# Festool Planex



## DK Remodeling (Mar 22, 2013)

How good is this thing for removing texture from walls or ceilings??

Do you guys have like before and after pictures or video? 

Which kind of sandpaper would be the best option to remove splatter texture from walls?

Thanks


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

DK Remodeling said:


> How good is this thing for removing texture from walls or ceilings??
> 
> Do you guys have like before and after pictures or video?
> 
> ...


Good thread. :thumbsup:

I've been playing around with the idea again recently and would like to hear any feedback. Para's the only guy I'm aware of that bought one, so I'd like to hear how he likes it now that its been awhile. 

I've tried it out a few times during pro-shows etc and it sure looks like a nice unit. The only thing thats been holding me back is that 90% of my jobs are occupied homes with furniture. Things are usually congested as it is on-site and just don't know if there would be enough room on my average sized job.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Only a few posters have one. Here is a couple threads on them.

http://www.painttalk.com/f2/what-paper-you-using-your-planex-21887/

http://www.painttalk.com/f12/popcorn-removal-22328/

Search Planex and there are more if this thread does not take off.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Like Paul I have contemplated the purchase and have yet to pull the trigger. I never demo'ed one on texture just a few minute run on drywall and it worked well. Felt nicer than a PC.


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## DK Remodeling (Mar 22, 2013)

Thanks for the info guys, Time to do some reading.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Haven't put it on popcorn or texture yet, just joint compound and primer.

Paul, it's really pretty compact in its smallest configuration. No longer than a pole sander. The weight is offset by the fact that if dialed right, it helps you hold itself to the surface. Much faster than running an orbital with extraction.


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## South-FL-Painter (Jan 17, 2012)

I have recently bought one,but have not yet tryed it on texture or popcorn removal.

Soonest I do,I will make sure to give you guys a feedback.I ran a small skim coat job with it and I am already happy with my purchase.You need to dial in correctly and this thing is a beast.Way easer than using pole sander,and the dust collection is awesome.


Sharp


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## DK Remodeling (Mar 22, 2013)

What do you guys mean with dial right or correctly? Like the speed?


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

Great thread! We've been getting hammered with popcorn removal jobs lately and have been seriously considering getting one. I've never used it or seen one for that matter. I have a festool retailer pretty close to me that's gonna let me demo it when I get a chance to stop by. 

Last week I rented a Porter Cable drywall sander that hooks up to a shop vac and tried it on popcorn. It did a great job removing the popcorn but the dust extraction was virtually nonexistent.I did an 8x8 area and it looked like a dust bomb went off in the room. I had to switch back to my normal removal method because the dust was overwhelming.

I figure if the Planex has the sanding power of the porter cable with the dust extraction they claim to have it'll be a great investment. :thumbup:

Here's a vid I found of someone using it for popcorn removal, looks pretty awesome.


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## South-FL-Painter (Jan 17, 2012)

DK Remodeling said:


> What do you guys mean with dial right or correctly? Like the speed?


Yes.it has speed control on the sander it self and the it has vacuum suction power adjuster.dust extractor also has adjusting

If you go on max it will drill oval whole in drywall easy haha the sander sticks to the wall so the weight is controlled by that.I don't see planex heavy at all.


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

Bought the entire system to try on an empty house with full popcorn removal(over $3,000).The guys tried it for 1/2 a day and it was a bust.
Too heavy,too awkward,too slow, etc... Just not what we had hoped. I sent it all back.

I could not imagine how awkward it would be in a home with furniture to work around.

We were hoping to eleviate the need for oil primer and the mess associated with using water.


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## DK Remodeling (Mar 22, 2013)

aaron61 said:


> Bought the entire system to try on an empty house with full popcorn removal(over $3,000).The guys tried it for 1/2 a day and it was a bust.
> Too heavy,too awkward,too slow, etc... Just not what we had hoped. I sent it all back.
> 
> I could not imagine how awkward it would be in a home with furniture to work around.
> ...


How many guys used the planex in 4 hours? Like the guys said. Was it dial right? Don't you think that was like using half a gallon of paint to come up with verdict. Just saying

The planex is $1, 000 plus the extractor somewhere arount $700 What made it go up to $3,000.

Thanks


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

That's a bummer, Aaron. Usually at least one out of four guys can figure it out pretty quickly.


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

It "could" be used. Not a matter of figuring it out really it just wouldn't save any time compared to the conventional way.


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

DK Remodeling said:


> How many guys used the planex in 4 hours? Like the guys said. Was it dial right? Don't you think that was like using half a gallon of paint to come up with verdict. Just saying
> 
> The planex is $1, 000 plus the extractor somewhere arount $700 What made it go up to $3,000.
> 
> Thanks


extensions,harness,sandpaper,etc...


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

aaron61 said:


> It "could" be used. Not a matter of figuring it out really it just wouldn't save any time compared to the conventional way.


That's interesting.


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

Just watch that video.How long do you think that would take just for that little room?


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

aaron61 said:


> Just watch that video.How long do you think that would take just for that little room?


I haven't done popcorn or texture removal with it. Just drywall mud and primer. It's been a hot rod in those disciplines.


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

What about 10 ft ceilings all day long?


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

aaron61 said:


> What about 10 ft ceilings all day long?


Done it. (just not with popcorn or texture). Rather have that going than a pole sander or a sponge and stilts!


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

For most popcorn ceilings you just get it wet and scrape it. It comes off like butter.The problem is the yellowing of the drywall that then occurs which requires 1 or 2 coats of oil primer.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

aaron61 said:


> For most popcorn ceilings you just get it wet and scrape it. It comes off like butter.The problem is the yellowing of the drywall that then occurs which requires 1 or 2 coats of oil primer.


I can see the issue there. Hard to imagine that wetting it, doing all the cleanup, waiting for it to dry and then waiting on 2 coats of oil primer would be faster. 

Were those 4 guys getting paid by the hour? :jester:

In all seriousness, I will have to put the thing on popcorn and see what the deal is.


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

I was actually there myself for the test run. Tried 80 grit & 36 grit.Just way to slow


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

Trust me I REALLY wanted it to be the solution! I wouldn't have put out all that money if I didn't.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

I'm kinda surprised and disappointed. I did that 8x8 area in 10mins tops with the porter cable with 100 grit because I couldn't get any rougher paper. Poor dust extraction was the issue not speed. In the vid it looked like he was recording and using the planex at the same time, I thought that's why it was slow. 

Well I'm not gonna make that kind of investment until I hear of someone having good results with it on popcorn. I was really hoping it would be the popcorn magic bullet.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Rbriggs82 said:


> I'm kinda surprised and disappointed. I did that 8x8 area in 10mins tops with the porter cable with 100 grit because I couldn't get any rougher paper. Poor dust extraction was the issue not speed. In the vid it looked like he was recording and using the planex at the same time, I thought that's why it was slow.
> 
> Well I'm not gonna make that kind of investment until I hear of someone having good results with it on popcorn. I was really hoping it would be the popcorn magic bullet.


I get into drywall so for me if it under performs on the texture removal it would still be a keeper but I just have yet to get one.


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## matt19422 (Oct 2, 2009)

You have 30 days to try it out and return.... No brainer!

I use mine on skim coats and that alone is worth having the planex.

It works great to sand primers, flat paints wall prep... 

Have not used it for popcorn removal yet. But I will say that if your sanding old paint with sheen higher than flat , be prepared for the pad to gum up.

We run the 36e extractor with it and our drops stay dust free. 

Part of having this set up has led us to purchase the 90dx, 6"Ceros, and a Dts400. All of them tie into the 36E.

Once you empty your first bag from the extractor you realize how much dust you contained from floating, falling, or breathing.

Is this tool worth a run, I think so.

Aaron, I'm surprised you had such a bad experience with it, only keeping it for 4 hours really doesnt give the tool as a whole a fair shot.


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

vermontpainter said:


> Haven't put it on popcorn or texture yet, just joint compound and primer.


This theme comes up randomly and people are wanting something it wasn't originally designed to do. If Festool made a 'popcorn removal tool' I'm sure it would kick azz.


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## DK Remodeling (Mar 22, 2013)

Paint and Hammer said:


> This theme comes up randomly and people are wanting something it wasn't originally designed to do. If Festool made a 'popcorn removal tool' I'm sure it would kick azz.


Very good point sir. I'll be happy just to be able to sand dow to drywall some ugly textures. But maybe for popcorn I would still do it spraying water and scraping.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Paint and Hammer said:


> This theme comes up randomly and people are wanting something it wasn't originally designed to do. If Festool made a 'popcorn removal tool' I'm sure it would kick azz.


But they don't. When I spoke to Christian about this it was to see if we could eliminate the wet.


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

Workaholic said:


> But they don't. When I spoke to Christian about this it was to see if we could eliminate the wet.



...and they never will....too specific of a task. 

Maybe if they could modify the 'skirt' to allow for the texture.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

You can get pretty good dust collection by hooking a shop vac to the dust port of a regular orbital. I made a "skirt" or a shroud for an orbital out of the top of a rubber boot, then vented it along with the dust port into a hepa vac hose for lead jobs.


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

matt19422 said:


> You have 30 days to try it out and return.... No brainer!
> 
> I use mine on skim coats and that alone is worth having the planex.
> 
> ...


Why would I need longer than that to know if something is going to work or not?? 1/2 a day f'n around with something when you have a deadline to meet! Don't cut it in my book.
I'm tellin ya though if they came up with a tool popcorn removal I'd be all over it!


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## Sully (May 25, 2011)

I'm highly impressed by their video. I will read this post tomorrow. Seems like a worthy investment


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## matt19422 (Oct 2, 2009)

aaron61 said:


> Why would I need longer than that to know if something is going to work or not?? 1/2 a day f'n around with something when you have a deadline to meet! Don't cut it in my book.
> I'm tellin ya though if they came up with a tool popcorn removal I'd be all over it!



I understand that it did not work for that particular application (popcorn removal) , what I was saying is that the tool itself could be implemented for other avenues in your residential painting division. :thumbup:


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

I could see using one on most every repaint of ours being that they are usually botched diy fixes we are getting paid to fix. 

Stinks it isn't working for texture removal and be efficient enough.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

straight_lines said:


> I could see using one on most every repaint of ours being that they are usually botched diy fixes we are getting paid to fix.
> 
> Stinks it isn't working for texture removal and be efficient enough.


I agree. Even after popcorn removal I lightly pole sand the ceiling to get any residue off, then spackle everything and sand again. So the planex would still be a great asset even if I do a wet removal. After that I can see it being utilized on about 50% of my repaints, still way worth it.


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

Well, well, well....look what I found....

removed link

.


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## South-FL-Painter (Jan 17, 2012)

I am going to try the festool planex on the popcorn removal for the first time,some time next week.I will update this thread what is my experience with it.So far on skim coats it worked awesome!


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Paint and Hammer said:


> Well, well, well....look what I found....
> 
> removed link
> 
> .


I feel this was my idea.


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

Workaholic said:


> I feel this was my idea.


I say you should get a percentage of all future US sales. :yes:


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Schmidt & Co. said:


> I say you should get a percentage of all future US sales. :yes:


That might be a bit to much to ask but a planex would be nice. :whistling2:


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

Workaholic said:


> That might be a bit to much to ask but a planex would be nice. :whistling2:


Dream big. Don't settle for less than 3% of all gross sales.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

I am a realist.


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

Workaholic said:


> I feel this was my idea.


I feel you are kinda right....but there is some satisfaction that some Canadian dude out of Saskatchewan did the vid. Saskatchewan is like the hick-ville Alabama of Canada.....oh - wait a minute. :whistling2:


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Paint and Hammer said:


> I feel you are kinda right....but there is some satisfaction that some Canadian dude out of Saskatchewan did the vid. Saskatchewan is like the hick-ville Alabama of Canada.....oh - wait a minute. :whistling2:



lol I love those Sasquatchians. They look happy when I watch them on Art Mann.


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

Workaholic said:


> lol I love those Sasquatchians. They look happy when I watch them on Art Mann.


"Sasquatchians".....oh man, forgot about that one! 

I'd double thank you if I could.


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