# Your favorite drywall sander



## lmvp17 (May 15, 2010)

Do alot of you guys use the electric drywall sanders? What's the +/- about them and which one do you like? They're not readily available where I live and very expensive ($600 and up). Not sure what to trust on ebay either. Any info is great. Thx.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

Came in to paint new walls in a place where an electric sander was employed. They totally wrecked their own job. Swirl marks all over the place. 

I think they probably lost money on that job.


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

Removed by Mod.


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## lmvp17 (May 15, 2010)

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## ROOMINADAY (Mar 20, 2009)

I just use a pole with circle brand foam backed 150 grit and an angle sponge for detail

Next trip to the big city I think I will but a radius 360.

I am buying a festool system that I will use for patches and erasing the sins of painters past.


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## lmvp17 (May 15, 2010)

ROOMINADAY said:


> I just use a pole with circle brand foam backed 150 grit and an angle sponge for detail
> 
> Next trip to the big city I think I will but a radius 360.
> 
> I am buying a festool system that I will use for patches and erasing the sins of painters past.


I love my radius 360 but sometimes dust is an issue. Would love to get a festool setup soon too.


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

TJ Paint said:


> Came in to paint new walls in a place where an electric sander was employed. They totally wrecked their own job. Swirl marks all over the place.
> 
> I think they probably lost money on that job.


just finished a swirly job...total operator error, total ugly.


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

aaron61 said:


> My favorite drywall sander is Jose


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## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

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## matt19422 (Oct 2, 2009)

lmvp17 said:


> Do alot of you guys use the electric drywall sanders? What's the +/- about them and which one do you like? They're not readily available where I live and very expensive ($600 and up). Not sure what to trust on ebay either. Any info is great. Thx.



I have been looking into the dustless technologies turbo sander that would be great for residential repaints. it is under $150.00 has a square head, & would work with the dustless tech hepa vac I purchased for rrp 2 years ago...

The festool system coming out in march looks really nice, but for $3k, it will have to sand, prime and paint also!


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## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

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## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

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## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

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## wills fresh coat (Nov 17, 2011)

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## MBMatt (Apr 4, 2010)

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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

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## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

Well I gotta tell you all that this thread is real close to being shut down and heavily edited. So we'll just stick with the heavy editing and you all can start over and keep it on track.


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

take the posts...i'll keep the 'thanks'.

sanding pole 360 head.


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## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

Nice of me wasn't it?


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

Removed by Mod.


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## lmvp17 (May 15, 2010)

Wolfgang said:


> Well I gotta tell you all that this thread is real close to being shut down and heavily edited. So we'll just stick with the heavy editing and you all can start over and keep it on track.


Ya that got outta hand 
Thanks for keeping it open. Would really like some info on the sander.


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## lmvp17 (May 15, 2010)

Hey Matt, if you get the sander pass on some feedback!


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

Poor Op dude's thread got tossed around like a cheap blow up doll by the turbulence of something unrelated...

Sorry bout that.:whistling2:


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## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

Not to come across with a "holier than thou" attitude, but I think we all, (including myself), may want to think twice before posting our replies. What started out as a comment with mildly racist/ethnic overtones turned into a lot of trash talk and personal attacks.

Now I could have just deleted each post and sent them to the trash bin, but by editing them and leaving them there, it showed how many replies were actually involved.

Please just take a minute and re-read your replies before posting them. If anyone finds something that they feel is particularly offensive, hit the "report" button. But let's keep it real and not be too overly-sensitive. There are some subjects that hit real close to home for some.


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## wills fresh coat (Nov 17, 2011)

Wolfgang said:


> Well I gotta tell you all that this thread is real close to being shut down and heavily edited. So we'll just stick with the heavy editing and you all can start over and keep it on track.


thx dad......


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## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

wills fresh coat said:


> thx dad......


You have a problem with how I handled it? Let me know.

If you knew anything about me, you'd know that I'm probably the last one who would like to see threads edited a/o deleted. You'd also know that I have been known to engage in some taunting of others and tossing the occasional gas on the fire. (With heavy therapy, I'm trying to right my ways. LOL) But there has always been a line not to cross. As with any actions taken by any of the Mods, it's always a judgement call on our part. Sometimes we get it right - sometimes we get it wrong. Sometimes there are lengthy discussion amongst us on how to handle things.

If it makes you feel any better, I had a thread I started get tossed by another Mod in the Trash Bin yesterday. (Not sure if I was the first Mod to have it happen, but doubt there have been too many.)


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## wills fresh coat (Nov 17, 2011)

Wolfgang said:


> You have a problem with how I handled it? Let me know.
> 
> If you knew anything about me, you'd know that I'm probably the last one who would like to see threads edited a/o deleted. You'd also know that I have been known to engage in some taunting of others and tossing the occasional gas on the fire. (With heavy therapy, I'm trying to right my ways. LOL) But there has always been a line not to cross. As with any actions taken by any of the Mods, it's always a judgement call on our part. Sometimes we get it right - sometimes we get it wrong. Sometimes there are lengthy discussion amongst us on how to handle things.
> 
> If it makes you feel any better, I had a thread I started get tossed by another Mod in the Trash Bin yesterday. (Not sure if I was the first Mod to have it happen, but doubt there have been too many.)


wolf....its no big deal,your a mod and you gotta do what you gotta do, i just didnt really think what aaron said was a racist comment thats all
i was trying to reply to your comment about whitney, then when i hit the button to post my reply the damn thing was gone.....you guys are quick, btw its been 5 days now.


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## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

wills fresh coat said:


> wolf....its no big deal,your a mod and you gotta do what you gotta do, i just didnt really think what aaron said was a racist comment thats all
> 
> And you are probably right about Aaron's comment, but I felt since it "ignited" the whole thing, it was probably best for it to go also so it wouldn't start up again.
> 
> i was trying to reply to your comment about whitney, then when i hit the button to post my reply the damn thing was gone.....you guys are quick, btw its been 5 days now.


So you know what I was referring to. LOL

I rarely hold any hard feelings on this forum Will. Life is too short for that. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to explain myself.

Wolf


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

Wow! I totally missed all that??? It was merely meant to indicate that the best drywall sander is a good finisher to begin with followed by someone who knows how to run a sanding pole.(maybe a little tongue in cheek) Nothing,IMHO,works better than a good work ethic. And that is the correct name of 1 of my best drywall guys.


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## wills fresh coat (Nov 17, 2011)

aaron61 said:


> Wow! I totally missed all that??? It was merely meant to indicate that the best drywall sander is a good finisher to begin with followed by someone who knows how to run a sanding pole.(maybe a little tongue in cheek) Nothing,IMHO,works better than a good work ethic. And that is the correct name of 1 of my best drywall guys.


your meaning was takin way out of context by a few, ya should of stuck around for the fun........:thumbup:


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

as a mod, I can view all the original text. 

Wolf did good, and had good reasoning. 

Personally I would have put them ALL in the trash, but I do understand his reason for just editing. 

That said, let's get back on track and answer the OP's question. I know it's cabin fever season and we can get through it if we all try to focus on the point at hand and not on extraneous subjects. 

I have no comment on the OP, but I think some of the answers are valid. I have seen some decent work by proper use and grit of electric sanders, and I have seen real hack jobs, but then again, I've seen hacked jobs by improper pole sanding. (boy, do I hate it when those metal Hyde ones flip on their sides and gouge the mud or even rip the facing  )


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## jhudson (Jun 16, 2011)

lmvp17 said:


> Ya that got outta hand
> Thanks for keeping it open. Would really like some info on the sander.


I went to SW and picked up a sanding head for $30.00 that hooks upto my shopvac and it worked real well. We were repainting Walgreens and had a lot of sanding to do and that setup was virtually dustless. Had a 16 gl. vac with a bag inside.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

I don't own one, but hear great reviews about the Festool PLANEX Drywall Sander. I know it's pricey (it's a FESTOOL), but if you have a lot of sanding to do ....................


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Wow!

Just got home and saw this thread and saw why Wolf edited and I like to do the same thing sometimes to show that action was taken rater than just sweeping it under the rug. I then figured his point was made a few days ago and was going to move them to the trash so that the thread read better, then I hit page two and saw Wolf was still acctive in the thread and figured it is your baby buddy. :thumbsup:

Back on topic. 




lmvp17 said:


> Do alot of you guys use the electric drywall sanders? What's the +/- about them and which one do you like? They're not readily available where I live and very expensive ($600 and up). Not sure what to trust on ebay either. Any info is great. Thx.


I just recently made the move towards Festool for my dustless drywall sanding. I have barely had a chance to do much with them as they arrived and then I went out of town, so I can tell you why I decided this was the way to go. 

It is healthier for you or your guys because you will not be sucking the dust into your lungs as it is a very clean system. 
Going electric with the extractor is faster and cleaner which saves you in materials such as plastic, tape, zip walls, it also saves you money because you are saving the labor of bagging an area. 
They will imo help you stand out and sell a job because it is a much less intrusive environment for your customers, the extractors have a hepa filter which will be something your customers will understand. Sure they could care less about the actual name of the tools but they will be impressed with the fact that you are looking out for their interests by not contaminating their home and central hvac with drywall dust. 
Also these tools are not limited to simply drywall but are also going to help you in all sanding matters. Which saves money again. 

They are expensive and imo work best with the extractor as that is what the set up is made for. You can purchase them, use them and if they are not the right fit return them within 30 days for either your money back or as credit for a different sander. 

There are other systems but these are solid tools made by a solid company and while they may not be as well known in the states the painters and drywall guys overseas have been using them for many many years. 

I am not only a spokesman I am also a member. :jester: lol 



matt19422 said:


> The festool system coming out in march looks really nice, but for $3k, it will have to sand, prime and paint also!


More like 17-18 hundred for a Planex and a CT 36 with the Auto Clean from the pre order sites I looked at. I would love to get my hands on a Planex and if you do a lot of drywall I say buy one and if you do not love it return it in 30 days. 



jhudson said:


> I went to SW and picked up a sanding head for $30.00 that hooks upto my shopvac and it worked real well. We were repainting Walgreens and had a lot of sanding to do and that setup was virtually dustless. Had a 16 gl. vac with a bag inside.


What type of sander was it?


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## lmvp17 (May 15, 2010)

So I just got a quote from a local professional hardware store on the Festool system. Here's what I got:
Planex $1155
Dust extractor (vaccuum) $866
Planex mount $132
Pack of vaccuum bags $46
Grand total of $2199 CDN + tax 

It's a def a serious purchase. I gotta try one first. Have you heard of the Flex 700 system? Looks pretty good too.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

lmvp17 said:


> So I just got a quote from a local professional hardware store on the Festool system. Here's what I got:
> Planex $1155
> Dust extractor (vaccuum) $866
> Planex mount $132
> ...


About the price of a new graco 695


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

lmvp17 said:


> So I just got a quote from a local professional hardware store on the Festool system. Here's what I got:
> Planex $1155
> Dust extractor (vaccuum) $866
> Planex mount $132
> ...



Don't just go by price. The flex 700 looks like its a UK product....about the same price as a Planex and you still need an extractor.

Some of us here feel the Festool is the cats meow....

- I'm won't go into the product itself, more the company and things that are not typically stated. 

-They are made in Germany to very tight controls. 
-Their warranty is excellent (three year bumper to bumper I believe)
-Honestly...I doubt you would find better customer service...IF you have an issue their turn around on repairs is ridiculously fast and efficient.
- They have a conscientious attitude towards recycling and the environment.
- Their design of everything they do is thoroughly thought threw. 

Its funny that everyone likes to mock the hacks and they want all customers to pay top price because their services are top notch.

Then you get a company like Festool who is the top of what they do and guys here are stammering over the ticket price and offering ways to do things cheaper. (this is referring to other threads so don't get defensive)

Then there are those that do both...offer top notch and use top notch...the true winners! :thumbup:


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## HQP2005 (Feb 14, 2012)

\???


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Edit: I swear I didn't read it first.... And that is my helpers name


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

Gibberish45 said:


> My favorite drywall sander is Manuel


oh sweet Maggie...


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Paint and Hammer said:


> Don't just go by price. The flex 700 looks like its a UK product....about the same price as a Planex and you still need an extractor.
> 
> Some of us here feel the Festool is the cats meow....
> 
> ...


Heidi wrote a really good article on her blog that discusses this concept.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Paint and Hammer said:


> Don't just go by price. The flex 700 looks like its a UK product....about the same price as a Planex and you still need an extractor.
> 
> Some of us here feel the Festool is the cats meow....
> 
> ...


Truthfully I know a guy that speaks highly of the Giraffe and I trust his opinion but for my money I would go with the Planex. 

I totally agree with Paul on this. Everything about this company is top notch. Customer service, quality, warranty, design, funtion so of course a product like this does not come cheap. 

Like the Festool Extractors for example. All the extractors share the same motor so you are not buying a better motor the bigger you go just a bigger container and bag size. Also all the parts are made by Festool themselves. They could buy some Asian motors and slap them in there which would lower the cost but it would also lower the product and company standards. 

I love my Festool sander and CT use them every chance I get and used them almost every day this week. 

It is surprising how much the HO's want to talk about them after they see them in use, of course part of that is my eagerness to talk about them as well. I was picking up paint and pulled them out so the counter guy could check them out. 

It is up to you to see if they have value for your business but I am betting if you try them you will wonder why you waited so long to benefit from them. 

People that own them talk highly and become obsessed with them for a reason.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

The apc review I have been working on for the past 8 months about this company is now online at paintmag dot com for those who are interested in my observations of their gear.


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## Steve Richards (Dec 31, 2010)

Very cool, VP

It's nice to have someone famous on the board.


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## Scotiadawg (Dec 5, 2011)

my favorite sander is any model that someone _else_ is using !


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## lmvp17 (May 15, 2010)

Scotiadawg said:


> my favorite sander is any model that someone _else_ is using !


lol very politically correct


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## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

Saw the thread and thought I'd remind those who are considering a Planex drywall sander that all Festool power tools have a 30-day money back guarantee. So, there's virtually no risk is trying one out. The price in the U.S. for the Planex and the CT AutoClean dust extractor as a package is $1675, which includes package savings at participating dealers (which I know of none who don't do packages).

Festool genuinely stands for something different as a power tool manufacturer. We offer exceptional service and are here to support you. You really will never be able to appreciate what Festool is about until you've experienced it first hand. I challenge you to give us a try and have no doubts that you'll be impressed.

If I can answer any specific questions about the Planex or other products, just let me know.

Edit: If you're just doing drywall patch, we have many other sanders that would be well suited and dust free at a much lower price versus the Planex, which is intended for whole wall or larger drywall jobs.

PS - I was great meeting some of you at the PDCA Expo. Thanks for stopping by to see us.

Thanks,
Shane


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## lmvp17 (May 15, 2010)

shofestoolusa said:


> Saw the thread and thought I'd remind those who are considering a Planex drywall sander that all Festool power tools have a 30-day money back guarantee. So, there's virtually no risk is trying one out. The price in the U.S. for the Planex and the CT AutoClean dust extractor as a package is $1675, which includes package savings at participating dealers (which I know of none who don't do packages).
> 
> Festool genuinely stands for something different as a power tool manufacturer. We offer exceptional service and are here to support you. You really will never be able to appreciate what Festool is about until you've experienced it first hand. I challenge you to give us a try and have no doubts that you'll be impressed.
> 
> ...


 Hey Shane, I do alot of repaints and most of my sanding is for drywall patches. What dustless system would you recommend for that scenario? I also light sand all walls for repaints but that's not creating much of a dust problem anyway. So what do you suggest?


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## boman47k (May 10, 2008)

****


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## CliffK (Dec 21, 2010)

lmvp17 said:


> Hey Shane, I do alot of repaints and most of my sanding is for drywall patches. What dustless system would you recommend for that scenario? I also light sand all walls for repaints but that's not creating much of a dust problem anyway. So what do you suggest?


We've been using the RS 2E half sheet teamed with a midi extractor for sanding walls as necessary in repaint applications with excellent results. It is very quick and effective. It is capable of very fine sanding as well as rapid material removal. You can set it up with a piece of 40 grit for rapid material removal or a piece of 320 for a super fine finish as necessary. It's a little over gunned for just a patch. There we would use the RTS 400 if necessary. Basically the same thing just a smaller version.


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## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

lmvp17 said:


> Hey Shane, I do alot of repaints and most of my sanding is for drywall patches. What dustless system would you recommend for that scenario? I also light sand all walls for repaints but that's not creating much of a dust problem anyway. So what do you suggest?


For drywall patch, I would recommend the DTS 400 or RTS 400. As with all Festool power tools, the dust extraction is going to be exceptional. The shape of these two sanders (rectangular and delta/triangular) are going to be good for open spaces and for getting into corners, unlike a round pad sander. Although our round pad sander, the ETS 125, would also be a great choice if you don't need to get into corners. These three sanders are all very lightweight, low noise levels, and vibration free. They have electronics that protect the sander from being damaged by overload or thermal conditions.

Cliff is using the RS 2, which is a half sheet sander and is going to be larger but heavier. From the standpoint of ergonomics and fatigue, this wouldn't be my first choice, but it will certainly do the job. All of our sanders have a very broad range of abrasives grits available. Granat, our "wonder abrasive", ranges from 40 to 400 grit for the RTS 400 and DTS 400.

You can learn more about our sanders that are recommended for drywall on this page, please note prices are U.S. prices.

http://www.festoolpaint.com/power-tools/sanders/drywall-sanders

For paint professionals, I would recommend the CT MIDI dust extractor because I think it offers good balance of capacity and portability with a small footprint. 

All of our CT Dust Extractors, with the exception of the soon-to-be-released CT AutoClean made for the Planex Drywall Sander, have been certified to be Full Unit HEPA. That means that not only is the filter HEPA, but the entire dust extractor is HEPA.

You can learn more about our dust extractors here:

http://www.festoolpaint.com/power-tools/HEPA-dust-extractors

or on our dust extractor micro website at:

http://www.eparrphepavacuum.com

I should mention that anyone considering a purchase may want to do so before the end of the month. We will be having a 2012 catalog price increase effective March 1st which will effect nearly all of our products. Again, you have a 30-day money back guarantee if you decide that it's just not the right product for you or it doesn't meet your expectations.

If you have more questions, feel free to ask. Thanks for the interest.

Shane


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## BrushJockey (Mar 15, 2009)

......


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

You guys raise your prices too?


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## mistcoat (Apr 21, 2007)

lmvp17 said:


> Hey Shane, I do alot of repaints and most of my sanding is for drywall patches. What dustless system would you recommend for that scenario? I also light sand all walls for repaints but that's not creating much of a dust problem anyway. So what do you suggest?


Don't know if you can get the Mirka Ceros over there, but for broadwall areas it is the doggies danglers.
Can adapt to connect to the Festool shop vacs too.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

mistcoat said:


> Don't know if you can get the Mirka Ceros over there, but for broadwall areas it is the doggies danglers.
> Can adapt to connect to the Festool shop vacs too.


Yep it is available here. Looks like a nice sander. High dollar. I have a thread on it search Ceros.


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