# How to use a festool RO 90 sander to strip, what grit...???



## Damajama (Feb 13, 2014)

hey yall, im a painting contractor here in los angeles and just recently bought a festool RO 90 based off the countless hours read about them here and online blah blah blah... 

SO.. how do you use them successfully for stripping and taking off heavy loose paint chips? what grit size should i use? so far ive read to use the delta pad but nobody has really gone into any detail in what sand paper number and what mode.. just keep it on delta mode? low suction on the dust collector?

oh, also what second festool sander would you guys use.. if after your done patching up a whole interior and now its time to lightly sand it before primer and finish..? the 125? 

hope everyone is busy out there..


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## ridesarize (Jun 19, 2012)

Think about the ras115 with coarse grit. i am thinking about the same situation, exterior paint. Makes me want to get like 4 different tools. Ro90dx, ras 115, dts400, ets ec150, i have the ets 125. 

If I'm lucky I'll be able to get 2 of them and i need to buy another festool vac. I sold mine planning to get the new model midi but money is tight. 

I put my beloved mountain bike on cl today to try to raise some dough.


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## PNW Painter (Sep 5, 2013)

There are a lot of factors at play when it comes to choosing a grit for stripping. As you get into the lower grits it gets tougher to remove the scratches in the finish.

Here's a couple examples of what's been working for me:
Decks - Start with 36 and finish with 60. Using and RO125 for the boards and RO90 for the spindles.
Ext Window Sills - Start with 60 and end with 80 or 120. Using an RO125.
Interior work is much more difficult because it depends on how many layers you're trying to remove and how the substrate will be finished.

For drywall primer sanding (whole wall or ceiling) I use a Full Circle Trigon sander with 150 or 220 grit. If I had to do a small patch I'd use my ETS125 with 220.

As far as suction on the vac I almost always leave on the lowest setting unless I'm sanding a curved surface or using 36 grit. 



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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Doing interior work, I usually start with 180 and adjust to coarser or finer as necessary. Likewise, suction more or less depends on what I am sanding and usually gets adjusted a few times while working. Sorry for the lack of "definitive" answers but that's sort of the way sanding goes for me - the project determines the process.


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## Damajama (Feb 13, 2014)

You guys are awesome.. thank you so much for your responses im sure its been discussed over and played out.

I bought the midi, the ro-90, and the 125eq. So far my go to has been the ro-90 for literally everything and takes ****ing forever on exterior wood.. but its perfect for everything else.. here in los angeles theres a huge boom for young couples, investors buying lots of properties in neighborhoods that need complete face lifts.. so majority of the exterior windows are original re-glazing, re-sanding type of windows.. however i would like to incorporate a tool for when i need to strip and re-stain a door in my future.. 

festool is insane!


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## Chuck the painter (Sep 16, 2015)

Ceros with merkà sand paper.

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## Chuck the painter (Sep 16, 2015)

Excuse me...Abranet.

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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Chuck the painter said:


> Ceros with merkà sand paper.
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


Do the newer versions of the Ceros still have that cumbersome brick on the power line?


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## chicken (Feb 23, 2017)

Workaholic said:


> Do the newer versions of the Ceros still have that cumbersome brick on the power line?


The newer version called the Deros does not have the huge brick. It's a great finish sander. Not sure I would use it on any heavy stripping. Stick with a Festool RO instead for that.


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