Duplex linear sander, yes or no?

[Greg Q]

Greetings all.

I have a vacancy in my systainer stack, and a large plantation shutter job. I will need to perform finish sanding on approximatley 300 meters of louvres for a fairly ambitious project. Has anyone any first hand experience with the Duplex sander, good or bad?

(I will profile the stock on the spindle moulder, just need a clean-up sander)
My louvers will be about 65mm wide, so a custom sanding pad formed to conform to the profile should be no problem.

Thanks

Greg

[patr]

Hi Greg

This is from a post I made on 5 May on the 'what is your favorite (Fes)tool' thread

"But, having sanded down over 20 window rebates recently in this old house of mine, the tool which has saved me countless hours of sanding has been the wonderful Duplex 130 in-line sander which with the 90 degree sanding pad, sands both surfaces of the rebate at the same time. Unglamourous maybe but a really clever piece of kit which will take on virtually any profile as you can create your own sanding pad."

This is one of the unsung heroes in the Festool line up and I think it is a superb bit of kit. You can control exactly where you want to sand, right up to edges, and the linear motion gives a superb finish. I have the standard pad and the right-angle pad that comes in the box and have even made my own profile using the block pad which even a Military thicko like me found very easy to do.

I would give Anthony a quick bell and get one. I am sure you will not regret it. I recommend it safe in the knowledge that I am thousands of miles away. :) In any case, Simou will guard me with his life (unless you have a pie or a slice of pizza on your person.):D

Its a cracking tool.

kind regards
Pat

[patr]

Roger swears by the Duplex. He used it extensively on our verandah louvres in Rajistan. Miranda

[Greg Q]

Thanks Pat...looks like you are one of the few owners on this forum. Since I do more architechtural scale work than I thought I would, I think this tool will be a valuable addition to the kit. There's still a candle burning in the domino's systainer slot, so that'll be next.

Greg (whose despised cat would be a handy diversion for Simou)

[ian]

Greg
I've also got one
If I could only have one sander it'd be a 150/3
but if I were allowed two, then the linear would be it

ian

[patr]

Hi Greg

Not sure if you have a 150 Rotex but the boffins at Schloss Festool have brought out a new pad designed for getting into louvres. See link;
http://www.festool.co.uk/images/gb_downloads/Wood_Newsletter.pdf

Agree totally with Ian re the 150/3 which gives a superb finish but the thing that tickles me with the Duplex is the ability to sand both sides of a rebate at the same time as well as the 'sand your own profile' feature which has saved me no end of time.

Duplex/Domino. Get both, think of the money you will save on candles.


Pat

( Sorry, cats are off the menu. Bones stick in his throat:rolleyes: )


"Herr Major Phipps...das ist eine phantastiche finish on der glider."
" Couldn't have done it without me trusty Duplex Herr Vogel"

[Greg Q]

Hello again...

I do have a Rotex, and it's a family favourite*. I also bought an RS200 during that model's closeout. Nice sander, but it's a bit big sometimes. Lovely, fine 2.4 mm stroke though, and it does the great job you'd expect.

The job that I have involves the machining of all the parts for what is now two houses worth of shutters. I wanted a sander that would allow me to sand the semi-elliptical louvers in one pass, and quickly. Since there are curved surfaces the linear is just the ticket.

*My wife helps me once every blue moon. I also have a Makita sander, and an off-brand drill to go with the Rotex and TDD. She tried the Rotex once and now insists on it if she has to help. Ditto the TDD. She's also undertaken a systainer census, so I have to add them gradually.

Pat, thanks for that link though. The hose garage for the CT vacs looks like a winner, and is long overdue. My CT22 is a cornerstone tool, but I'm tired of the loose hose.

Greg

[patr]

Greg

The Duplex is the one to go for.

As for Systainer censii..... my Chief of Staff has a really annoying habit of noticing large white boxes too. The pictures of the tools on the front of the Systainer act like a beacon to her 20/20 vision and the interrogation I then get is enough to make Herr Flick of the Gestapo wince. However, my recently aquired Rotex 150 has got under her radar. I have cunningly removed all the Festool labels from the box and added my own label with "Spare Sanding Belts" printed on it in big black letters. Age the box a bit by rubbing some MDF dust into the plastic and it blends in like Tony Bliar at a Snake Oil Salesmans Convention. Worked so far.:D

Pat

I know its a cowardly and deceitful thing to do. Rest assured I am not proud of myself. :o

[Greg Q]

Greg

I have cunningly removed all the Festool labels from the box and added my own label with "Spare Sanding Belts" printed on it in big black letters. Age the box a bit by rubbing some MDF dust into the plastic and it blends in like Tony Bliar at a Snake Oil Salesmans Convention. Worked so far.:D

Pat

I know its a cowardly and deceitful thing to do. Rest assured I am not proud of myself. :o

Great strategy! I shall employ those tactics when the next systainer arrives. I shall do so giddy with self-loathing, but giddy nonetheless.

Greg

[nt900]

My assumption is Pat, that your CoS does not get online much. At least not on to certain Aussie woodworking forums then. :D

My personal order of Festool sander purchases was:
1 - ROTEX
2 - DUPLEX - as you say Pat, it is one of the unsung heroes of the range. Mine saved me countless hours of sanding that I previously thought I could only do by hand. That one sander kept me ahead of a tradie I had hired (by the hour) who was working with me on the same project, and the sander paid for itself with that one job.

[patr]

My assumption is Pat, that your CoS does not get online much. At least not on to certain Aussie woodworking forums then. :D


Anthony

I know this will grate with some but I have told the CoS that the Australian Woodwork website is not for her (or me for that matter:D )because it is:

a. full of sad Antipodean holzmeister wannabees who only want to discuss the merits of their tools
b. littered with foul words such as DeWalt

Plus I have renamed it in my Favorites as " Pat's Old Army Stories for the Long Winter nights"

Seems to have done the trick.

Pat

Pull up a sandbag Captain Snetterton and swing that Hurricane Lamp. We were up to our neck in............