Thread: Festool Rotex 90

thanks for the info jim.
i was wondering how the new sander would perform.

the 90mm head would be perfect for sanding 90mm timber decking.

i imagine the larger rotex would damage 90mm decking boards just as much as it would sand them.
because as i am sure you know, the boards are not always level. some boards can sit a little prouder than others which would cause extra damage to the sanding pad also.

i recently laid a 140mm wide board kwila deck.
i reckon the rotex 125 would have been perfect for the 140mm boards.

justin.

Awesome "little" sander. It has more power than the 150/3
I find it hard to control the 90mm disk on rotex mode because of the chronic power. What i love is the motor at the back and gearing at the front, and both connected via belt under the handle. I think there is some cordless technology in this. Maybe Anthony can shed some light on that.

This is one cool tool

I do most of my big work with a Lagler Hummel 200mm belt sander and then all of the edging that the big sander can't get to with the Rotex 150. However , I need a minumum of 1.8-2.0 metre long boards to be able fit the big sander on and actually walk forward. Often around pools and walkways into houses etc this isn't the case so I put on my knee pads and use the 150 Rotex sometimes for 6 hours in a day. Most decks are full of uneven,cupped boards and I find that the best way is to have the Rotex at about a 10degree angle so you are sanding mainly on the edge of the pad. I find going up and down across the grain will quicly remove the crap I find on boards ranging from Sikkens cetol deck,Sikkens HLS,Intergrain DWD and various other coatings. After I have the coating off I then run the sander back and forth with the grain. you can do this with the rotex flat if the timber will allow it. I do all of the sanding in the coarse made only.

This new little sander will make sanding vertical posts ,screens where you have more strain on your arms from the weight of the Rotex which can get heavy after a day of sanding. The other factor in this is the quality and types of sanding abrasives. If you try to use cheap you will be frustrated. I use a 40 grit paper from Klingspor that is good for coatings. I also use Festool crystal,brilliant and Rubin at different grits. It is not unusual to use 100-150 discs on some jobs. I wear out the pads quite quickly and generally have several spare with me. I see a lot of decks that have had the edges done with a normal hardwood edger that have left large swirl marks that standout like dogs balls on a Doberman Pincher. The Rotex cleans up anything and combined with the Festool dust extractor is a great setup. It leaves almost no swirl marks so the edges blend in with what the hummel has sanded. My business depends on great results and there is no way I could achieve what I do without it.

I started out with a Lagler Elan edging machine for $2500.00 and after 2 jobs I put it in the shelf to collect dust as it left swirl marks everywhere.

If anyone out there is looking for a small but a sander with grunt this one will not disappoint. I will probably get a second one as I always carry 2 in case one dies on the job.

I am sure others out there can add to this thread

jimj Restore-A-Deck :: decks timber restoration maintenance jetty boardwalk fences

speaking of decks jim.
what is your preferred choice of oil?
are you are sikkens man or intergrain man?

a lot of old school chippies swear by dimension 4.

justin.

When the topic of exterior timber coatings comes up it can cause a lot of debate,arguments and angst. That is not my intention. What I have discovered is the greatest degrader of timber and various coatings is the amount of direct sun uv that it receives. Most coatings that are under a protective roof line will hold up pretty good. Some better than others. I started off with Sikkens cetol Deck at my house. 90% of my maindeck is under roof line and looked great but 10% sticks out from the roof line and is in total sun .Within 6 months it started to crack. I got a little anoyed by this as I still had a pool deck to do and it was grey with dome headed nails sittting proud.

Long story short I went with Flood Spa&DEck . It is a water based acyrlic. I have now applied to over 175 houses over 5 years with no call backs of complaint. It may not look as spectacular as other products but it certainly outlasts in time and is much easier to maintain. It is also the only product on the market to offer a 2 year guarantee that says it will not crack,blister or peel. It doesn;t. Intergrain DWD is probably the worst culprit and blistering and delaminating that I have seen.

I could go on but I would suggest reading through the archives in the renovate forum in the decking category. Many people have written on this topic and each of us need to be able to sift through the information and then make an informed decision. I have reached the conclusion that there is no such thing as the best. Each product has its good points and its bad. Some are better than others.

jimj Restore-A-Deck :: decks timber restoration maintenance jetty boardwalk fences

its funny that you mention the flood spa&deck product.
my local timber deck supplier was trying to sell me this product last week.
i might give it a go next time.
justin

Even in the spa&deck range of 6 colours I find that there are only several that I think have an apealing colour. I think the shade of Jarrah is by far the nicest. It is a red brown in colour. The natural is by far the worst in the field as it dries very yellow.
Spa&DEck use is certainly on the rise. The paint shop assistant at Bunnings Maroochydore told me they sell more Spa&Deck than any other Bunnings in Qld.

In saying this there is no such thing as the word's best. We can only choose what is on the shelf and I am always on the lookout for something better and it will eventually come out.

jimj restore-a-deck.com.au