# Good Vibes are NO Vibes!



## Greedo (Apr 18, 2010)

yup sometimes it's difficult to overgo a pricetag, thinking a sander is a sander. but quality has a price, and so does your health and comfort!

ps, $170 for the ETS 125?? you guys have no idea how lucky you are to get tools so cheap, that model costs closer to $400 in europe. the festool ct22 vacuum i have cost around $800 new.


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## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

Great review I may have to get this one. Thx


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## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

Great review!!! You sold me… I just ordered one!


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## wizzardofwood (Jul 18, 2010)

maybe you need to invent a ladies sander…....you may have hit upon gold here….half of my carving tools are of my own design…............best of luck…............


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

thank´s for the reweiw MMH

but as Greedo say you have to bee trillionaer to get desent tools like that in europe
and its even worse here in Denmark if we can get them :-(

but when it comes to your health , pay or feel the pain , I don´t like pain so I pay :-(

Dennis


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## TheOldTimer (Dec 13, 2009)

I have had the 5" sander for about two years and last year I purchased the 6" version. I also have the Rotex 6" sander which was the first one purchased. I seldom use the Rotex as it is a heavy machine and I get very tired of sanding after 10 minutes of use. The 5" and the 6" 150/3 are a pleasure to use and offer no fatigue at all after many minutes of use. No vibration and the dust extraction is excillent. The sanders along with the dust extraction unit captures about 90% of the dust. The dust extraction unit is very quiet and when the sanders are in use you can barely hear the extractor running. Lots of money for sanders and dust extraction but in my opinion, money well spent. Just turned 71 years young and still going strong in the shop building furniture for 4 children and 13 grandchildren. I do not have any affiliation with Festool, just a happy customer. I buy all my abrasives from Industrial abrasives who now stock Festool type sanding discs. i also have three other ROS sanders which I no longer use due to vibration during use. My hands use to tingle for hours after use. This was the main reasion I decided on Festool. As previously stated, lots of dollars but I know they will last my lifetime.


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## mmh (Mar 17, 2008)

TheOldTimer: Thanks for the info, IA has excellent prices.


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## cwdance1 (Jun 23, 2009)

Man I have to save up and get me one of these. My hand hurts after sanding and I just figured I would have to tuff it out.

Thanks so much for giving us this information.


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## longgone (May 5, 2009)

Put me on the satisfied customer list of Festool users. I have the 115 and the 150 and they are hand savers. My Ridgid and Dewalt sanders now just gather dust instead of being used to create it. I wasn't aware that industrial abrasices now has festool compatible paper. Good to know. I but my paper for the drum sander from them and like the prices.


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## CanadianWoodWorks (Dec 29, 2009)

I'm also a happy owner of a ets 125 and ro 150 both great machines with almost no vibration transferred to the hands

I also suggest industrial abrasives, they have festool size paper for 5'' and 6'', my personal experience it even lasts longer then festools, if anything it doesn't teat as easy if your sanding curves, as I do all the time.


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## twokidsnosleep (Apr 5, 2010)

How much are the abrasive pads for the Festool??
I have a craftsman and my hand still feels like it is vibrating for 30 min after I am done using it, it is just brutal.
Gotta start saving


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Good Review Millie very interesting.


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## michelletwo (Feb 22, 2010)

thanks for the review..I don't sand flat work much..but good to hear the product is a winner..after a bit, save up for a good sucking vaccuum.or get a good dust collector and a big vent & hold the cane in front..hard to collect dust off a rounded object…your lungs as necessary as your wrists!


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## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

i looked up what this is as alot of people are coming out with this this link has some gloves that may help you in your situation

http://www.therapygloves.com/carpaltunnelsyndrome.html?gclid=COGyjMalxqMCFYb92AodtirkXQ

Andy


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

First of all, I am festool fan with respect to some (but not all) of their tools. I'm a big fan of their sanders.

What no one else has mentioned is that they are engineered such that the dust extractor captures virtually all the dust and the air flow keeps the sand paper clear. With no clogging in the sandpaper the paper works better and lasts much longer.

Festool makes 7 different kinds of sandpaper for 7 different applications from paint to metal to wood etc.

The recommend paper for bare wood is called the Rubin paper. For this sander, the Rubin paper cost between $21 and $25, depending on grit, for a pack of 50.


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## mmh (Mar 17, 2008)

Here's a pdf of a chart of the Festool sanding discs, pads, etc. and which one to use for what project: http://www.festoolusa.com/media/pdf/abrasives_brochure.pdf.

I'm finding the edges of the Rubin 80 & 120 to wear out quickly. Not sure if it's user error (spouse may be putting too much pressure on disc) or disc quality.
FYI: IA's prices are half of that.


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## DIABLO (Nov 7, 2007)

I've got this sander with the vacuum setup and use it just about everyday and has blown the other sanders away NO DUST absolutely kills fine dust there are a few particles that get away but no problem major investment for those who use sanders frequently in homes or to save your lungs in shops hands down the best sanding system….....yes it is frustrating to only be able to by the sanding discs at a local dealer when there is only one in my area but it is well worth having happy customers
i have noticed long use you still get the tingly sensation but that's normal with long use of palm sanders

so get the vacuum and you will be satisfied…...


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## mmh (Mar 17, 2008)

I agree that efficient dust collection is a MUST. I do wear a disposable dust mask when using machinery along with having the vacuum running but since they are not efficient the mask is necessary. We are definately looking into getting one or more of the Festool Dust Extractors to make our basement wood working shop more efficient and healthy. Just need to save those pennies and sell more canes!


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## OutPutter (Jun 23, 2007)

Hi mmh,
I just made a sander upgrade myself. I could only afford the Porter Cable low profile and I'm very satisfied but, only because I sand flat wood. Even my daughter who has small 9 year old hands can hold it on flat wood but she'd never be able to hold it in her hand and sand a cane. It's got very little vibration though and that's why I chose it. As for the sandpaper, I'm switching over to a product called Abranet. It has no holes because it's sort of a net, with abrasives. Get it? LOL. Anyway, if the Festool is a hook and loop type deal, you may be able to use the Abranet. I'm not sure how the prices compare.

By the way, it's nice to see your review here because I know the quality of your work from your posts and it lends a little more credibility to the review.

Best,


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## snaslund (Oct 24, 2008)

I have one of these also and agree that it is great. For your canes I think something like a flap sander mounted on a buffer type stationary motor would be really easy and much better for your wrists than any handheld. Just a thought.

Steve


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## mmh (Mar 17, 2008)

Steven N.: Actually I do have several types of flap sanders but have yet to find one that's perfect for my needs and still need an orbital handheld type for certain areas.

Until I can find the easiest and lowest fatiguing methods that give me the perfect results, I'm always looking for other alternatives. As it is now, I'm still doing a lot of hand sanding as a final step to make sure that any tool marks or grooves from the tools are eliminated.


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## Bearpie (Feb 19, 2010)

Thanks for the post, although it has been a while I believe the post is effective since I am looking for a ROS and this post has tipped it in favor of Festool since my wife will also be using it, I think no vibrations is very important.

Thanks.

Erwin, Jacksonville, FL


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## Ellen (Mar 25, 2006)

We recently purchased the 6 inch random orbital sander and the vac from Festool and could not be more pleased! We are making a table of Makore, a very hard wood that is horrible on the lungs when sanded or cut. We started sanding this with the hepa filtered vac, no masks, no dust, we were totally blown away. I am seriously sold. As one woodworker said, it's a slippery slope with Festool. NOW I want my entire shop filled with Festool! Same thing with the hand saw and track, hooked it up to the vac, no cleaning the shop after use!!! Absolutely unbelievable. No chips, no dust and no smell from the wood. if I could give it 10 stars I would. And yes, it's pricy, just wish I had started with this system, in the long run, it would have saved me money.


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