Great points. Another benefit to the DIYer regarding high end efficient tools like the Festool sanders- get your projects finished quicker. As a busy surgeon, I have limited time off so when I am completing projects for my house/gifts/whatever it is, I can get more accomplished on off days. And of course: “Happy wife- happy life.” As long as she remains clueless as to how much these tools cost :)
People need to stop complaining about Festool prices. It’s for professionals, and for professionals, it’s actually not a high price! I’m a hobbyist, I started with Einhell, which is one of the cheapest, moved to DeWalt, now I’m moving to Festool. After I tested the plunge saw, I’m definitely going to buy more Festool tools. I’ve never seen something as accurate. Amazing tools!
100% agree. Nothing comes close and money wise it pays for itself after a couple jobs.. plus they make the jobs so much easier. I've got 4 sanders with a CT26. I don't do a job without using atleast 1 or 2 sanders. They can definitely take a beating too!
Hobbyists are probably more likely to buy these than professionals. A hobbyist can buy just one and cry just once. A professional often has to worry about them being stolen from a jobsite or truck or being abused by a worker. These concerns are multiplied (exponentially) if you have to buy them for multiple crews. My point is that if you’re a hobbyist, don’t sell yourself short. A “pro” is just someone who does it for money (you know: like a prostitute). They usually know more tricks to get things done quicker or more efficiently (or that cause less pain to their overused joints and tendons) but many of them produce work that is just good enough to not get them called out and called back on the punch-list. A hobbyist does things because it’s what they love to do. If they have the funds to buy the best tools, then they will, because they don’t have to worry about them walking off the job or being over-sprayed by the painter or knocked off the scaffold by the drywall hanger or the cord being run over by the duct man’s 19’ lift.
Yeah, wish I would have bought one of these sooner. Totally worth the money for the dust collection with a CT alone. Practically dustless and no clogged up paper after five minutes.
You picked the model I picked for the same reasons. Honestly, it seems like a no brainer. The 5” is a good sander but you can do everything with this one, plus you have more surface area with this one. One thing you didn’t mention is reliability. I research a ton and what I found was the merca, though a good sander, has reliably issues. The other thing is, both the merca and the 3m has a paddle on off switch that makes you keep your hand position from moving. Anyone that has done a it of sanding knows that readjusting your hand position is vital in keeping you comfortable. Lastly, get the edge attachment, it looks like a solid upgrade. I plan on getting it down the road. Thanks for your video.
I agree about the paddle switch on the mirka.. I went festool a while ago and added this sander to my line up about a year ago.. I use it mostly for light duties like sanding plaster as I have 2 rotax's for heavy removal. This sander will basically suction itself to a ceiling as its so light. Such a good sander!
Fantastic video, Anthony, you were speaking directly to ME as I've been debating this purchase for months -- your well-considered and thoughtful analysis has pushed me off the fence. But honestly I was heading there anyway because my first ever Festool purchase a month ago was the CT Midi dust extractor ... and I'm honestly in love with the damn thing! And the sander is clearly the dust extractor's marriage made in heaven. "I DO!" And boy, I laughed out loud at NW's comment here about the slippery slope -- I'm picking up speed! (So far my wife hasn't caught on but it's only a matter of time :) I love all your videos, Anthony. The way you think, teach, and create (both the woodworking and video production) is first rate. Keep going!
Great video! So many channels on CZcams have a woodworker with a shop full of tools purchased on Craig's List or handed down through generations...and a $1,000+ sanding system. This really makes sense to me since the quality of the sander really DOES make a difference, regardless of skill. I also think the reduced vibration and better ergonomics of a high-end sander become really important in avoiding repetitive stress injury at best, and neuropathy at worst, particularly after hundreds of hours of sanding. Maybe that's just important to us old guys...
Yea good point. I can spend literally all day on a sander, recently did this with my RTS 400 and feel no vibration in my hands at the end of the day. They are just so comfortable to hold.. probably except for my Rotex 90.. which was my first Festool purchase and is a great all rounder to get started. Even though it's a 90mm it's still so strong and removes material fast!
OK, great! You've seriously upped your sanding game with a Festool ETS EC150/5... Now what? If you want to get the most from that shiny new upgrade, you need to learn to slow down your sanding movement. Keep the pad flat. do NOT lift to sand on the edge, no matter how tempting it may be. You will gouge the workpiece if you do. Allow the sander to do the work. A lot of people assume, ok, I'm sanding, so I have to keep the sander moving... THIS IS WRONG!!! Start the sander with the pad flat on the work, and move the sander approximately 1 inch per second across the workpiece. It should take you 6 to 7 seconds to move the sander across a workpiece one pad distance. Little to no downward pressure is required (especially with that 3M Extract sandpaper), simply use your hand to control the movement of the sander to get the best results. Lift the sander OFF the workpiece before stopping the sander. allowing the sander to slow and stop on the workpiece will create pigtails and swirls. Don't manhandle the sander, and try to avoid placing your hand on top with your palm gripping the sander. Rather, cup the sander body with your hand. This can help you resist to smash the sander into the workpiece to get aggressive with it.
Al, this is AWESOME stuff -- thank you! I haven't gone searching for "orbital sanding technique" (and I'm sure there's stuff out there) but you've elevated it to another level here by being specific to the ETC EC150/5 based on your experience. I'm going to save this video just to refer back to your comments. Got any more sanding advice?
@@hkbondar well, yeah, if you're interested... first off, the 6" (150mm) sanders aren't simply 1 inch bigger than a 5" (125mm) sander. The surface area is 42% larger! If you use any kind of mesh paper, make sure you use the Festool interface pad. The standard hook/loop pad will get worn down by the holes in the mesh and get ruined. For surface flattening and edges, use the Festool HARD pad (and interface pad if needed). I actually use the hard pad for 90% of my sanding. Use the MEDIUM pad for flat surfaces only unless you like rolled corners and edges. Use the soft pad for curves, edge profiles, etc. You can also get thicker interface pads designed for use when sanding curves and profiled edges for the hard pad also. This way you don't need to change the pad so often. Don't sand plywood with anything under 120 grit paper. It comes pre sanded to 120 grit from the factory. Lower grits are for solid wood and moving large amounts of material only. Use a pencil to "squiggle" across the workpiece so you can tell where have sanded, repeating this for every successive grit. 1st pass: Move the sander in columns, across the grain of the workpiece, with about a 50% overlap between the columns. 2nd pass: Move the sander in rows, with the grain of the workpiece, again with a 50% overlap. If the recommendations of my first post are followed, this should be all that's needed and it's time to move up in grit. Keep the sander flat on the workpiece. Start the sander on the work to prevent gouging, and lift the sander off the work before turning it off to prevent pigtails and swirls. If you feel it necessary to add pressure to the sander, drop down a grit, or try a fresh sheet. Remember that the SANDPAPER is the tool, and the SANDER is the machine. A raking light from a flashlight or high lumen source can be used to help locate peaks and valleys, find pigtails and swirl marks, defects, etc. On raw wood surfaces, regardless of the finish being used, it is rarely needed to go above 180 grit, and 220 is absolute maximum if you want a film finish to be durable (paint, lacquer, polyurethane, etc.) Grits above 220 are for finish sanding, not for bare wood, and all you're doing is burnishing the surface at those higher grits. This leads to less finish adhesion, wastes paper, time, and money, and closes off the pores for oil based and wax based finishes. Sanding with these techniques is faster, saves paper, leads to a flatter surface, and is the foundation for flawless finishes and heirloom quality projects. It can also make sanding a lot more fun and satisfying because it has that instant gratification of seeing your work pay off dividends. If these tips help you, leave a comment letting me know, please, and if you have any questions, or tips of your own, leave them in a comment below. Thanks for asking and I hope this helps!
@@AlAmantea Super helpful, thanks again. I've always wondered about that "across the grain" vs. "with the grain" thing, and what order to do them in. And I'd never considered the impact of high-grit sandpaper on clogging up the wood pores and affecting the finish quality. But the best gem in here is "the sandpaper is the tool" -- paradigm shift. Thanks again!
That was the first festool sander I bought after a tracksaw and dust extractor. I settled on the EC 150/5 for the same reasons: bigger pad, excellent dust collection, and larger stroke for less sanding time. You can achieve the same finish with the 5mm stroke as the 3mm, you just get there quicker, so you have to be mindful of how much you're sanding. The hard pad lives on my 150/5 now too; I use interface pads for sanding contours. I sold all my other power sanders, bought the festool, and my only regret is not having done it years ago. I thought about the mirka or surfprep sanders too, but the mirka has known QC issues and costs more than the festool, and I don't think I've seen a single surfprep sander "review" where the sander wasn't provided for "review" by the company. My other festool sander is an RTS 400. That's another excellent little sander.
I bought the track saw and dust extractor as well and will be going tomorrow to get the sander. Right now it will be the only Festool products I own. Next will likely be the domino, but I need to save up for that.
@@terichampion1165 As much as I'd love a domino, for a hobbyist, I'd consider one of the high end doweling jigs instead before a domino. The tow main competitors are the dowelmax and jessem. I went for the dowelmax and am extremely happy with it; it's honestly the only thign preventing me from investing in a domino. Right now it's on sale, so you can get a bundle with the dowelmax and 1/4" drill guide set for $265 shipped. That said, if you have your heart set on a domino, go for it. It's an amazing machine and worth every penny.
Great video, one huge downside to me is there’s no fans inside to suck up the dust, so if you don’t use it with a dust extractor it’s pretty much unusable in my humble opinion, it would be nice if it came with a little dust bag and had its own dust collection if you’re in a pinch but of course festool wants you to own 2-5 of their sanders lol
I'll tell you, even if it's a basic shop-vac, and a cheap sander, you are doing yourself a great disservice if you aren't using dust extraction with an orbital sander. A built in fan in the machine with a bag will never be as efficient at getting the dust out of underneath the sander, so the a lot of the energy you put into sanding just grinds the sawdust over and over, instead of sanding your workpiece. It will result in clogging up and wearing down your sand paper faster, make you sand longer to get the same result, using more consumables etc... Not to mention a bag will not capture as much sanding put into the air, and all of the consequences of that.
BUY THE SOFT HOOK AND LOOP PADS FESTOOL HAS. THEY ARE GREAT FOR DOING EDGES AS THE KEEP YOUR SANDER FLUID AND SOFT SO YOU WONT DIG INTO YOUR WORK! People say the Festool sanders are great for everyday sanding, but even those with Festool say the Mirka is a better finish sander. I wouldn’t know. Of course, the Mirka is more money. I’ve seen a lot of reviews that are really impressed with the 3M. Overall, you probably made the best choice for a high end sander, especially if paired with the dust extractor. I use a Bosch and works good enough for me. One day I will buy the Festool Domino as that’s the only tool you can buy that does the specific job of cutting mortises, but otherwise I’ll likely not purchase any other Festool tools as they’re out of my budget and I can do the same job with far lower cost tools.
The ONLY thing I care about in a sander is what can remove material faster. Compared to the 5 inch variable speed DeWalt for under $100, does the festool do anything more? Does it spin significantly faster or vibrate more?
Best for high removal is the Festool gear driven rotex150, it’s crazy how quick it will strip likes of a door with years of paint , these are top finishing sanders far less vibration, while still being fast
I personally wouldn’t use a corded sander ever - I’m using a Bosch blue pro low profile 18v sander and the dust collection is superb, it also stops right at a push of a button, and it can squeeze into tight corners.
Especially with a sander, you have to connect it to a hose for dust collection anyway so eliminating the cord is pointless. That little dust bag is doing nothing. Might as well use a covid mask pulled down under your chin.
Great points. Another benefit to the DIYer regarding high end efficient tools like the Festool sanders- get your projects finished quicker. As a busy surgeon, I have limited time off so when I am completing projects for my house/gifts/whatever it is, I can get more accomplished on off days. And of course: “Happy wife- happy life.” As long as she remains clueless as to how much these tools cost :)
agree on all points!
People need to stop complaining about Festool prices. It’s for professionals, and for professionals, it’s actually not a high price! I’m a hobbyist, I started with Einhell, which is one of the cheapest, moved to DeWalt, now I’m moving to Festool. After I tested the plunge saw, I’m definitely going to buy more Festool tools. I’ve never seen something as accurate. Amazing tools!
100% agree. Nothing comes close and money wise it pays for itself after a couple jobs.. plus they make the jobs so much easier. I've got 4 sanders with a CT26. I don't do a job without using atleast 1 or 2 sanders. They can definitely take a beating too!
Hobbyists are probably more likely to buy these than professionals. A hobbyist can buy just one and cry just once. A professional often has to worry about them being stolen from a jobsite or truck or being abused by a worker. These concerns are multiplied (exponentially) if you have to buy them for multiple crews.
My point is that if you’re a hobbyist, don’t sell yourself short. A “pro” is just someone who does it for money (you know: like a prostitute). They usually know more tricks to get things done quicker or more efficiently (or that cause less pain to their overused joints and tendons) but many of them
produce work that is just good enough to not get them called out and called back on the punch-list.
A hobbyist does things because it’s what they love to do. If they have the funds to buy the best tools, then they will, because they don’t have to worry about them walking off the job or being over-sprayed by the painter or knocked off the scaffold by the drywall hanger or the cord being run over by the duct man’s 19’ lift.
Yeah, wish I would have bought one of these sooner. Totally worth the money for the dust collection with a CT alone. Practically dustless and no clogged up paper after five minutes.
You picked the model I picked for the same reasons. Honestly, it seems like a no brainer. The 5” is a good sander but you can do everything with this one, plus you have more surface area with this one. One thing you didn’t mention is reliability. I research a ton and what I found was the merca, though a good sander, has reliably issues. The other thing is, both the merca and the 3m has a paddle on off switch that makes you keep your hand position from moving. Anyone that has done a it of sanding knows that readjusting your hand position is vital in keeping you comfortable. Lastly, get the edge attachment, it looks like a solid upgrade. I plan on getting it down the road. Thanks for your video.
I agree about the paddle switch on the mirka.. I went festool a while ago and added this sander to my line up about a year ago.. I use it mostly for light duties like sanding plaster as I have 2 rotax's for heavy removal. This sander will basically suction itself to a ceiling as its so light. Such a good sander!
Fantastic video, Anthony, you were speaking directly to ME as I've been debating this purchase for months -- your well-considered and thoughtful analysis has pushed me off the fence. But honestly I was heading there anyway because my first ever Festool purchase a month ago was the CT Midi dust extractor ... and I'm honestly in love with the damn thing! And the sander is clearly the dust extractor's marriage made in heaven. "I DO!" And boy, I laughed out loud at NW's comment here about the slippery slope -- I'm picking up speed! (So far my wife hasn't caught on but it's only a matter of time :)
I love all your videos, Anthony. The way you think, teach, and create (both the woodworking and video production) is first rate. Keep going!
Thank you very much, and glad I could help.
Great video! So many channels on CZcams have a woodworker with a shop full of tools purchased on Craig's List or handed down through generations...and a $1,000+ sanding system. This really makes sense to me since the quality of the sander really DOES make a difference, regardless of skill. I also think the reduced vibration and better ergonomics of a high-end sander become really important in avoiding repetitive stress injury at best, and neuropathy at worst, particularly after hundreds of hours of sanding. Maybe that's just important to us old guys...
Yea good point. I can spend literally all day on a sander, recently did this with my RTS 400 and feel no vibration in my hands at the end of the day. They are just so comfortable to hold.. probably except for my Rotex 90.. which was my first Festool purchase and is a great all rounder to get started. Even though it's a 90mm it's still so strong and removes material fast!
Great video. So well articulated. I've been thinking about whether to make the switch and this helps a lot.
Glad it was helpful!
I just bought the same sander, it's truly amazing. BTW you should get a medal for using that Dewalt sander 😅
Haha!
OK, great! You've seriously upped your sanding game with a Festool ETS EC150/5... Now what?
If you want to get the most from that shiny new upgrade, you need to learn to slow down your sanding movement.
Keep the pad flat. do NOT lift to sand on the edge, no matter how tempting it may be. You will gouge the workpiece if you do. Allow the sander to do the work.
A lot of people assume, ok, I'm sanding, so I have to keep the sander moving... THIS IS WRONG!!!
Start the sander with the pad flat on the work, and move the sander approximately 1 inch per second across the workpiece. It should take you 6 to 7 seconds to move the sander across a workpiece one pad distance. Little to no downward pressure is required (especially with that 3M Extract sandpaper), simply use your hand to control the movement of the sander to get the best results.
Lift the sander OFF the workpiece before stopping the sander. allowing the sander to slow and stop on the workpiece will create pigtails and swirls.
Don't manhandle the sander, and try to avoid placing your hand on top with your palm gripping the sander. Rather, cup the sander body with your hand. This can help you resist to smash the sander into the workpiece to get aggressive with it.
Al, this is AWESOME stuff -- thank you! I haven't gone searching for "orbital sanding technique" (and I'm sure there's stuff out there) but you've elevated it to another level here by being specific to the ETC EC150/5 based on your experience. I'm going to save this video just to refer back to your comments. Got any more sanding advice?
@@hkbondar well, yeah, if you're interested... first off, the 6" (150mm) sanders aren't simply 1 inch bigger than a 5" (125mm) sander. The surface area is 42% larger! If you use any kind of mesh paper, make sure you use the Festool interface pad. The standard hook/loop pad will get worn down by the holes in the mesh and get ruined.
For surface flattening and edges, use the Festool HARD pad (and interface pad if needed). I actually use the hard pad for 90% of my sanding.
Use the MEDIUM pad for flat surfaces only unless you like rolled corners and edges.
Use the soft pad for curves, edge profiles, etc.
You can also get thicker interface pads designed for use when sanding curves and profiled edges for the hard pad also. This way you don't need to change the pad so often.
Don't sand plywood with anything under 120 grit paper. It comes pre sanded to 120 grit from the factory. Lower grits are for solid wood and moving large amounts of material only.
Use a pencil to "squiggle" across the workpiece so you can tell where have sanded, repeating this for every successive grit.
1st pass: Move the sander in columns, across the grain of the workpiece, with about a 50% overlap between the columns.
2nd pass: Move the sander in rows, with the grain of the workpiece, again with a 50% overlap.
If the recommendations of my first post are followed, this should be all that's needed and it's time to move up in grit.
Keep the sander flat on the workpiece. Start the sander on the work to prevent gouging, and lift the sander off the work before turning it off to prevent pigtails and swirls.
If you feel it necessary to add pressure to the sander, drop down a grit, or try a fresh sheet.
Remember that the SANDPAPER is the tool, and the SANDER is the machine.
A raking light from a flashlight or high lumen source can be used to help locate peaks and valleys, find pigtails and swirl marks, defects, etc.
On raw wood surfaces, regardless of the finish being used, it is rarely needed to go above 180 grit, and 220 is absolute maximum if you want a film finish to be durable (paint, lacquer, polyurethane, etc.)
Grits above 220 are for finish sanding, not for bare wood, and all you're doing is burnishing the surface at those higher grits. This leads to less finish adhesion, wastes paper, time, and money, and closes off the pores for oil based and wax based finishes.
Sanding with these techniques is faster, saves paper, leads to a flatter surface, and is the foundation for flawless finishes and heirloom quality projects. It can also make sanding a lot more fun and satisfying because it has that instant gratification of seeing your work pay off dividends.
If these tips help you, leave a comment letting me know, please, and if you have any questions, or tips of your own, leave them in a comment below. Thanks for asking and I hope this helps!
@@AlAmantea Super helpful, thanks again. I've always wondered about that "across the grain" vs. "with the grain" thing, and what order to do them in. And I'd never considered the impact of high-grit sandpaper on clogging up the wood pores and affecting the finish quality. But the best gem in here is "the sandpaper is the tool" -- paradigm shift. Thanks again!
That was the first festool sander I bought after a tracksaw and dust extractor. I settled on the EC 150/5 for the same reasons: bigger pad, excellent dust collection, and larger stroke for less sanding time. You can achieve the same finish with the 5mm stroke as the 3mm, you just get there quicker, so you have to be mindful of how much you're sanding. The hard pad lives on my 150/5 now too; I use interface pads for sanding contours.
I sold all my other power sanders, bought the festool, and my only regret is not having done it years ago. I thought about the mirka or surfprep sanders too, but the mirka has known QC issues and costs more than the festool, and I don't think I've seen a single surfprep sander "review" where the sander wasn't provided for "review" by the company.
My other festool sander is an RTS 400. That's another excellent little sander.
I got the sander and extractor - loved them enough I just got the tracksaw as well!
@@woodpackdiy Nice! Be warned though, you're on the slippery slope now...
TSO accessories, parf guide for making a custom mft...
Enjoy! 😉👍💸
I bought the track saw and dust extractor as well and will be going tomorrow to get the sander. Right now it will be the only Festool products I own. Next will likely be the domino, but I need to save up for that.
@@terichampion1165 As much as I'd love a domino, for a hobbyist, I'd consider one of the high end doweling jigs instead before a domino. The tow main competitors are the dowelmax and jessem. I went for the dowelmax and am extremely happy with it; it's honestly the only thign preventing me from investing in a domino. Right now it's on sale, so you can get a bundle with the dowelmax and 1/4" drill guide set for $265 shipped.
That said, if you have your heart set on a domino, go for it. It's an amazing machine and worth every penny.
Great video, one huge downside to me is there’s no fans inside to suck up the dust, so if you don’t use it with a dust extractor it’s pretty much unusable in my humble opinion, it would be nice if it came with a little dust bag and had its own dust collection if you’re in a pinch but of course festool wants you to own 2-5 of their sanders lol
Thank you this is something that is never talked about. I want to upgrade my sander but I'm not ready to add the cost of a dust extractor too.
I'll tell you, even if it's a basic shop-vac, and a cheap sander, you are doing yourself a great disservice if you aren't using dust extraction with an orbital sander. A built in fan in the machine with a bag will never be as efficient at getting the dust out of underneath the sander, so the a lot of the energy you put into sanding just grinds the sawdust over and over, instead of sanding your workpiece. It will result in clogging up and wearing down your sand paper faster, make you sand longer to get the same result, using more consumables etc... Not to mention a bag will not capture as much sanding put into the air, and all of the consequences of that.
I own this sander and I don’t regret spending the money its brilliant
I agree!
Best Sander.. better than Mirka Deros. Only wish they offered a lower RPM, like 4000. It doesn't make a lot of noise, but even less would be nice.
what do you think about a festool clone like Menzer for example? did you buy one of those> thanks
BUY THE SOFT HOOK AND LOOP PADS FESTOOL HAS. THEY ARE GREAT FOR DOING EDGES AS THE KEEP YOUR SANDER FLUID AND SOFT SO YOU WONT DIG INTO YOUR WORK!
People say the Festool sanders are great for everyday sanding, but even those with Festool say the Mirka is a better finish sander. I wouldn’t know. Of course, the Mirka is more money. I’ve seen a lot of reviews that are really impressed with the 3M. Overall, you probably made the best choice for a high end sander, especially if paired with the dust extractor. I use a Bosch and works good enough for me. One day I will buy the Festool Domino as that’s the only tool you can buy that does the specific job of cutting mortises, but otherwise I’ll likely not purchase any other Festool tools as they’re out of my budget and I can do the same job with far lower cost tools.
Your old sander is not comparing apples to oranges. I dont rush through anything but sanding.
The ONLY thing I care about in a sander is what can remove material faster. Compared to the 5 inch variable speed DeWalt for under $100, does the festool do anything more? Does it spin significantly faster or vibrate more?
Best for high removal is the Festool gear driven rotex150, it’s crazy how quick it will strip likes of a door with years of paint , these are top finishing sanders far less vibration, while still being fast
@@exsmoker74 I have to know more information regarding the vibration speed and the spinning speed to justify how it removes more material
@@sbb526 doesn't the DeWalt have a smaller stroke, if so it's going to be a slower sander at any speed
@@exsmoker74 not sure, DeWalt makes several palm sanders
@@sbb526 have a look at rupes sanders, just as good , much cheaper, last for years also. Mirka copied there rupes Scorpio E, just not very well
I spent 400 on the bosch sander and it died within a year only sanding about 50 sq feet of wood
Has no less vibration than my Milwaukee ROS and died after 15-20 minutes of use. Currently waiting on warranty repair. Would not buy again.
I personally wouldn’t use a corded sander ever - I’m using a Bosch blue pro low profile 18v sander and the dust collection is superb, it also stops right at a push of a button, and it can squeeze into tight corners.
Especially with a sander, you have to connect it to a hose for dust collection anyway so eliminating the cord is pointless. That little dust bag is doing nothing. Might as well use a covid mask pulled down under your chin.
Your using apples and oranges 😕😕😕😕😕😕
No not worth. Its a scam for this price
This guy looks like Trumps son unbelievable
Nope big mistake for me .... very nurveus machine en shaking like hel, tottally not worth the money for me, wished i bought the older model