# Festool !!!



## 1963 Sovereign (Dec 14, 2011)

OMG that catalog is tool ****,I must own some soon ! Just can not decide which sander to buy first..any thoughts?


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

1963 Sovereign said:


> OMG that catalog is tool ****,I must own some soon ! Just can not decide which sander to buy first..any thoughts?


What are you going to be using it for?


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## 1963 Sovereign (Dec 14, 2011)

not trying to be smart.. but I would like to sand drywall patches and as much other stuff as possible..was that answer helpful?


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Have you seen this thread? http://www.painttalk.com/f12/festool-sander-interior-trim-16839/

The ETS 125 is what I am using for mud sanding, it is not as an aggressive sander as some. The ETS is a lighter weight sander than say the RO 125 so if you were doing overhead work it may be a factor in your decision. The ETS is also a good one handed sander.

If you are looking for aggressive sanding you could consider the RO 125 and then switch it back to normal mode for normal sanding.

Probably best if you determine your needs and then go from there, to try and combine as many of your needs into one or two sander may take some research. 
Do you have a dealer in your area? If so meet him and discuss with him your needs and what your expectations are. Nothing like holding the tool in your hand to help you decide. 


Either way I would consider looking at a combo kit so that you are getting the full advantage of the dust removal while saving a few dollars when buying them paired together. 


I just recently started using them. I am sure some more experienced Festool users will chime in shortly.


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

Workaholic said:


> Nothing like holding the tool in your hand to help you decide.


I really wish I could have made it to Indy for that very reason. I have my list that I still need to purchase. But I think having the opportunity to try out some tools I might not have otherwise thought about might change my mind.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Schmidt & Co. said:


> I really wish I could have made it to Indy for that very reason. I have my list that I still need to purchase. But I think having the opportunity to try out some tools I might not have otherwise thought about might change my mind.


I hear you. I had never seen Festool first hand until then and getting to touch them and see them in use was really an impression. How far is Schaumburg from you Paul? There is a demo there next month. http://www.festoolusa.com/where-to-buy/experience-demo-days.html

I was thinking of trying a pair of those Blaklader pants people are talking about so I looked them up online to see where a retailer is, not one for over 150 miles from me. My impression when I saw them online was they were kind of funky maybe even a little ugly but if they were accessible to where I could look at them and feel the quality and try them on for comfort the impression could be totally different but if I can not even get them in Nashville or Atlanta then it is an online sale which works if you know the product but not if you are in the consideration period. 

This is where Festool's 30 day return policy really helps, essentially try it and if you don't like it return it with no questions asked.


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

Workaholic said:


> How far is Schaumburg from you Paul? There is a demo there next month. http://www.festoolusa.com/where-to-buy/experience-demo-days.html


Thank you! Schaumburg is only a 20 min drive for me. Will have to check it out for sure. 

Regarding the Baklader. I saw my first pair in person last Wednesday at my PDCA meeting. One of the guys had on his "estimating" pair, but I'm still unsure about them. I would have no problem if they were one solid color. I just cant get past the two tone look of them.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Schmidt & Co. said:


> Thank you! Schaumburg is only a 20 min drive for me. Will have to check it out for sure.
> 
> Regarding the Baklader. I saw my first pair in person last Wednesday at my PDCA meeting. One of the guys had on his "estimating" pair, but I'm still unsure about them. I would have no problem if they were one solid color. I just cant get past the two tone look of them.


No problem. Indy would of been better. 

Yeah I think with the Blaklader's they need to be seen in person the black knees look funky to me. For you though there is 10 places listed to buy. The South loses again lol.


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## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

Festool Dust Extractor plus Mirka Ceros 6" and the Mirka non eletric hand held = my drywall patch sanding equipment.


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## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

Just a friendly reminder to take some of the pressure off of making your decision... We have a 30-day money back guarantee. If you buy a tool and aren't completely satisfied for whatever reason, just return it for a full refund or to apply it toward the purchase of another tool.

The drywall patch jobs, I would recommend the ETS 125, RTS 400 or DTS 400. They are all compact, lightweight and vibration free. The advantage of the RTS/DTS is that they can get into corners because of their shape.

If you have any specific questions, just let me know.

Shane


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## alertchief (Nov 12, 2009)

Just bought the 125eq with mini extractor! I use it for sanding crappy old paint jobs and small repairs before I put new paint on! A quick run over the walls and all the old sins and burrs are gone and the walls look and feel great! Using the Abranet pads instead of the festool ones due to pt recommendations. Using 120 grit and it works very well for my goal.


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## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

alertchief said:


> Using the Abranet pads instead of the festool ones due to pt recommendations.


Congrats on the new set up! Just curious, but what recommendations? In tests, our Granat abrasives far outlast Abranet. If there's something we need to do to meet those recommendations, I'd like to know.

Thanks.


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## alertchief (Nov 12, 2009)

shofestoolusa said:


> Congrats on the new set up! Just curious, but what recommendations? In tests, our Granat abrasives far outlast Abranet. If there's something we need to do to meet those recommendations, I'd like to know.
> 
> Thanks.


Actually it was just a pt post which may have been about your products! I do really like the way they are made. To me it seems the ability to collect dust through a product that the entire surface is permeable rather than holes would be improved. It may be your product is just as good and I will certainly check into the option you mentioned. Thanks


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## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

Thanks for the clarification. The dust extraction takes place through the holes on the pad. So, having an abrasive that completely full of holes doesn't help with dust extraction. You should have gotten a sample pack of abrasives with your sander if you purchased it new. If you'll be at the PDCA show in Vegas, hit me up and I'll give you some sheets of Granat to try out.

Here's a cool video about our dust extraction which includes a segment comparing it to competitors.


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## alertchief (Nov 12, 2009)

shofestoolusa said:


> Thanks for the clarification. The dust extraction takes place through the holes on the pad. So, having an abrasive that completely full of holes doesn't help with dust extraction. You should have gotten a sample pack of abrasives with your sander if you purchased it new. If you'll be at the PDCA show in Vegas, hit me up and I'll give you some sheets of Granat to try out.
> 
> Here's a cool video about our dust extraction which includes a segment comparing it to competitors.
> 
> Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf2R81aFjdU


I did in fact get a sample of numerous pads which I will use next week for a comparison. What grit do you recommend for the application of cleaning up and dulling previous paint jobs? I used 120 on this project.


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## shofestoolusa (Dec 1, 2011)

Grit is a fairly standardized measure of the size of the particles doing the scratching of the surface. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandpaper#Grit_sizes

So, if you've been using 120 with another brand, I would recommend starting with the same grit in our abrasives. The difference should be in the longevity of the paper, how long you can sand before it loses its bite. That can be from a number of factors including the dulling of the cutting particles, clogging of the paper, heat build up can play a factor, etc. That's where you should see a genuine difference with Granat. I would encourage you to share your experience afterwards. 

PS - Granat is a light blue color and it should be labeled on the back of each sheet with the type and grit to help you identify what you have in your sample pack.

Shane


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