# last minute decision on sander purchase.. festool/mirka



## matt19422 (Oct 2, 2009)

This question is directed to anyone who actually uses a festool sander or mirka ceros sander with vac attachment on drywall repairs and drywall prep.

I am ready to purchase but I do not want to go out and make the wrong purchase...

So here is my situation, I want to focus on drywall repairs, patches, sanding skim coats of partial walls and getting rid of some bad wall texture...

I would buy the festool planex, but I do not need that capacity of drywall sanding.

I am leaning towards a mirka ceros because I already have a dustless technologies vac and understand the ceros is more ergonomical when using it on finish coats of spackle.

I do not know which festool would be suitable for the job as they have too many options without knowing which will work on drywall repairs/finish sanding?

Any help would be freat, from machine setup to grits....

I would like all of the posts to stay on topic because I need to make a decision by tomorrow am.

Thank in advance!


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

I just bought a Festool ETS 125 random orbital palm sander two weeks ago. Its the 5'' version. With the limited time I've spent with it, I would say its a very good tool and I'm happy with my purchase. But because its 5'', you have to remember its best suited to sanding wood trim rather than large areas of ceiling or wall patches. Dust extraction is excellent, but IMHO its more suited to drywall _repairs_. Entire drywall jobs, thats what the Planex is for.


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## matt19422 (Oct 2, 2009)

Schmidt, what abrasives do you use on drywall patches? And what is the ets125 hooked up to?


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

matt19422 said:


> Schmidt, what abrasives do you use on drywall patches? And what is the ets125 hooked up to?


I'm using 120 or 150 grit, and it's hooked up to a Festool CT 26.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Either one shoud be good, if you go for the festool iwould try the ets 150. Bigger pad and all. I have had good success with the ets.


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## Colour Republic (Aug 20, 2010)

The mirka is very light weight and nice to use even when using for extended hours and above your head on ceilings. The dust extraction along with the abranet makes it a winner in my eyes when it comes to drywall but as above if you are doing large areas and a lot of them, then go for the planex


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## matt19422 (Oct 2, 2009)

Well I made up my mind & bought the Mirka 6" ceros :thumbup:

It will run off my dustless technologies vac until I can swing a planex/auto clean system...

It took a lot of thought and it came down to ergonomics and getting a good deal!

I will let everyone know how the cool-aid tastes after a few sips/sands..:whistling2:

Thanks for everyone's input!


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## jack pauhl (Nov 10, 2008)

matt19422 said:


> Well I made up my mind & bought the Mirka 6" ceros :thumbup:
> 
> It will run off my dustless technologies vac until I can swing a planex/auto clean system...
> 
> ...


You'll see sanding walls is so easy with the CEROS or sanding ceilings overhead for long periods of time. Its low profile design is the perfect tool IMO and its incredibly easy to manage or finesse over 1" wide pieces if needed. 

That 5" pad will be no obstacle for you when you need to get things feathered off inside doors jambs, door edges or spindle stock. The paddle control is very easy to control max to minimum speeds in smooth and fast transitions. The wind down is fast too so you can start and stop fast and easy. 

The CEROS is the coolest sander ever IMO for painters and having Abranet abrasives gives you an awesome sander with magical powers. Its now you see it-now you don't stuff.


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

Jack, do you have the 5" or 6" ceros?


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## jack pauhl (Nov 10, 2008)

DeanV said:


> Jack, do you have the 5" or 6" ceros?


5" and I use it to sand door stops and door edges daily which are about 1" flat and the balance/control over skinny pieces is surprisingly good. I was sanding 3/4" bare poplar stock today and the 5" pad never seems to feel like its 5".

I'm not sure I would have a use for 6" but we do a ton of poplar stock 1x so i suppose it might come in handy in that scenario. I might need to look into that. We have 600' to do Thursday which will get a sanding prior to priming it then sanding the primer before it gets installed. We definitely have a need for two CEROS sanders so I might consider a 6"


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

Festool or Mirka?Which is best sanders?


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

mudbone said:


> Festool or Mirka?Which is best sanders?


Depends on who you ask. Even some of the Festool junkies love the Ceros so it no doubt is nice.


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## TERRY365PAINTER (Jul 26, 2009)

I would have by now , if I didn't need a triple A 
Rig . Ets 125 works for now . Wall I still use the full circle radius or the mirka sanding block .


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## matt19422 (Oct 2, 2009)

@ Jack Pauhl...

I purchased the Cero's after reading what you said about the sanding capabilities.. The sander is amazing!

I have a couple questions that you might be able to answer...

1. What spackle/mud do you use knowing that you will be using the Ceros? I've been using Blue Lid light weight and sometimes I over sand with 220 to the point where it may make sense to use a tougher mud...

2. What grit work best for you on drywall spackle? I am using abarnet 220.

3. I learned that once you bmp the sander into any edge the abarnet will deform and you will get swirls..(I had a new pad and it was useless after I spun by accident next to an edge)

4. i have been getting the best results from running it @ max speed... any slower and it seems to wobble and want to stick.


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## jack pauhl (Nov 10, 2008)

matt19422 said:


> @ Jack Pauhl...
> 
> I purchased the Cero's after reading what you said about the sanding capabilities.. The sander is amazing!
> 
> ...


The CEROS is amazing no doubt to say the least. 

1. I use Elmers brown filler. 220 will sand any patch but you may need light pressure for some of the lightweights. You might be over sanding the area too. When I pass over a patch its literally passing over the patch not sanding in one spot. Knife your fillers clean, pack to crown when possible and sand off the crown. 

2. 220 

3. Control the beast

4. Wobble may occur when surface is uneven and/or your abrasives are too aggressive for the task. Keep light pressure, its not like traditional orbital sanders. Let the mesh do the work, just guide it. No pressure needed. I finesse sand almost everything.

I like the idea of having a guard but I also like freestyle. Center the mesh best you can it should reduce #3 from occurring. Unlike 220 paper, 220 mesh is thin . Stick some 40HD on the CEROS and you can cut down a tree in comparison to how ridged that expose 1/8" mesh would be.

I rarely use max speed. I sand most 2 steps up maybe 3 and my paddle is set to variable meaning it changes speed depending on how far you press it.


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