Sanders

[Jack Frederick]

My old Dewalt has bitten the dust and I now have a 3” belt sander and the REQ125ETS Festool. In your experience which of the Festool Sanders would complement the 125. I rarely use the belt machine. I’m thinking a 5” only for common abrasives, but if a Rotax would be best I might go that way. Thanks!

[Michael Burnside]

Since you have the REQ125ETS which is good enough to compete with the ETS EC 150/3 (or 125/3) EQ I would opt for the RO 150 FEQ. The two most frequently used sanders in my shop are the RO 150 FEQ and the ETS EC 150/5. The RO is phenomenal and when it comes to initial sanding of a panel, post-glue-up there is nothing better. It's a bit "beefy" and awkward for finish sanding so I lean to the 150/3 (or 150/5 - I have both). Not really a fan of 5" if I can avoid it, but opinions vary so in terms of diameter, you decide what's best.

[Aaron Inami]

I actually own the following:
ETS 125 REQ (which you have)
ETS-EC 150/5
RO 90 (small rotex)
RO 150 (big rotex which Michael has)

The Rotex RO150 that Michael is recommending is a really big and heavy beast. It's extremely powerful if you need something that is going to remove a lot of material in a hurry. That being said, it is very big and heavy. It's also massively imbalanced so it is very difficult to maintain the sanding pad flat to the surface. In "rotex" mode, it is made for removing a lot of material such as rough wood surface, paint stripping, even taking down a 1/4" off the end of a 2x4. If you absolutely need a tool like this, the Rotex is great, but it will scratch the crap of your your wood surface due to the "rotex" operation. However, in "random orbit" mode, the ETS-EC 150/5 is actually more effective because the random orbit runs up to 10,000 RPM (compared to max of 6800 RPM of the rotex).

Since you have the ETS 125, which makes an absolutely excellent finishing sander, I would recommend the ETS-EC 150/5 to go along with it. Get a hard sanding pad and it works very well in flattening surfaces similar to what a planer might do. It's extremely well balanced, very light and low vibration. This makes it much easier to use compared to the huge/heavy RO150 Rotex. The large 5mm orbit will still take down material pretty quickly. Great for sanding off excess from glue joints.

Your ETS 125 only has a soft backing pad available. This is great for a finishing sander, but it does not really "flatten" a surface because the pad is so soft that the sandpaper will flex down into the dips/dents of the wood. You end up sending the dents smooth instead of "flattening the surface".

I suppose you could get a ETS-EC 125/3 if you wanted to stay with 5" size. However, it's not quite as good as your current "finishing sander" and not as aggressive as the 150/5. I generally recommend this 125/3 or 150/3 as a "compromise sander" for someone who only wants a single sander that can kind of "do it all".

[Michael Burnside]

Yep, good points Aaron. I agree with them. Let me respond with some clarrifications.

I actually own these:

ETS 125 REQ
ETS-EC 150/3
ETS-EC 150/5
RO 90
RO 150

The only reason I recommended the RO 150 is that given the non-ideal "you can only have two" choices, I would not be without the RO 150 and something that can do finish sanding. I just felt that the ETS 125 REQ is closer to the 150/3 or /5 and nothing competes with the RO 150. I literally use the 150/5 and RO 150 on every project. I went many years without the Rotex and about 3 years ago I picked one up on a whim and wondered why I didn't buy one sooner. The RO 90 is cool, but niche. While it came in clutch on my last project it's generally unnecessary most of the time.

[Ian Douglas]

I'd also strongly agree with the RO150 if it was the only other choice, and while it is very hefty and definitely less ergonomic than the others, it's a stupendously useful and versatile tool that will be useful for just about project once you get used to handling it.

Otherwise you simply can't go wrong with the ETS EC 150's, they are hands down the best finishing sanders I've ever used. Coupled with the mesh discs it's an amazing powerhouse that is so comfortable to use for long sessions.

[Jim Becker]

Otherwise you simply can't go wrong with the ETS EC 150's, they are hands down the best finishing sanders I've ever used. Coupled with the mesh discs it's an amazing powerhouse that is so comfortable to use for long sessions.

Agree. I picked up a barely used one last year in the Classifieds and "graduated" from the older, taller design of my 150/3. The ETS EC 150/5 is "darn comfortable" with the lower center of gravity and just as vibration free as what I was used to.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Otherwise you simply can't go wrong with the ETS EC 150's, they are hands down the best finishing sanders I've ever used. Coupled with the mesh discs it's an amazing powerhouse that is so comfortable to use for long sessions.

Get the ETS EC 125 for $100 less and you can buy the 150 pad and put either on it. Both pads (125 and 150) will fit the 125 sander, but the 150 sander can't take the 125 pad.

[Ian Douglas]

Get the ETS EC 125 for $100 less and you can buy the 150 pad and put either on it. Both pads (125 and 150) will fit the 125 sander, but the 150 sander can't take the 125 pad.

The ETS EC 125's aren't available in OZ, pretty sure they used to be, but having come from the original 150mm RO1E around 1980, I've since stuck to the 150's as I have so much media anyway.

That's actually one thing I really wasn't prepared for, just how well the Festool media performs and lasts. I was so used to chewing through disc after disc after disc on the cheap sanders prior, I've still got boxes that are 40 years old that I just can't seem to use up so have taken to giving loads away to friends/family.

[Jack Frederick]

Thank you for the guidance. It looks like it will be the 150/5. I went to pick one up at the local yesterday and the dealer said he has had a run on them. “It seems the one everyone is buying.” He is trying to trade a couple out with another dealer. May be a week out otherwise waiting for the factory order to come in. They do have about a mountain of Festool accessories and standing before that rack I was confused. What accessories would you recommend for the 150/5?

[Jim Becker]

You really don't need any accessories for the ETS EC 150/5...other than abrasives and maybe a soft pad if you plan on working on any curved workpieces. (not sure there are any) I keep myself stocked with those, either with the Festool product or SeriousGrit off Amazon.

[Ian Douglas]

I'd recommend buying some interface pads, and skip buying the usual aluminium oxide discs no matter how cheap they appear, and go straight for the Granat Mesh Net and/or Mirka Abranet Ace for main use, and maybe some normal Granat discs for general use and removing/sanding paint and finishes.

The mesh discs are more expensive than the usual Alu Oxide ones, but last way, way longer and cut so much better. Being a mesh the dust extraction is also superb.

The 3M Cubitron are also a really nice disc, but for me they're better in the really high grits for very fine sanding. I personally find the Abranet Ace and Granat Mesh cut better and for much longer. Despite appearing expensive they actually work out extremely cost effective and give fantastic results.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Ian. If I didn't have so much "standard" abrasive media, I'd be using mesh pretty much exclusively.

[Jack Frederick]

I picked up the sander late yesterday and a some 10 packs of the Standard abrasive. I got those as they were the last ones they had. The dealer said Festool is dropping 10 packs and going with only the 50’s. I’ll be 76 in a couple weeks. 50 packs of each grit would have to be included in the will. When I came in withthe sander my wife said “let me see it.” Out of the box into her hand she kinda hefts it and with that eye I know so well asked if they sold them by the ounce. I calmly took it out of her hand and went tee hee heeing out to the shop.

[Ian Douglas]

I don't want to sound like a fanboy but man are you going to love that sander! Like a lot of the Festool gear it really is sensational and is a pure joy to use. And your joints and wrist will thank you for the lack of transmitted vibration using it!

[Jim Becker]

I have to agree with Ian. I think I already mentioned that I picked up a lightly used 150/5 this past year in the SMC Classifieds and as much as I love the 150/3 (old style) that I have had since the mid-2000s, this new design is uber-comfortable to use and has a lower center of gravity. Given my now exaggerated hand and wrist issues after I had wrist surgery last November, I'm appreciating that. I don't care what the color is or the brand is...comfort of use and performance both count for a lot when it comes to sanding, which is one of the most "un-fun" things we do in woodworking, IMHO.