Festool ETS 150/3

[felixe]

I just wanted to start a post in the festool forum that wasn't domino related.:p
I just unpacked my new ROS, hooked her up and plugged her in, WOW!
So smooth and for a sander for fine finishing it sure removes a lot of wood.
Worth $499? You betcha, and even better when you can buy it from Carbatec for $438!:D :D :D (not that I should know it was a present!:rolleyes: )

[Auld Bassoon]

Good buy mate!

Now, a few comparison pics between what you have been using and the Festo would be in order methinks!

[patr]

An excellent choice and a very sound purchase Felixe!

Did you manage to do a comparison test against the Metabo and if you did what feature(s) of the Festool won you over?

Pat

[felixe]

Auld, the last ROS I had was a 125mm GMC, the only pictures worth sending would be the ones when the sanding disk flies off the base pad (and sometimes out the window, like when I was sanding the VJs for repainting). When I finish my study (soon I hope:o ) I plan to put Bruce and Studleys timber to use so I should have some piccys.
Patr - no I didn't do a comparison on the metabo, there was enough bad feedback here about the dual function failing to turn me off it.
What won me over?
I picked the 3mm oscillation after talking to tooltechnik in Vic, and told them what I wanted to do with their sander and what sanders I currently owned, they suggested 3mm over 5mm.
No vibration.
Excellent finish. (of the tool and on the timber)
Festool reputation.
The price compared to the metabo (it was $60 cheaper at carbatec)
The deal on $100 of sandpaper they currently have.
The dust extraction when I hook it up the shop vac.
The quality of the sandpaper as compared to the usual bunnings variety rubbish (prager etc)
The sealed bearings.... um I think that is it,
Summary - the Quality, perceived life expectancy of tool, reputation and price.:D :D :D

[patr]

So nothing much then eh!:D

Pat





The Staff at Smugglers Cottage quickly rumbled that the Cornish folk drinking at the Pub were not quite local. It was their inability to pronounce w's as w's. The vankers.

[bloggs1968]

I'm with you mate. Best sander I have in the shop and worth every cent. I have another boatbuilder mate who has one too and swears by it. Paper is expensive but try getting it from the US - it's heaps cheaper.

regards,

AD

[felixe]

Thanks for the tip on the sandpaper from the US, can you post some links?:)
I know the paper is more expensive here, but reviews are that it lasts a long time because of the quality materials and the dust extraction. I have to say that when I compared both the festool paper and prager paper the difference was very noticeable.

[bloggs1968]

I got my last lot from here.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/search_subCategory.do?categoryName=Festool%20Abrasives&categoryId=250&refine=1&page=GRID&history=wr5ncwru%7Ctop_category%7Cpage%7EGRID%5EcategoryName%7EAbrasives%5EcategoryId%7E452

AD

[felixe]

Went to C&L tools the other day and bought the felt polishing pad for my sander (actually used for rotex) it works brilliantly on the ETS 150/3:) :) :)

[Bodgy]

Paper is expensive but try getting it from the US - it's heaps cheaper.

regards,

AD

Do what a few of us do. Buy cloth backed sand paper from Abraquip here - a sq m at a time - cut to size and punch the holes. You can do around 5 discs at a time. Better quality, quick, much cheaper and no Seppos.

[felixe]

Thanks Bodgy,
Can you pass on contact details for Abraquip.
Regards
Felixe

[felixe]

Actually don't worry I found it on this site, thanks again for the tip.