Thread: Anyone has used the Rustofix?

Originally Posted by zuma

... The only problem is that the breakdown drwaings are not available on the Internet...

They are now, I didn't know it yet when I had to order some small parts for my cs70 table extension (knobs and screws that got lost). Check the last link in my previous post (or the festool.nl site). (It also has the Dutch prices for the spare parts)

@ riri: The direct links worked only for a while, but if you go to the last one and click on the + before "festool", you can navigate to the ras 180.03E (it's under "surface treatment"> "rotary sanders")

Aah the breakdown drawings with partnumbers are available on the German site. Great link: ekat.festool.de

Thanks!

Oké it's very easy to make from a RS 400 a DS 400 sander and vice versa.

I found out that I need only 2 parts to make from my RS 400 a DS 400:

Partnr. 489125 and partnr. 489126. It will cost me a lousy 33 euro's exclusive taxes. To make the change I have to unscrew ad rescrew 8 screws. Which is fine be me. If you don not have the time well simply buy the two machines.

Bet that such a thing is also possible with the Rustofix check the ekat.festool.de link and use the print option. Select to print the breakdown drawing and the partlist. Of both machines you want to convert to and by comparing the two part lists you'll see exactly what's needed to make the conversion.

Has anyone used the Rustofix?...Yes i have and i immediately put it to work. It does wonders at scrubing old pine floorboards. It does it in a much quicker way than sanding. It is comparable to a heavy duty commercial rotary scraper. The difference is that the rustofix keeps and accentuates the veins and the grain. That is with the wire brush. Then you smooth it down with the nylon/abrasive brush still keeping the grain and the veins. That is an ideal start for cerusing.

The only improvement i will make is a long handle so that you can work upright.

I asked my retailer about reconvert it into a grinder and he confirmed that it is the same machine than the grinder RAS180 ans that all parts are available. I therefore have 2 machines for the (heavy price ) of one.

riri

Ha Riri be nice and name the partnumbers needed to change the rustofix in to a rotary sander/scraper. Always nice to know waht can be conversed into another machine. Might be a total whole new interesting topic.

Hi,

Here are the parts needed:

2 Allen screws hold the Rustofix attachment to the body. Unscrew these and replace the Rustofix attachment with hood extractor ( part n°441308 ). The sanding pads STF D 180 or 2 F D 180 are screwed directly onto the shaft M14 thread. Another pad for fibres called Elastic D 180 is mounted by a locking nut. I am not sure what is the purpose of this fiber pad.

Very simple in fact.

riri

By the way...anyone has used a RAS 180 sander/grinder? How does it compare with the Rotex?

Thanks,

riri

The RAS 180 takes other abrassive tools than sanding paper. So it's lots coarser than a Rotex with sanding paper. My guess is the RAS 180 is for heavy duty renovation work and automotive puprposes and the Rotex is more an all purpose woodworking sander or fine automotive work.

Hi,

Yes i've done it. Now i have a Rustofix and a RAS 180

On the picture, a Rotex 150 to show you the size.

Other Festools tools can also be converted into another tool at a fraction of the cost.

riri

Hi,

I got round to do a comparative test between the Rotex 150 versus Ras 180. Playground was old pine floorboard. I used grit 36 for both machines.

For a similar surface, it took 5' fot the Rotex to do the job ( agressive mode ) and only half of that for the RAS 180.

I was surprised how gentle the RAS was. I choose a speed setting between 2 an 3 and you could control it with a finger. Due to the sheer size and weight of the beast, no effort downwards is required. Also, it is softer on the joints than the Rotex.

On the other hand, abrasives on the RAS are clogging very quickly if setting is too high. Abrasives for the RAS are extremely expensive ( 3 euros ).

I have always loved the Rotex and still do. It is a very capable machine that can do everyting except corners. The RAS is extremely powerful and does the job fast and is a very gentle and well balanced machine.

riri

I know it’s a old thread but it’s the only one about converting a Rustofix into a RAS180.

I’ve ordered needed spare parts but how is it possible to separate the Rustofix « tool arbor » from the « gear shaft » ? It looks like a single part.

Originally Posted by riri

Hi,

Yes i've done it. Now i have a Rustofix and a RAS 180

On the picture, a Rotex 150 to show you the size.

Other Festools tools can also be converted into another tool at a fraction of the cost.

riri

Here is a picture of my problem to separate the Tool Arbour from the gear shaft:
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