Ro150

[Matrix]

Hello,

I have looked at the buying the RO150 with the 22 liter vacuum and am considering the following. Would appreciate opinions.

We have a 4 bedroom house with oak floors in each. The stairs as also oak. The home was built in 1964 and the floors have never been refinished. Rooms are about 10' x 12' to 12' x 12'.
I am thinking of using the RO150 in rotary mode with 36 grit paper to take the old finish off. Then move to random orbital with 36 grit to remove swirls, followed by 80 grit then 120 grit and then apply finish.
Reason for using the RO150 is the excellent dust control and the pure power of the machine.
Do you thing the RO150 is up to the job? :?

Don

[Flowboy]

Hi Matrix and welcome,

The RO150 is certainly a powerful beast and should be up to the task you want. 36 grit on an RO150 is fierce and rips a lot of stock quickly. (Anthony, you may have more relvant info.) When you come to dressing the floorboards, depending on what they are, you will probably need a broader range of grits, a) to ease the load on the sander and b) to ensure full removal of swirls and to help keep a level floor. So, something like 36, 50, 100, 120, 150g. I'd use only the 120 and 150 in ROS mode.
You could also consider the 8" sander if its available but I must say that my RO150 just doesn't stop.

Hope this helps,

Rob

[nt900]

Hi Don, evening Rob.

I don't have any experience with Oak flooring, but I do have opinion on the ROTEX and Rubin P36 abrasives. That's one powerful combination, and unless you are trying to remove a lot of cupping and other areas where serious amounts of timber need to be removed, something finer to start with may be more suitable. The P36 can leave some serious scratches that require a lot of work to get out. I mean, if the floor is in good condition and only needs the old finish removed for the new one to go down, try Brilliant or Rubin P60 first, or even try P80 first. The ROTEX removes finish a lot faster than a typical eccentric, so you don't need to use coarse grits to compensate for a slow action machine.

Another good reason for using the RO150FEQ (apart from the excellent dust control and power) is the edge protector. Gets you right up there against the skirting boards with no marring them or kicking away of the sander because you never actually hit them with the pad.

I have a view of the CT22 as well. Consider the CT33 if you don't need to be that mobile with it (going between sites every day). Only because you get an extra 10 litres bag capacity for little more initial outlay. But over time, it works out more cost effective $/litre bag wise, and you are going to have that DE for many years to come.

Yet again, I don't have the experience with Oak, so I would love to hear how it goes and what grits worked for you and your floor. Some before and after pics would be great if you get the time to bring us some results. Were the floorboards always exposed to foot traffic, or covered for part of their life?

[Matrix]

Good morning.

Thank you both for the replies.
The thing I am most pleased about is that nobody said I must be crazy for using a 6" ROS for this job. :2tsup:
In Canada, Festool is an unknown entity. In fact to buy the equipment I will have to go to the USA, approx 2 hour drive to the border.
I had the good fortune to meet a person on the internet who lives about a half hour drive from my home who owns the RO150. He allowed me to "test drive" his machine and I was hooked. I have never used a more powerful yet manageable sander. The dust control is amazing.
Many who have suggested that I will burn out any ROS attempting this job. Most tell me that I should just rent a plate or drum sander and not worry about the dust.
I like the idea of having the abilty to own a tool that is so powerful yet still be able to do light sanding and buffing.
Again, thanks for your support and recommendations regarding abrassives.

Don

[Iain]

I also own a 150 and in rotary mode it is an aggressive beast, I have used 24 grit to remove chainsaw marks from redgum.
Be aware that in rotary mode it can be a bit off a bugger to hold onto, especially with a large area and you will tire and it will want to get away.
On ROS it will sit still and not be wont to wander.
As all the other have said, I think 36 is probably a bit savage and will require a lot of further work to cut out the swirling.
The dust control is excellent on these machines and I often use it without a dust mask, just not neccessary, and the vac is also a cooling aid for the machine.
I did our hallway and whilst the machine coped well, it was hard work.

[Flowboy]

Hi Matrix,

You're most welcome. I don't think anyone who has done any degree of serious work with the RO150 would call you crazy. Liike you, I was hooked the moment I brought it home. I use it for everything I can, from 36g through to 4000g for polishing and the finish is unbeatable. I'd actually back at against my Makita Belt sander for heavy work:cool: . Good luck with the project, but just watch out for digging too far and wrecking the level of the floor. :2tsup:

Regards

Rob

[nt900]

Don, I am not saying you aren't crazy for doing it with a hand sander, just that it is possible to get an excellent result that way. But it all depends on the condition of your floor. You experience may be 'not that bad', or 'hard yakka'. If it was me, I would use the ROTEX, and have chosen to do so in the past, but not a whole 4BR house.

If you find it hard going, you can resort to a commercial sanding machine, for the initial pass, then back to the ROTEX for the second and third passes (these are easy and you still have the benefits of the edge protector you don't get with a drum sander and the like). Even if you give up doing the floor with the ROTEX altogether..... you still have a ROTEX and CT in the shed :D:D:D


In earlier posts I mention a guy who has done a few houses in our street and he uses a ROTEX only. This is what he does for a living, and his work is good.

[Matrix]

Good morning again,

Thanks for the messages.
In terms of completing this job, I have the added advantage/disadvantage of wanting to do the rooms one at a time.
Taking all the furniture from the second floor to the garage and then back again when the job is finished is just too much hard graft.
Completing the rooms one at a time gives should give the opportunity to have perfected the process when I get to our room. The daughters rooms will be the trial and error spots.
I must say that I am glad that this forum has a seperate area for Festool products. Each Festool tool I pick up is simply excellent.
I just wish we hade a dealer in Canada!

Don

[extiger]

On the recommendation of my friend who owns a window/door mfg company in Northern California I bought a demonstrator model RO 150. Got it on ebay for $272 usd. Very little use.

I'm new to woodworking but have a fair amount of experience painting automobiles, so I've used rotary grinders and buffers. I tried out the RO 150 in orbital mode (5mm circles) with 220 paper made for finishing. It performed better than any air powered units I've ever used. Easy to control.

I was so excited that I won the bidding that I bought the wrong model Festool. I got the 5mm, when what I really wanted was the 150/3 model, as my friend has.

I plan on doing a lot of hardwood furniture painted with semi-clear auto finishes. So long as the wood is sealed carefully, car finishes are extremely hard, durable and take a high sheen. This is my second Festool machine.

Looking forward to the release of the 110v model Domino machine in late spring.

Nice Chatting with you.

Gary Curtis
near Eureka, on the northern California coast.