# Festool Planex NA Available 03/01/12



## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Well Festool has put a price tag on the North American Planex, they also have given the release date for this machine. Looks to be 1000.00 for the sander and 700.00 for the CT36 extractor. 

I know some of you may think I speak of Festool too much but I just recently started using them and love them and have been curious about the price point on this one. 

It is higher than the PC unit but that was to be expected. 

http://www.festoolproducts.com/Planex-Sander-Accessories-s/259.htm


----------



## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

I have been interested in that as well. Downside is the sander needs its own special vac which is not a HEPA vac, too bad for RRP.


----------



## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

That is a down side but still a really nice tool that is no longer NAINA 

What applications have you been considering this for Dean?


----------



## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Sean

You ran this in Indy last Fall didnt you?


----------



## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

I was thinking for sanding old walls with lots of bad texture from bad paint jobs, repairs after wallpaper removal,. Could also use it for NC wall sanding, but that is fairly painless with the 360 sanders already.


----------



## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

vermontpainter said:


> Sean
> 
> You ran this in Indy last Fall didnt you?


Yes I did and I loved it at the time, it got in pretty tight around the corners for a round head.

I have used the PC units before and this unit gave a better first impression.


----------



## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

DeanV said:


> I was thinking for sanding old walls with lots of bad texture from bad paint jobs, repairs after wallpaper removal,. Could also use it for NC wall sanding, but that is fairly painless with the 360 sanders already.


I like the 360 alot too Dean. The dustless aspect with drywall certainly is intriguing though. I hope someone gets one and shows its range.


----------



## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

DeanV said:


> I was thinking for sanding old walls with lots of bad texture from bad paint jobs, repairs after wallpaper removal,. Could also use it for NC wall sanding, but that is fairly painless with the 360 sanders already.


I do X amount of drywall during the year but also figured it could be used for the purpose you mentioned.


----------



## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Workaholic said:


> I do X amount of drywall during the year but also figured it could be used for the purpose you mentioned.


Definitely would be good after the level 5 skimming that usually follows wallpaper stripping, which invariably takes place in occupied homes and is a real attention getter in the household. 

Planex could be a nice companion piece to the Fakir.


----------



## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

If only it was HEPA and geared for exterior siding paint removal. We do not do drywall, so it would be paint related stuff only. I have heard the PC one leaves swirls on painted surfaces, so this one may not work for that either.


----------



## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

Isn't fakir on the banned word list?


----------



## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

DeanV said:


> Isn't fakir on the banned word list?


Not sure, but in Vermont you need a special license to carry one.


----------



## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

DeanV said:


> If only it was HEPA and geared for exterior siding paint removal. We do not do drywall, so it would be paint related stuff only. I have heard the PC one leaves swirls on painted surfaces, so this one may not work for that either.


If it was on a current generation CT, I'm not so sure it wouldnt be "hepa".

I'm not aware of a sanding tool carrying that distinction?


----------



## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

DeanV said:


> I have been interested in that as well. Downside is the sander needs its own special vac which is not a HEPA vac, too bad for RRP.


Why the special vac? I have a brand new CT26 and would _consider_ this system if I didn't have to buy another one. On a separate note, I didn't know about auto clean when I bought my extractor. got one without.


----------



## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

Are you guys on the Festool "Jack Pauhl -Behr" bonus program?


----------



## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

The ads say the 36 auto clean is not HEPA, maybe you only need the special vac for drywall. I doubt planex would have the torque for exterior paint, at least that was the thought when I floated the idea last summer.


----------



## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

vermontpainter said:


> Definitely would be good after the level 5 skimming that usually follows wallpaper stripping, which invariably takes place in occupied homes and is a real attention getter in the household.


Without a doubt, of course this could be done with other festool sanders but if you have multiple uses for the Planex then it makes it a worthy investment. 






DeanV said:


> If only it was HEPA and geared for exterior siding paint removal. We do not do drywall, so it would be paint related stuff only. I have heard the PC one leaves swirls on painted surfaces, so this one may not work for that either.


That would be interesting. Don't you have a paint shaver? 

That swirls may be operator error, I have seen the PC do that on bare rock as well.


----------



## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

No paint shaver here. Wanted to sand some t-111 that was flaking badly.


----------



## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Schmidt & Co. said:


> Why the special vac? I have a brand new CT26 and would _consider_ this system if I didn't have to buy another one. On a separate note, I didn't know about auto clean when I bought my extractor. got one without.


The Planex vac has a cleaning feature that knocks the dust off the filter so the finer particles of drywall dust do not end up clogging the filter. At least this is my understanding. Shane will probably comment before long and can clarify things. 





NEPS.US said:


> Are you guys on the Festool "Jack Pauhl -Behr" bonus program?


I pass on behr.


----------



## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

DeanV said:


> No paint shaver here. Wanted to sand some t-111 that was flaking badly.


Yeah I read that thread, for those purposes I think some modifications would be needed.

Chemical may be your best bet. How old was the job again?


----------



## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

Siding age would have been late 70's or early 80's.


----------



## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

A possible RRP job then.


----------



## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

Ok, let me see if I can address at least some of what's been posted.

First, the Planex does have a vac that has been designed specifically for use with it, the CT 36 AutoClean (or AC for short). This vac does not have HEPA filter. A HEPA filter would clog too quickly with the massive amounts of dust produced by the Planex. So, the AutoClean has an integrated filter cleaning mechanism that knocks the dust loose periodically.

I'm not sure whether the Planex would work with exterior paint. To be honest, I'm still building my paint chops and have a lot to learn. Since I don't have any specific experience using it for such, nor have I read anything about such an application, I don't have anything to offer on the topic.

You guys are getting the first peek at this site, which goes over some of the benefits of the Planex and the CT AutoClean. Please note that I have not had the content proofed for accuracy, grammar, etc. so keep that in mind. There are videos of the Planex and the CT AC on the site, which is only a single page right now.

http://www.sanderfordrywall.com/

If you have additional questions, please feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer them. Both the Planex and CT AC will be available from dealers who choose to preorder inventory in time for that date. Check with your preferred Festool dealer for availability.

I should also mention there will be a package with the Planex and CT AC that will offer a $75 savings (in the US) at participating dealers.

Enjoy the videos, post your questions.

Shane


----------



## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Wow, that looks awesome, will you have one in Vegas?


----------



## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

Oh yes, it will be in Vegas with plenty of (probably very poorly applied) mud to sand.


----------



## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

I've created a thread on the Festool Owners Group forum with FAQs about the Planex and CT AutoClean which may answer a lot of the questions that you might have. If you still have questions, please feel free to post them here or on the FOG and I'll get you the answers.

http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tools-accessories/consolidated-qa-for-planex-and-ct-autoclean

Thanks.

Shane


----------



## Tim Lorenson (Feb 16, 2012)

*Usefull info*

I started using the dust deputy dust separator from Oneda for sanding drywall, grinding concrete, etc. keeps 99% dust out of vac. Have both PC and Festool vacuums.
The Festool Rotex works well for exterior paint removal. I have used it to resurface decks and exterior trim.
Something to try on T1-11, is Pittsburg wood Permanizer. I have used this on delaminating siding that I would have replaced in the past. It is a low viscosity urethane acrylic resin which soaks into and behind the peeling paint and delaminating plywood. It fills the voids and prevents water from entering the wood, even if the primer or paint cracks. It also glues everything together and hardens the surface. I follow this with Glidden Gripper, which creates a solid film and bridges voids in the siding.
The Permanizer is also great for sealing end cuts on wood. As you apply it, you can watch it soak into the end grain.
I do dryrot repair and this combination of products lets me sleep at night knowing that my repairs will hold for a long, long time.
Hope this helps,
Tim Lorenson


----------



## mpminter (Mar 21, 2011)

Shane,
I like sanding walls before painting to remove old roller fibers, drips, debris stuck in the old paint, heavy stipple, etc. Obviously on older homes the EPA RRP rules come into effect, and a HEPA vac is required. Can this tool be attached to one of the regular HEPA rated Festool extractors for a purpose such as this?


----------



## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

mpminter said:


> Shane,
> I like sanding walls before painting to remove old roller fibers, drips, debris stuck in the old paint, heavy stipple, etc. Obviously on older homes the EPA RRP rules come into effect, and a HEPA vac is required. Can this tool be attached to one of the regular HEPA rated Festool extractors for a purpose such as this?


The short answer is yes. The Planex can be used with one of our CT HEPA Dust Extractors.

The longer answer is that the HEPA filter is going to probably become caked with the extremely fine drywall dust particles over time, and it will depending on the extent to which you use it for drywall applications. That means you would need to replace the filter more frequently. The reason is that drywall dust ranges in size down to 1 micron, ultra-fine. The filter bag filters down to 5 microns. That leaves the most fine particles to travel through the filter bag, which acts as a primary filter under normal circumstances, on to the HEPA filter where it's captured. Because that dust is so fine and the pleats on the HEPA filter are very tight, the filter becomes clogged and caked with the dust. The CT AutoClean overcomes this because it uses a more heavy-duty filter with nearly half the number of pleats, making it easier for the dust to fall back out of the filter during the periodic cleaning process.

The Planex is capable of producing massive amounts of dust very, very quickly. So, if you sanding large areas with a HEPA filter installed, you might need to replace the filter very frequently.

So, basically, you'd need to replace the HEPA filter more frequently. For RRP work, it's recommended that it be replaced pretty frequently away and disposed of in a manner prescribed by the RRP guidelines. I would advise against attempting to manually clean a HEPA filter which has been contaminated from RRP use.

The CT AutoClean should not be used for RRP work.

Shane


----------



## Westview (Jul 23, 2011)

shofestoolusa said:


> The short answer is yes. The Planex can be used with one of our CT HEPA Dust Extractors.
> 
> The longer answer is that the HEPA filter is going to probably become caked with the extremely fine drywall dust particles over time, and it will depending on the extent to which you use it for drywall applications. That means you would need to replace the filter more frequently. The reason is that drywall dust ranges in size down to 1 micron, ultra-fine. The filter bag filters down to 5 microns. That leaves the most fine particles to travel through the filter bag, which acts as a primary filter under normal circumstances, on to the HEPA filter where it's captured. Because that dust is so fine and the pleats on the HEPA filter are very tight, the filter becomes clogged and caked with the dust. The CT AutoClean overcomes this because it uses a more heavy-duty filter with nearly half the number of pleats, making it easier for the dust to fall back out of the filter during the periodic cleaning process.
> 
> ...


Will it work on latex walls?


----------



## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

Westview said:


> Will it work on latex walls?


Yes, there's should be no issues with using it on latex walls. Was there a specific concern you had?


----------



## Westview (Jul 23, 2011)

shofestoolusa said:


> Yes, there's should be no issues with using it on latex walls. Was there a specific concern you had?


I'm looking at going dustless on residential repaints and using it as an advertising tool to homeowners. I need a sander that will sand latex interior walls to prep the surface for top coat paint. I understand festool has other hand sanders that hook up to a shop vac. This method would seem like it would take forever. The planex has a large sanding face and is also on a a pole. It seems like it would be much faster and easier then using your standard palm sander. What do you think?


----------



## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

Westview said:


> I'm looking at going dustless on residential repaints and using it as an advertising tool to homeowners. I need a sander that will sand latex interior walls to prep the surface for top coat paint. I understand festool has other hand sanders that hook up to a shop vac. This method would seem like it would take forever. The planex has a large sanding face and is also on a a pole. It seems like it would be much faster and easier then using your standard palm sander. What do you think?


I don't see where it would be an issue whatsoever. The abrasives used with the PLANEX are also suitable for painted surfaces.

The benefits of dust-free tools are definitely a good marketing strategy for your company and offer a great competitive advantage.

As with any Festool power tool, the PLANEX has a 30-day money back guarantee. Get it, try it, and if it doesn't completely meet your expectations then return it for a refund.

Shane


----------



## CliffK (Dec 21, 2010)

Westview said:


> I'm looking at going dustless on residential repaints and using it as an advertising tool to homeowners. I need a sander that will sand latex interior walls to prep the surface for top coat paint. I understand festool has other hand sanders that hook up to a shop vac. This method would seem like it would take forever. The planex has a large sanding face and is also on a a pole. It seems like it would be much faster and easier then using your standard palm sander. What do you think?


 We've been using the orbital RS 2E half sheet sander for occupied repaints as necessary. It works great. Some say it is heavy, but I do not find that to be the case. Can't put it on a pole though, although realistically, we are not doing a lot of sanding previously painted walls above arms reach. I wouldn't necessarily use it to sand new drywall all day though. The new Planex would be the way to go there.


----------



## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

Aaron,

Sorry I missed the other thread with the conversation where you expressed concerns about swirl marks on latex paint. The Planex is not a random orbital sander, but it shouldn't produce swirl marks. The caveat is that you you shouldn't use a really low grit abrasive, 80 or below. At those grits, you may get more of noticeable scratch pattern. But, it sounds like you'll be working with higher grits just to prep the surface for paint. Use the highest grit possible that will accomplish the goal. It's better to start high and realize you need to go lower than to create extra work by starting too low. I hope that makes sense and helps to clarify the issue. I wish I had personal experience using it on paint so I had a more definitive testimony.

Shane


----------



## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

shofestoolusa said:


> I wish I had personal experience using it on paint so I had a more definitive testimony.
> 
> Shane


You and me both. 

I agree the swirls would more than likely be caused from improper grit or operator error such as pushing. 

Shame you do not have a cured demo wall to try it on in Vegas.


----------



## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

Workaholic said:


> You and me both.
> Shame you do not have a cured demo wall to try it on in Vegas.


No, not at the show, but we have a training center there with cured painted walls. :whistling2: Sorry, Steve. (our trainer in Vegas). Looks like we may have to scuff his walls up a bit to try it out and get a solid answer and photos.

Scott will be there, I'll see if he can help reproduce the exact techniques you guys would use and report back.

Shane


----------



## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

shofestoolusa said:


> No, not at the show, but we have a training center there with cured painted walls. :whistling2: Sorry, Steve. (our trainer in Vegas). Looks like we may have to scuff his walls up a bit to try it out and get a solid answer and photos.
> 
> Scott will be there, I'll see if he can help reproduce the exact techniques you guys would use and report back.
> 
> Shane


I forgot about the Vegas training center. I saw it when I was looking over the workshops. Any plans for a paint related one in the future? Vegas or Indiana? 

Scott is a lucky guy.


----------



## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

Sean, I would imagine that we'll add training curricula that are geared toward paint professionals, but I would expect this might be something that would happen later in the year since it will take time to put together the topics, materials and specifics of the class(es).


----------



## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

shofestoolusa said:


> Sean, I would imagine that we'll add training curricula that are geared toward paint professionals, but I would expect this might be something that would happen later in the year since it will take time to put together the topics, materials and specifics of the class(es).


Sound good, I will keep an eye out for them.


----------

