I also have an ETS 125 and ETS / EC 150/3 . The 150 is my preferred sander for 150 grit and up and I use the rotex for 120 grit and below, but the 150 is 10x more comfortable with the wide and low center of gravity...not as fast the the rotex, though.

[Michael Drew]

I picked up the 6" Bosch GET75 a few months ago, and several boxes of mesh paper. I probably have a few hours use on it by now. It's a very nice sander. Dust collection is very good. Vibration is mild, almost nonexistent in the less aggressive mode. It is a beast to hold onto in the turbo mode, but it comes with a handle to help control it. In the non-turbo mode, I think it does a great job with finish work. The finest grit paper I bought was 150 (thinking it would only be used for aggressive sanding jobs), and even with that paper, I think it does great. A couple fallow up passes with my 5" and 180/220, I'm ready to spray some finish.

[Clifford McGuire]

Clifford

Do you have adjustable suction on your vacuum? I have a RO125 also (and a MIDI extractor) and found that turning the suction almost to the lowest setting really helps with the jumping. I was confused at first using the rotex with that happening until I looked it up and read to turn down the suction.

It ain’t a finish sander that’s for sure. I also have an ETS 125 and ETS / EC 150/3 . The 150 is my preferred sander for 150 grit and up and I use the rotex for 120 grit and below, but the 150 is 10x more comfortable with the wide and low center of gravity...not as fast the the rotex, though.

Thanks for the suggestion, Phillip. I played around with the adjustible suction on the vac last night. And the hose has the collar to adjust suction. It does help some. Definitley less suction means less jumping around. I still probably wouldn't make it my go-to sander for finishing.

I was hoping to find one do-it-all sander. Especially for the price I paid for the Festool. Oh, well.

[Clifford McGuire]

You've discovered (the hard way) the age old conundrum with dual purpose tools. They rarely do anything well.

In this instance I think you're a bit off in the Rotex's ability to aggressively / quickly remove material. I (and many others) think it's a very good at heavy removal. It replaces a belt sander for many. Now, you may not like the two handed ergonomics of getting it to work properly, but that doesn't make it a bad tool. A belt sander is a two handed operation too. As a "fine" or "finish" sander........most agree - it's a turkey. No one wants, expects or trains to finish sand with two hands on the tool.

The good news is you're not stuck with it. If you purchased within the last 30 days - return it for a full refund. No questions asked. If not, they are in short supply these days, so you should should have no trouble finding it a new home and be able to recoup most (if not all) of your $$$ on the secondary market.

Depending on your true needs, I'd suggest getting a Bosch GET75 for the heavy removal tasks and a Festool ETS125 for finish duty. You'll save 50 bucks over the rotex125 and have two sanders, better suited and dedicated for their task. If you are really set on one sander only - the festool ets125 EC is a better all-rounder for the majority of people. It still has drawbacks - principally it's not great for heavy stock removal. The ets150 EC /5 is better suited for rougher grits , but gives up usability in the finer finish grits.

Hi Dave, It's been more than 30 days. I bought it, hmmmm, maybe 15 months ago? I was hoping for a Bosch, but after having the shipping date pushed out so many ties, I broke down and bought the Rotex.

BTW, I think the Rotex does pretty good at aggressive removal. It's the fine sanding part that I'm having problems with.

[Dave Sabo]

Sorry you were disappointed.

You weren’t the first and won’t be the last person who though they were just gonna get a rotex and it was going to be their do everything be all sander. I’d sell it and buy the Bosch GET sander for rough tasks and get a Festool ets125 for finish work.

[George Yetka]

You need to find someone local that has a festool or mirka sander and ask to try it for a few minutes. Comfort and feel alone may make you switch. Aside from that longevity of the festool/mirka will be greater than the bosch maybe not 10x greater but much greater. Actual sanding speed I dont know that I have read any data on that though the Rotex is always an option if you are looking to speed things up on rougher boards.

Paper is the more important decision. I believe good paper will make sanding quicker and more enjoyable than changing the cheep stuff every 30 seconds

[Dave Sabo]

You need to find someone local that has a festool or mirka sander and ask to try it for a few minutes. Comfort and feel alone may make you switch. Aside from that longevity of the festool/mirka will be greater than the bosch maybe not 10x greater but much greater. Actual sanding speed I dont know that I have read any data on that though the Rotex is always an option if you are looking to speed things up on rougher boards.


George , your comment about sandpaper is on point. However the rest of it makes it seem as if you didn’t read this thread -and- clearly have no clue or experience with the Bosch sander in question.

First, these dual (rotex) sanders aren’t bought for “comfort” and “feel”. They just aren’t that kind of sander.

Two, the Bosch version has 90-95% of the performance , capability , collection , ect…. of the Festool. Yet cost 1/3 the price.

[Stephen Bandirola]

Has anyone bought one of these Mirka Deros clones?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlJaS-iiL10

All the ones that I can find are 240 volt.

[Dave Sabo]

Has anyone bought one of these Mirka Deros clones?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlJaS-iiL10

All the ones that I can find are 240 volt.

Don’t think they are available on 110v.

[Marc Jeske]

A few commented about how even a little sanding dust between the wood and sanding disc can slow the process. Makes sense of course, but I never really thought about it.
Actually, I have been using decent disks, but, incorrect hole pattern ones.That's what cheap old guys do when they get a few hundred free.
I saw a few of you roll your eyes there !!

I never saw much dust there, but I'm sure the less the better.

I will stay w the Bosch sander for now, and be ordering the correct disks, and expect to see even better dust pickup, and probably also the faster stock removal I was looking for.

Marc

[Marc Jeske]

Prashun - Pretty much all I make is the below using local lumber yard bought SYP 1x6 s4s at usually around 12- 16% MC.

473025[ATTACH=CONFIG]473026[/ATTACH)

[Warren Lake]

You want to save time, you want to know which brand of water pistol to bring to a gun fight

Are you a guy working in his garage or are you a shop.
You are buying s4s, is there further machining that is joint plane re glue the panel?
Do you have uneven edges after glue up that have to be flushed or are the panels going through a planer after glue up, that is you sanding a surface coming off a planer
what is the sanding process start at this grit go to this grit or just one grit?
are the panels also sanded in the inside or covered by the material
what is your total sanding time that is all the panel sanding and how long is spent on panels on what is shown
how many are you making a week

Before I had machines I would have done that with my rockwell belt sander then the Rockwell half sheet vibrator with a harder base pad. Starting that way paid for machines.

[Kurt Wyberanec]

I've used both, but I can say that there really is no comparison between the 2.

First, step up to a 6" that will instantly make you sand faster...after that it's like driving a toyota vs a Mercedes. Yes they both work, (really it's the paper that does most of the work) but how does it feel....how consistent is it etc. I use a Festool and have no intentions of going backwards (unless another great product comes along) it's not cheap but it does the job great. And PLEASE don't discount dust extraction. You really should try to capture as much as possible, even if you're working outdoors or on jobsites....not only will your sanding consistency improve but your health will potentially benefit. You can't see the stuff that hurts, and even the Festool or Mirka products out there don't get everything they just get more. Even if going into the little bag instead of an extractor. Also, don't bother buying it for that reason and then using a $50 shop vac with regular filter....it's still going to send most of the harmful stuff out. Doesn't mean you have to buy a fancy one (although there are great models out there) but at least buy a hepa filter for the one you have. Good luck.

[Marc Jeske]

Honestly, I do not glue up my panels. They are held together with internal battens. I do sometimes have gaps maxing at shy 1/8" in places. BUT, that is more than adequate for my market needs and reflected in my pricing. Most of my sales are used within a week or two of production... in the ground "Six feet Under"
I pre sand my individual 1x6 boards quickly,micro beveling just breaking over the edges, then upside down on bench apply battens, assemble the 4 sides, then final sand before trim pieces.

Marc

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[Marc Jeske]

At this point in my life, 64 yr old w some health issues, I want to share something with you Folks.
The crowd that frequents this site is worthy in my humble opinion.
I have never put this out before, but I find it difficult to supply this product even just my local area.
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Also, a great biz concept for younger guys to run with and build, but it's the Retired with a shop that need a little bump in income to make their life easier AND more meaningful that I would like to help.
If I would have had this niche idea 15 or more years ago, I could have EASILY made it a very good income producer...But I no longer have the stamina, desire, physical ability that I once had to do so.
I have been doing this like 3 years since the concept was given to me.
All you guys that make cutting boards, lawn ornaments, etc may want to look at this.
NO traveling to shows or anything like that.
Main point - The demand IS there. They come to you. This is the first time I have said this online, never before.I am willing to share about it "Open Source" This is a niche idea that can work for MANY of you out there. SO simple to sell, they seek out and come to you, people WANT it and you make decent $.
My offer of help is NOT just for some jerk to make $, this HELPS Family during a time of need.
The point of it is first - To offer a "simple" alternative, and then from that, as a result of helping Others, you make money.

Do with this post as you wish, contact me if you are a Retiree w serious interest.

Marc

[Marc Jeske]

My offer to share further info is not open to anyone in the Eastern half of TX and Western half of LA, or anyone that wants to start a price war.
Only decent ethical People.

Marc

[mike johnston]

You need a festoon. So you can have green boxes in the background of your photos. The more boxes, the better

[Dave Sabo]

Honestly, I do not glue up my panels.

473112

If this is what you’re looking to sand quickly , I’d forget the rotex sanders entirely. Sell it and get the Festool ets150/5 EC.
The /5 orbit will give you a more aggressive cut than a typical finish sander and the 6” disc will cover a lot of panel quickly. It will be lighter , more controllable and have less noise and vibration than a rotex. If you also need to sand the inside / between those battens then you’ll need another sander. The festool rts400 would be pretty close to ideal for all those inside corners.

[Kevin Jenness]

At this point in my life, 64 yr old w some health issues, I want to share something with you Folks.
The crowd that frequents this site is worthy in my humble opinion.
I have never put this out before, but I find it difficult to supply this product even just my local area.
This is a REALLY viable thing for you retired Guys to really easily increase your real monthly income.
Also, a great biz concept for younger guys to run with and build, but it's the Retired with a shop that need a little bump in income to make their life easier AND more meaningful that I would like to help.
If I would have had this niche idea 15 or more years ago, I could have EASILY made it a very good income producer...But I no longer have the stamina, desire, physical ability that I once had to do so.
I have been doing this like 3 years since the concept was given to me.
All you guys that make cutting boards, lawn ornaments, etc may want to look at this.
NO traveling to shows or anything like that.
Main point - The demand IS there. They come to you. This is the first time I have said this online, never before.I am willing to share about it "Open Source" This is a niche idea that can work for MANY of you out there. SO simple to sell, they seek out and come to you, people WANT it and you make decent $.
My offer of help is NOT just for some jerk to make $, this HELPS Family during a time of need.
The point of it is first - To offer a "simple" alternative, and then from that, as a result of helping Others, you make money.

Do with this post as you wish, contact me if you are a Retiree w serious interest.

Marc

That is a great concept, Marc. People (who don't settle for a shroud) need coffins, and from what little I have seen funeral directors offer either particleboard crates or a line of finished casework designed to shame the grieving buyers into spending as much as possible on a display before the dirt is shoveled over. A simple, affordable natural wood box is a good alternative for many people and I applaud you for making such a product.

There are a few small time coffin makers around here. One guy designs his so that they can be bought before need and used as a bookcase in the meantime.

[George Yetka]

George , your comment about sandpaper is on point. However the rest of it makes it seem as if you didn’t read this thread -and- clearly have no clue or experience with the Bosch sander in question.

First, these dual (rotex) sanders aren’t bought for “comfort” and “feel”. They just aren’t that kind of sander.

Two, the Bosch version has 90-95% of the performance , capability , collection , ect…. of the Festool. Yet cost 1/3 the price.

How so? I pointed out the festool/mirka feel more comfortable in the hand and have better internals leading to a longer life. He asked if it would speed up sanding and I replied I havent read anything about whether that would happen but if he want to make it faster a rotex or similar would speed up sanding. I grew up using bosch sanders My father always had them. They worked just fine. But when I stepped into the Festool ETS EC 150 and later a Mirka deros I found them to be alot more comfortable. Less vibration, better hand position so less cramping. DC is also better but he said he didnt care about that.

[Dave Sabo]

How so? I pointed out the festool/mirka feel more comfortable in the hand and have better internals leading to a longer life. He asked if it would speed up sanding and I replied I havent read anything about whether that would happen but if he want to make it faster a rotex or similar would speed up sanding. I grew up using bosch sanders My father always had them. They worked just fine. But when I stepped into the Festool ETS EC 150 and later a Mirka deros I found them to be alot more comfortable. Less vibration, better hand position so less cramping. DC is also better but he said he didnt care about that.


Well, let's see George -

1. Marc already has a Festool ROTEX . He doesn't need to get his hands on one. So recommending he get one to speed things up is, well.........
2. Have you actually used a Bosch GET sander ? Seriously doubt it becasue it "feels' nearly identical to a rotex. And NO ONE sings the praises of these sanders as comfortable. Either brand !
3. Festool makes good kit, but its an urban legend that they are somehow vastly superior internally to other euro makes . Bosch makes a variety of sanders at several price levels. Their offerings now are much superior to what you had as a boy. n.b. Mirka has had all kind of trouble with their sanders lately. Especially when they debuted with the separate power module. And, supposing we buy your premise , one would have to be at least 3x as good to warrant the upfront price difference.
4. Unless you have any data to support Festool lasting longer than an equivelant Bosch sander , you are just regurgitating popular sentiment. At best you might find ancedotal evidence to support the sentiment, but that's still not real data.

[Warren Lake]

they are all water pistols, id get a stroke sander.

They make machines for sanding, if you want to make a living it makes sense to you real fast. No mystery every trained cabinetmaker had one.

[Jim Dwight]

I would like to buy a sander with a 5mm stroke and the motor above the pad. But it looks like Festool is the only option and I haven't decided to pay that much, at least so far. My Bosch DEVS 1250 (and it's successor) have 5mm strokes but the motor is off to the side like the Rotex. That makes it a bit harder to control, especially one handed. But after experiencing the speed of a 5mm sander I am quite reluctant to go back to the slow 3mm. So I manage with my 1250. My eyes are admittedly not as good as they once were but I see no disadvantage in the results with the 5mm sander. Looks just as good as with a 3mm.

[andrew whicker]

Mirka pneumatic paddle sander... mmmm..

The rest.. seems to me they wish they were pneumatic Mirkas.