Major Diff Between Festool ETS125 & ETS150/3

[tom cooper]

Hello All_
I am aware of the strong sentiment that goes along with owning a Festool sander and hope to get advice from some of those folks.
My present ROS and I parted company after ~15+ years of hard & faithful service. It was a B&D 5-inch no frills green body version which I have no complaints about. I am sure it was one of a kind but it had it's nuances. I know my near future needs a faster more powerful machine and have been looking at the Festool 150/3 but am thinking that the 5-inch version, the ETS 125, at about $95 less seems to be better bang for the buck. The best price I can find for the 150/3 is $260 and the best price for the ETS 125 is $165.

The $95 difference is a big deal to me but will carefully consider all advice offered from the wise on this venerable site.
Thankyou.

[Dave Falkenstein]

First - don't bother shopping a particular model of Festool for price - Festool products are the same price no matter where you buy them.

The larger 6" sander does the sanding job significantly faster. Any 6" sander covers about 44% more surface area than any 5" sander.

The larger Festool sander reportedly runs a bit smoother, although all Festool sanders are pretty smooth running.

The dust collection with Festool sanders is really excellent. If you can afford it, buy the combo pack with the Festool dust collector.

[Steven Wilson]

Go with the 6" if you can afford it, sanding gets done much quicker.

[Bill Wyko]

I've never used the 150 but I do have the 125 and I can say it's the best sander I've ever used. Minimal vibration to your hands and great features like variable speed. When combined with the dust collector, your paper only wears out, it never clogs up. You would be hard pressed to find dust in the air. It even grabs dust when 1/2 the sander is off the edge of your project. I can't say enough good things of the quality of this tool. Either way I don't think you can go wrong.

[Greg Pavlov]

On the festool usa site there is a pretty long article called "Getting the Most From Festool Sanders" by Jerry Work. You may want to take a look at that.

[Matt Meiser]

I used to have a 5" ROS and a 6" ROS before I replaced both with a 150/3. The Festool has the speed of the old 6" with the finesse of the old 5". The cost of buying paper was lower too becuase I only need one size and the Festool paper is comparable to the Mirka I was using before. If I had to buy another I'd get another 150/3 for sure.

[Bill Jepson]

I have the 5" and I'd be hard pressed as to why you would need the 6" unless you were production sanding large doors or something. In my shop most of the workpieces are smaller than that and the 5" is more practical and fits in more places. You should really look at the combo since the sander vac combo is super. I use the vac with my older sanders as well. I have had great results an everything from my PC 1/4 sheet on up. The other sanders don't collect the dust like the Festool but are much improved with the Festool vac. The vac is much quieter than a regular shop vac which encourages you to use it. FWIW
Bill J

[John Skibo]

I have the 125, love it, paper is inexpensive but you have to by 50 or 100 to save $, also I agree 5" is enough unless you are working very large surfaces.
Dust control is GREAT, that is the reason I spent the money.
Also if you do not buy the DE with it buy the Festool hose, it stays on and swivels.
I use it with my Shop Vac, my DC doesn't work as well.

[jason lambert]

I can't comment I only have 6" sanders but on the vac I highly sugest a vac you can control the suction on like the fest tool vac or the sander will suck down and not run as smooth. The suction is so efficient you will have to lower it for most wood sanding unless you are doing dry wall or something like that. I didn't relise this till after I started playing with the suction on a vaccuum how it really makes a difference in finish quality.

[Alan Trout]

I was a good boy and for X-Mas was given a 150/3 and a CT22. I can honestly say it is the best sander I have ever used. Before I was using a 5 inch sander. Work gets done faster and better with the 150/3.

Good Luck

Alan

[Aaron Frank]

After finishing two sofa tables with a Ridgid 5" sander, I've been thinking that I'd like to feel my hands again. So, in keeping with this thread, I'm wondering how the 125 would work with my Fein Turbo II? It doesn't have the variable vacuum speed that the Festool Vacs have. Would this be a problem?

Thanks
Aaron

[Dave Falkenstein]

...paper is inexpensive but you have to by 50 or 100 to save $....

Some of the Festool reps will sell broken packs of sandpaper. You can sometimes buy Festool sandpaper in smaller quantities at the 50 or 100 pack price per sheet, if you talk nicely to your rep.

[Jim McFarland]

I have both the ETS 125 and 150/3 and I usually prefer the 150/3.

ETS125:
I prefer this for smaller jobs and when sanding overhead or vertically. IME, the 125 is more sensitive to vacuum suction than the 150 to operate without vibration. I returned the first 125 I received because the sander actually vibrated the panel I was sanding (regardless of vacuum setting -- I use a CT22). The replacement was much smoother (I didn't return it for a refund), but frankly I didn't quite see what all the "fuss" was about. After about 10 hours or so of use the 125 has smoothed out to the point I am very pleased with the operation (observation only -- I have no explanation). I have seen several reports (Bill W., Bill J. and John in this very thread) from those who really like how smooth the 125 is so I believe you can get one "out of the box" which operates vibration-free. AFAIK, getting a 125 which vibrates a bit is the exception. If you do get one which vibrates a bit, don't give up on it right away unless it really hops like a bunny.

ETS150/3:
Silky smooth out of the box and the best finish sander I've ever used. I much prefer this over the 125 when the material size and orientation allows. IME, the 150 is smooth even when using grits up to 220 at full vacuum suction. I don't have enough experience with finer than 220g power sanding to comment on the vac suction needed.

If I could only have 1 it would be the 150/3 without question.

[Bill Wyko]

When I say it's almost vibration free it's because I'm compairing it to my Porter Cable model 333. The 333, although a very well built machine, makes my hands turn numb and is very noisy. I use the CT33 vacuume and only need to run it about 1/3rd to 1/2 vac to be effective. Most of the work I do is medium to small work so the 125 is suffice for me. My next Festool investment will be the boom and the planer. What kind of work do you plan on doing. BTW I thought I might add that Festools sand paper is great quality priced right as well.

[J.R. Rutter]

I have both (but recently went to pneumatic). The 150 has noticeably more power. I only use the 125 for profile sanding or other finesse jobs. The 150 would be my choice.

[Jamie Buxton]

After finishing two sofa tables with a Ridgid 5" sander, I've been thinking that I'd like to feel my hands again. So, in keeping with this thread, I'm wondering how the 125 would work with my Fein Turbo II? It doesn't have the variable vacuum speed that the Festool Vacs have. Would this be a problem?

Thanks
Aaron

Variable vacuum speed is not a requirement. For years I ran my old Festo 6" with a Fein vacuum. The Fein eventually died, and I bought a Festool vac. I always run it at maximum suck.

The one issue with running the Festool 125 on the Fein vac might be connecting the hose to the sander. You may need an adapter or something.

[Matt Meiser]

I always run mine at max speed too, though I have heard people say that you sometimes need to turn it down with very fine abrasives. I guess I don't sand that fine.

The easiest way to connect a Festool tool to a non-Festool vac is to buy a Festool hose. They aren't cheap, but they are nice hoses and the vac end is the standard shop-vac size.

[Aaron Frank]

Jamie and Matt,

Thanks for your replies. I'll have to look at the Festool vac tube, though I've accumulated a couple of different reducers for my Fein vac over the past couple of years, so I may be set. (Though an anti-static tube would cut down on dust. Hmmm.)

Thanks
Aaron

[Jim McFarland]

Jamie and Matt,

... (Though an anti-static tube would cut down on dust. Hmmm.)

Thanks
Aaron

Aaron, I'm not sure Festool A/S hose would really provide anti-static protection on a Fein vacuum. Check this entry on Festool USA FAQ database re this very question. Non-A/S Festool hoses are much cheaper (alternatively, the Fein step adapter connects Fein hoses to either 125 or 150/3).

http://www.festoolusa.com/faq/afmmain.asp?topicid=&faqid=103