ETS Ec 150/5 on your affiliate link says currently unavailable just letting you know in case you didnt know. Thanks for all info . I learn more and more everytime you post
This is a very well done video. As a retired carpenter myself. You had my attention the whole time. I am in process of deciding on a new sander and you just taught me all I needed to know. Thank you. You present the info well. I will now always be looking for your videos. I like that you don’t have the annoying back ground music. The sound of tools running is music to any real woodworker. 😉
Excellent Video! I'm a 30 year cabinet maker with 12 years running my own shop and I learned several things from your video. You have a new subscriber.
I bought the ETS EC 150/5 a couple of days ago. It is a beast. It is light, the dust extraction is excellent, and it sits flat with little effort. I also bought the small Festool detail sander today. I am really impressed with the ETS and figure the detail sander should be good too. With so many options, I was worried that I pulled the trigger too quickly, but your video put my mind at ease. (Also now that I have the protective pad, another sanding session showed me how great the ETS is.) I used 320 grit 3m extract, and I very quickly smoothed out the rail and stile joints on some cabinet doors and also some glued up panels. I wasn't hogging anything out, but the ETS smoothed over small inconsistencies very quickly with 320 grit. "Very impressive!" Thanks for another great video.
I'd have to agree about the RO150 being a beast to work with for long periods, especially in aggressive mode. But, what a machine for material removal.
If you have a ETS EC 125/3 EQ you can use the 150 pad on the unit, there are no mods required and no issues with the brake. This information is all over the FTOG Forum.
I have 150mm Rotex and ETS. The Rotex has a 5mm stroke which is why I went with the 3mm for the ETS. The key to a 3mm stroke is using 3M Cubitron mesh sandpaper which removes a ton of material and leaves a beautiful finish. Get the 5mm if you use the traditional ceramic sandpapers like Granat, Norton etc.
@@steinbierz IMO the 3M Xtract paper is even a step up from Cubitron. It depends on the finish and sheen I'm after but for Rubio Monocoat I'll typically use 80, 120, 150 and sometimes 180.
I've been making sculpted furniture, similar to Maloof chairs and tables. I start my power carving with a Kutzall disk to rough out my shape and then move to a rotary sander, then to an orbital sander. I'm using a Dewalt rotary sander which cost about $100. I like the idea of my rotary sander being separate from my orbital sander. When one fails, and they will, I only need to replace the failed unit. The problem, in my mind with the Festool Rotex is that if it fails you have to buy two sanders in one.
Best carpentry channel and your one of the best finish guys I’ve seen. As a framer of custom homes for 34 years . I own the festool etsc 125 hybrid and rotex 125 … great combo. I’d have to check out the 150 to see the difference, but I’m not a finish carpenter. Great informative video.
This was a great video! It confirmed every feeling that I had and it was good to hear someone else say it. I have several Festool products in the shop including TS-55, routers, drills and DF-500 Domino. On sanders, I have the RTS-400, ETS-125 for small and/or very fine finish work and, like you, the ETS-150/5 for 95% of my finish work. I found I liked the 5mm stroke over the 3mm as it is a good balance of speed and finish quality. Years ago, I looked at a Rotex 125 to possibly be my “all in one” sander (a notion that I later dismissed). I found the Rotex, at the time, a bit hard to control and a bit loud and “punchy” for the finish work I wanted to do. Fast forward to this week. I finally determined that the Rotex 150 would be perfect for initial sanding on things like walnut tabletops as well as refinishing reclaimed woods and similar projects. Like you said, the jointer and surface planer do good jobs of prepping woods like white oak and walnut, but especially with walnut, there is a need to fill knot holes and cracks (love Timbermate) and to aggressively sand the surface. The ETS-150 is just too polite for this task. I have finally given up on handheld belt sanding, as well. Too loud, potentially too aggressive and even hooked up to my CT-22 extractor, the dust still goes everywhere in the shop. (Even with Jet ceiling mounted air filter.) So the RO-150 arrives tomorrow, and I can’t wait to use it on a walnut table top thst I just glued up. It will also be interesting to use it in non-Rotex mode, although I suspect most of those jobs will be handled by the ETS-150. I do agree with you about the larger size Rotex (or finish sander) being the way to go for most surfaces. 6” vs 5” diameter doesn’t sound like much, but the sanding area is actually 44% larger on a 6” sander. That alone greatly speeds up the work. Finally, I enjoyed your tips and comments on controlling the Rotex. About 10 years ago, I first tried out the Rotex 125 in the store. That’s when I decided that it was too hard to control, and I bought the ETS-150 instead, which I came to love. In later years, I came to realize that it was not either/or, as each sander serves a purpose. Over that time, I learned better how to best use and control all of my sanders, including how to best hold them, where on my person I like to support the cord and vac hose etc. I might add in closing that I personally also like the RO-150 over the RO-125 (price notwithstanding) as the 6” footprint actually balances better for me and is a little easier to control. Again, thanks for this useful video. We all have our favorite tools and techniques, but we also enjoy the camaraderie of knowing that, “Wow, that’s the same way that I do it!” feeling.
Great video! If you’re thinking about a 6” Rotex, I highly recommend the Bosch GET75-6N. Half the price and in my opinion performs just as good. I’m a diehard green kool-aid drinker but since buying the Bosch, I haven’t felt the need to add a Rotex to the collection.
@@mchilly Thanks a lot! Ill probably end up just sticking with my Bosch, I love the way it performs and is perfect for table tops and stuff just overkill for smaller items like picture frames, but I have a smaller Dewalt orbital for that. Festool just looks so nice lol
One thing I found surprising with the RO150 is that the vibration totally disappears in direct drive. But it’s almost scared how fast it can plane material down
I have to admit I am a sander nut, being in this business since '79 been though alot of sanders. I own 9 different Festool sanders and they all have a place in my business for what I build and install. RO 90 & 150 I use all the time along with the ETS models. I do not own any of the cordless Festool sanders. Use the cordless Makita 5" sander for quick jobsite sanding and it works pretty well...
Thanks, I needed this! I'm getting ready to and a bunch of glue-lam beans in my house to remove the stain. Going with festool dust collection to minimize the mess and was debating which sander.
I'm a small timer with a business and shop very similar to Spencer's. I stretched a little bit and bought the powermatic 16" wide belt sander (PM1632). It was about $7000. The Rotex can get you by in a pinch with those oak treads....but it is nothing compared to a wide belt sander. A wide belt sander does take some getting used to...and it's obviously nowhere near as versatile as a handheld sander - but it is excellent at what it does. My shop is single phase. There aren't too many sanders out there that are single phase. My salesman recommended this one cuz he said powermatic has good customer service. Anyway....it's a 5hp machine and it's a beast compared to the sanders I was used to before I got this. It's a big investment....but in my case it paid for itself pretty quick. Another thing to consider: I was spending GOBS of $ on little 6" discs etc. One Mirka 80 grit wide belt literally outlasts 1000 festool velcro sheets.....and the Mirka belt is only $20! I sound like a commercial - but for anyone on the fence - this thing exceeded my expectations. Just throwing my 2 cents into the sanding conversation. Thanks for the quality vids Spencer. Your channel is tops!
Thanks for the great info I recently bought my first festool sanders an etc ec 5 in , dts 400 req, and a rotex 6in. Love them all I will say the rotex 6in is awesome !
Hi, Insider carpentry I only had time to briefly scan the video, so I might have missed something and I've not read the comments section yet either, but if people are thinking the rotex is badly balanced then it might be worth trying this attachment (Festool 495188 BG-RO 150 Ball Grip Handle), its mainly for when using the rotex in polishing mode so you can keep the rotex flush to the surface at all times. Maybe this will improve the balance of the tool, it should as it means you hold the tool at both ends (front and back making it easy to apply equal pressure).
Metabo sells a model with variable stroke length; you press a button and turn the base to switch between 3 and 5 mm. I think both DeWalt and Mafell used to sell clones of that (identical metal parts, just different plastic), but I can't find them in their current lineup.
Surprised you never mentioned that the Rotex is also great for polishing, it’s one of the main reasons I brought mine. Great for reviving corian countertops.
@@FloazaWoodworks the rotex is all I use. Generally I run a firm base and I personally stay away from the mesh sandpaper as I find they ruin the main base really quickly. If it’s finishing work, I also turn the speed down a touch. I hand finish bespoke furniture a lot of the time, 22 years, and unless I’m doing large panels or cutting back base primers I always prefer doing it by hand (using a block of course). Also I don’t use anything above 320 grit as in my opinion you start to polish instead of keying inn for the finishing coat.
Absolutely love my ETS 150/3. For my shop with the projects I do the 3mm stroke works fine. Great suggestion about the hard pad. I will definitely try one. I do a lot of end grain cutting boards, they go through my Jet 16/32 which is a huge help, but I find my self wishing for the Rolex. I keep looking but have not been tempted enough to pull the $600 trigger, yet. I have the CT36 vacuum and this is without a doubt the best combination for sanding. With the shop vacs and 5” big box sanders I have bought I could have gone Festool a long time ago.
Thanks.. I purchased the 150/3 a few years ago. It is nice but takes forever to nock down hard woods like maple and oak. I will probably pick up the 150/5 and a Rotex for my next project.
Just watched your sanding video. When you demonstrated sanding, you placed both hands on head of sander and appeared to be applying pressure. I use a two had method: one hand to guide the head and the other on the dust extraction hose connection for balance……and I let the weight of sander be the only pressure applied. Also going through multiple grits speeds up the process greatly eg. (used 60,) 80, 120, and higher if necessary.
Agreed. Festool has a cool video on how to operate the Rotex. One hand on the front of the machine and the second hand at the back of the machine. No pressure needed. ALWAYS go through your grits and score your project with pencil lines and then sand those off. 80 girt pencil lines 120 pencil lines 150 pecil lines etc upto your desired finish.
Please please try mirka. I'm telling ya it's a whole different animal. However. If ure not fancy a paddle switch... Stick with festool. I prefer the paddle
Mr.Lewis / audience at large- I’m doing a lot of plywood veneer projects, and cabinetry work. There can be a lot of veneer surface area but it’s Not a lot of true furniture or hardwood-only builds. Is the 6” ETS EC 150 /5 the right one for me? Really appreciate you and your channel. Thank you!
Great video. My experiences with Festool sanders are similar. I have a Festool Rotex sander, but I don't use it as much as my ETS or RTS sanders because of the balance.
Great video, completely agree with your assessment. I’ve used a PC 505 and 6” RO for many years, and just recently acquired a Rotex 150. It’s a beast, but a nice one! I do mostly hardwoods and endgrain, like to use rotary mode with a grit, and then switch to RO with same grit before moving up.
The reason I go with a shorter stroke sander is that in no way,shape or form can I afford those sanders you showed. If I were still doing production finish ,perhaps but not for my needs now.
Spencer, using Rotex with finer grit paper and on lower RPM makes it one-hand operable - bulky grip is exactly for that. I use only Festool sand papers and it works great with their sanders.
@@FloazaWoodworks Last Saturday I renovated white oak countertop finished with Ikea oil (client's wish). One side of the countertop was exposed to direct sunlight, so every possible imperfection was extremely visible. To remove the old oil I used 80 grit no-name sandpaper on Rotex with aggressive mode. Then 120 on aggressive, 120 on fine mode and finally 150 grit on fine. It looks great. So, yes, Rotex 150 is suitable for finishing. Of course you can also use as a polisher.
@@FloazaWoodworks Of course, if you do some high-end wood-working, I'd recommend borrowing Rotex, ETS, maybe some Mirka and Makita and trying them out with the same sandpaper/sanding net. Some sanders work better with papers, while other give finer finish with nets. Couple of years ago I had Makita BO6040 dual-mode sander. It was great. I never had any pressure or urge for Festool, their price tag is revolving and their exceptional quality is self-proclaimed myth. I mean Festool makes good, professional tools, but they are as good as any other pro brand. Anyway, when I compared newer version of Makita BO6050 to Rotex, I've noticed that Rotex has a bit less vibrations, but also less power than Makita. While I had a chance to buy new Makita or new Rotex in the same price, I've chosen Rotex, although I'm generally Makita guy. I needed a sander for long continuous use without fatigue and with lesser ability to remove material. My fellow cabinet maker uses Makita and he finds it much better than Rotex.
Great video (I've watched it three times over the last year or two), but I have a question: Preface: You said that you use the Festool ETS EC 150/5 random orbital sander 99% of the time, and you also said you use 120 grit sandpaper 99.9% of the time on both this sander and your Rotex (which you use on the hardest woods like white oak). My question is-for a non-professional whose workflow is less demanding (though still demanding enough)-might it still make sense to forgo the Rotex and instead go down to a 60 and/or 80 grit sandpaper for hardwoods using the ETS EC 150/5, and then finish up with the 120 grit sandpaper? I've never sanded white oak with anything. Thanks for sharing and keep up the great work.
I own 3 sanders, a Festool ETS150/5, an RO/90 and an old heavy metal Craftsman 1/2 sheet sander. I would buy the big Festool sheet sander but my Craftsman was purchased for $10 at a garage sale and it works like new. All great tools.
Thank you for the video Spencer, I made a big order from your Amazon but some tools I need are not available, I’ll be checking back to order once available
its been difficult adjusting back to electric sanders after using pneumatic ones in a large shop. you really cant beat the aggressive power and fine finish of air sanders, no comparison. i do like the dust collection efficiency of the festool system though, i think that is really the only outstanding feature of their sanders.
Didn't realize that the 6" made that much of a difference! The quality of the sandpaper is another thing to look at, watch Jonathan Katz Moses recent video comparison, it was an eye opener!
why use the rotex over a belt sander followed by the ets? I have a bosch sander with 2 modes, hate it, leaves brutal swirl marks that I find harder to get rid of than belt sander scratches even when you have to go across grain as you will on those stair treads. Thanks for the video...I love my ETS 150, and have thought about a rotex, but worried its a more expensive bosch.
I’m gunna guess that the Rotex is more for renovation work, a little bit of everything. Especially grinding surfaces flat. I used a rotex after using a porter cable right angle 6in for 20 years. The way it moves took half the time out of the task.
Great review Spencer. Would you recommend the ETS 150 for smoothing out plaster walls? I am painter and this looks like the tool I need to prep my walls on domestic properties. Thanks, Kevin
I just ordered the ets ec 150/5. 3 days ago just got it yesterday used it today and absolutely love it. Has a lot of good reviews and I think it’s going to do just what I need but I see a rotex in my near future. Debating on the ro 90 or ro 150. What kind of sand paper do people like to use. I’ve heard 3M makes a good paper called xtract and cubitron 2. And it’s cheaper then festool paper. Great video tho.
@@truthserum9157 festool sandpaper really isn't the best to be honest. 3m cubitron as well as mirka abranet are better than the festool sandpaper. The sanders however are definitely some of the best on the market
Just a novice person here remodeling my bedroom. I have lead-based paint on longleaf pine walls i want to remove safely. As far as the hole pattern differences between the 5 and 6" versions, is there one that would capture more of the dust? Already have a great vacuum/collector ready and yes, I'll still be wearing a respirator with lead-filter
What sander would you recommend for a painter sanding doors trim, handrails, balustrades etc.? I have a DTS 400 which is great but looking to add the next addition to the collection to make these jobs easier. Thanks.
@@monkeygraborange Heck when my dad was framing back in the late 40’s early 50’s he had a guy on the job just for sharpening hand saws. I still have all the guys tools. Even the tools for setting the teeth.
I am certain they made cannon balls out of white? Bosh came out with their version of Festool both 5 & 6 “. I grabbed them both in advance $600 Now $1200 plus!….. I believe it’s 5mm stroke on both; but I would have to double chk . They are better balanced the Fesse - Tool and good dust extraction however longer? So far after bout a year I really put them thru their paces and typical Bosh (exception their miter saw) it just runs & runs Would I pay $1200?? No probably buy a rotex 150 for my finish work!! Great video and just a note I needed more note books and getting your store on Amazon ???? I put in your name (YT name ) and nothing?? It say it is there just could not get it to pop open????
Thank you for the upload, very helpful. I have the ETS EC 150/5 (using hard pad and the backing pad), work with solid oak quite regularly and also don't have a wide belt sander, nor have room for one either. I am thinking about picking up either the Rotex 150 or BS 75 belt sander with the surface sanding frame-the latter seems ideal for flattening slabs and flushing up stuff like your stair threads. I'm leaning towards the belt sander at this stage, how does the rotex compare against a decent belt sander?
Thanks for your support!!!
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Festool RO 150 Hard Sanding Pad - amzn.to/2YLdzvp
Festool Rotex RO 125 FEQ-Plus Random Orbital Sander in Systainer - amzn.to/3A5ieWH
Festool 492127 RO125 FEQ StickFix Sanding Pad, Hard, 125mm (5 in) - amzn.to/3A0INMB
ETS Ec 150/5 on your affiliate link says currently unavailable just letting you know in case you didnt know. Thanks for all info . I learn more and more everytime you post
This is a very well done video. As a retired carpenter myself. You had my attention the whole time. I am in process of deciding on a new sander and you just taught me all I needed to know. Thank you. You present the info well. I will now always be looking for your videos. I like that you don’t have the annoying back ground music. The sound of tools running is music to any real woodworker. 😉
Love how you've been adding details at the bottom of the screen
Excellent Video! I'm a 30 year cabinet maker with 12 years running my own shop and I learned several things from your video. You have a new subscriber.
Hey . I'm a builder myself. I know your busy and you probably here this every day. Your good,very good.
I bought the ETS EC 150/5 a couple of days ago. It is a beast. It is light, the dust extraction is excellent, and it sits flat with little effort. I also bought the small Festool detail sander today. I am really impressed with the ETS and figure the detail sander should be good too.
With so many options, I was worried that I pulled the trigger too quickly, but your video put my mind at ease. (Also now that I have the protective pad, another sanding session showed me how great the ETS is.) I used 320 grit 3m extract, and I very quickly smoothed out the rail and stile joints on some cabinet doors and also some glued up panels. I wasn't hogging anything out, but the ETS smoothed over small inconsistencies very quickly with 320 grit. "Very impressive!"
Thanks for another great video.
What a lot of sensible information that I haven't seen pulled together on other channels. Thanks.
I'd have to agree about the RO150 being a beast to work with for long periods, especially in aggressive mode. But, what a machine for material removal.
I sold all my festool sanders and upgraded to Mirka and Surfprep sanders. If you love a festool sander, you’ll be blown away if you try a Mirka.
If you have a ETS EC 125/3 EQ you can use the 150 pad on the unit, there are no mods required and no issues with the brake. This information is all over the FTOG Forum.
I have 150mm Rotex and ETS. The Rotex has a 5mm stroke which is why I went with the 3mm for the ETS. The key to a 3mm stroke is using 3M Cubitron mesh sandpaper which removes a ton of material and leaves a beautiful finish. Get the 5mm if you use the traditional ceramic sandpapers like Granat, Norton etc.
I'm assuming that since you use the 3M that there are no hole pattern issues with a Festool?
@@steinbierz nope no issues. Brilliant dust collection.
@@adams5202 Thanks...sorry but forgot to ask what Cubitron grits you normally use?
@@steinbierz IMO the 3M Xtract paper is even a step up from Cubitron. It depends on the finish and sheen I'm after but for Rubio Monocoat I'll typically use 80, 120, 150 and sometimes 180.
@@adams5202 Thanks for the info!
The 6" has 44% more surface area than the 5". Formula for area = (radius squared) times Pi (3.14159).
Ok Einstein!
@@gradeez that is middle school level education, but ok, I guess some people like being ignorant...
I've been making sculpted furniture, similar to Maloof chairs and tables. I start my power carving with a Kutzall disk to rough out my shape and then move to a rotary sander, then to an orbital sander. I'm using a Dewalt rotary sander which cost about $100.
I like the idea of my rotary sander being separate from my orbital sander. When one fails, and they will, I only need to replace the failed unit.
The problem, in my mind with the Festool Rotex is that if it fails you have to buy two sanders in one.
Best carpentry channel and your one of the best finish guys I’ve seen. As a framer of custom homes for 34 years . I own the festool etsc 125 hybrid and rotex 125 … great combo.
I’d have to check out the 150 to see the difference, but I’m not a finish carpenter. Great informative video.
This was a great video! It confirmed every feeling that I had and it was good to hear someone else say it. I have several Festool products in the shop including TS-55, routers, drills and DF-500 Domino. On sanders, I have the RTS-400, ETS-125 for small and/or very fine finish work and, like you, the ETS-150/5 for 95% of my finish work. I found I liked the 5mm stroke over the 3mm as it is a good balance of speed and finish quality. Years ago, I looked at a Rotex 125 to possibly be my “all in one” sander (a notion that I later dismissed). I found the Rotex, at the time, a bit hard to control and a bit loud and “punchy” for the finish work I wanted to do.
Fast forward to this week. I finally determined that the Rotex 150 would be perfect for initial sanding on things like walnut tabletops as well as refinishing reclaimed woods and similar projects. Like you said, the jointer and surface planer do good jobs of prepping woods like white oak and walnut, but especially with walnut, there is a need to fill knot holes and cracks (love Timbermate) and to aggressively sand the surface. The ETS-150 is just too polite for this task. I have finally given up on handheld belt sanding, as well. Too loud, potentially too aggressive and even hooked up to my CT-22 extractor, the dust still goes everywhere in the shop. (Even with Jet ceiling mounted air filter.)
So the RO-150 arrives tomorrow, and I can’t wait to use it on a walnut table top thst I just glued up. It will also be interesting to use it in non-Rotex mode, although I suspect most of those jobs will be handled by the ETS-150. I do agree with you about the larger size Rotex (or finish sander) being the way to go for most surfaces. 6” vs 5” diameter doesn’t sound like much, but the sanding area is actually 44% larger on a 6” sander. That alone greatly speeds up the work.
Finally, I enjoyed your tips and comments on controlling the Rotex. About 10 years ago, I first tried out the Rotex 125 in the store. That’s when I decided that it was too hard to control, and I bought the ETS-150 instead, which I came to love. In later years, I came to realize that it was not either/or, as each sander serves a purpose. Over that time, I learned better how to best use and control all of my sanders, including how to best hold them, where on my person I like to support the cord and vac hose etc. I might add in closing that I personally also like the RO-150 over the RO-125 (price notwithstanding) as the 6” footprint actually balances better for me and is a little easier to control.
Again, thanks for this useful video. We all have our favorite tools and techniques, but we also enjoy the camaraderie of knowing that, “Wow, that’s the same way that I do it!” feeling.
I just recently sold my RO 125 and purchased an RO 150. Can't go wrong with the 150 IMO.
How is the non-rotex mode in the Rotex 150? Is it good as finish work? I’m thinking of buying it as my all-in-one sander
@@InsiderCarpentry is that the dual or variable rate one? Tnx!
Much appreciate the overview and comparison. I'm in the process of selling all my other sanders and getting ready to buy a festool ets ec 150/5.
Festool RO 150 6” is a great tool.
Great video! If you’re thinking about a 6” Rotex, I highly recommend the Bosch GET75-6N. Half the price and in my opinion performs just as good. I’m a diehard green kool-aid drinker but since buying the Bosch, I haven’t felt the need to add a Rotex to the collection.
I have the bosch, what do you recommend from festool that would make a good compliment for finer finishing?
@@MrBaconis I’ve got an ETS 125 and RTS 400 which both have 2mm sanding strokes. These are both great but I wouldn’t mind trying out an ETS 150/3.
I have the bosch. My issue is how heavy it is. Wondering if the festool is better balanced
@@BradyHommel I’ll give you that, it is a little heavy but not bad. Nice channel by the way. I just subscribed.
@@mchilly Thanks a lot! Ill probably end up just sticking with my Bosch, I love the way it performs and is perfect for table tops and stuff just overkill for smaller items like picture frames, but I have a smaller Dewalt orbital for that. Festool just looks so nice lol
Love my Rotex sanders. 1 for the shop and jobsite. I use a lot of white oak.
One thing I found surprising with the RO150 is that the vibration totally disappears in direct drive. But it’s almost scared how fast it can plane material down
I have to admit I am a sander nut, being in this business since '79 been though alot of sanders. I own 9 different Festool sanders and they all have a place in my business for what I build and install. RO 90 & 150 I use all the time along with the ETS models. I do not own any of the cordless Festool sanders. Use the cordless Makita 5" sander for quick jobsite sanding and it works pretty well...
Is the RO 150 a good finish sander when not in aggressive mode?
Wow this is the best video I've seen on Festool sanders. You explained it perfectly!
Thanks, I needed this! I'm getting ready to and a bunch of glue-lam beans in my house to remove the stain. Going with festool dust collection to minimize the mess and was debating which sander.
Very informative. I knew all orbital sanders weren't created equal, but I had no idea how much more there's to it.
Thanks for the video, very helpful information, it has answered some of the questions I have been asking myself.
I'm a small timer with a business and shop very similar to Spencer's. I stretched a little bit and bought the powermatic 16" wide belt sander (PM1632). It was about $7000. The Rotex can get you by in a pinch with those oak treads....but it is nothing compared to a wide belt sander. A wide belt sander does take some getting used to...and it's obviously nowhere near as versatile as a handheld sander - but it is excellent at what it does. My shop is single phase. There aren't too many sanders out there that are single phase. My salesman recommended this one cuz he said powermatic has good customer service. Anyway....it's a 5hp machine and it's a beast compared to the sanders I was used to before I got this. It's a big investment....but in my case it paid for itself pretty quick. Another thing to consider: I was spending GOBS of $ on little 6" discs etc. One Mirka 80 grit wide belt literally outlasts 1000 festool velcro sheets.....and the Mirka belt is only $20! I sound like a commercial - but for anyone on the fence - this thing exceeded my expectations. Just throwing my 2 cents into the sanding conversation. Thanks for the quality vids Spencer. Your channel is tops!
Hi Spencer, the rotex also has a polishing mode that is a lot less aggressive. Another great video. 👍
Thanks for the great info I recently bought my first festool sanders an etc ec 5 in , dts 400 req, and a rotex 6in. Love them all
I will say the rotex 6in is awesome !
Hi, Insider carpentry I only had time to briefly scan the video, so I might have missed something and I've not read the comments section yet either, but if people are thinking the rotex is badly balanced then it might be worth trying this attachment (Festool 495188 BG-RO 150 Ball Grip Handle), its mainly for when using the rotex in polishing mode so you can keep the rotex flush to the surface at all times. Maybe this will improve the balance of the tool, it should as it means you hold the tool at both ends (front and back making it easy to apply equal pressure).
Metabo sells a model with variable stroke length; you press a button and turn the base to switch between 3 and 5 mm. I think both DeWalt and Mafell used to sell clones of that (identical metal parts, just different plastic), but I can't find them in their current lineup.
Thanks for explaining the Differences. I'm switching my stuff over and your insight is Great
as a painter im trying to decide which one i need. I don't need to do fine sanding, mainly the use would be to strip a deck of its paint or stain.
@boogiedahomeyno you can’t put a 125 pad on the 150. But, you can put a 150 pad on the 125
Surprised you never mentioned that the Rotex is also great for polishing, it’s one of the main reasons I brought mine. Great for reviving corian countertops.
Any experience on using the RO as a finish sander when not in aggressive mode?
@@FloazaWoodworks the rotex is all I use. Generally I run a firm base and I personally stay away from the mesh sandpaper as I find they ruin the main base really quickly. If it’s finishing work, I also turn the speed down a touch. I hand finish bespoke furniture a lot of the time, 22 years, and unless I’m doing large panels or cutting back base primers I always prefer doing it by hand (using a block of course). Also I don’t use anything above 320 grit as in my opinion you start to polish instead of keying inn for the finishing coat.
Absolutely love my ETS 150/3. For my shop with the projects I do the 3mm stroke works fine. Great suggestion about the hard pad. I will definitely try one. I do a lot of end grain cutting boards, they go through my Jet 16/32 which is a huge help, but I find my self wishing for the Rolex. I keep looking but have not been tempted enough to pull the $600 trigger, yet. I have the CT36 vacuum and this is without a doubt the best combination for sanding. With the shop vacs and 5” big box sanders I have bought I could have gone Festool a long time ago.
Thanks.. I purchased the 150/3 a few years ago. It is nice but takes forever to nock down hard woods like maple and oak. I will probably pick up the 150/5 and a Rotex for my next project.
Thanks for the video, I was debating this very thing over 5"vs6" and 5mm vs 3mm.
Just watched your sanding video. When you demonstrated sanding, you placed both hands on head of sander and appeared to be applying pressure. I use a two had method: one hand to guide the head and the other on the dust extraction hose connection for balance……and I let the weight of sander be the only pressure applied. Also going through multiple grits speeds up the process greatly eg. (used 60,) 80, 120, and higher if necessary.
Agreed. Festool has a cool video on how to operate the Rotex. One hand on the front of the machine and the second hand at the back of the machine. No pressure needed. ALWAYS go through your grits and score your project with pencil lines and then sand those off.
80 girt pencil lines
120 pencil lines
150 pecil lines
etc upto your desired finish.
Please please try mirka. I'm telling ya it's a whole different animal. However. If ure not fancy a paddle switch... Stick with festool. I prefer the paddle
Mr.Lewis / audience at large- I’m doing a lot of plywood veneer projects, and cabinetry work. There can be a lot of veneer surface area but it’s Not a lot of true furniture or hardwood-only builds. Is the 6” ETS EC 150 /5 the right one for me? Really appreciate you and your channel. Thank you!
I agree. I have both also and I use the ETS most.
Wish i watched this before buying the ets ec 125/3
good video, man! Thanks for taking the time to go into details.
Great video. My experiences with Festool sanders are similar. I have a Festool Rotex sander, but I don't use it as much as my ETS or RTS sanders because of the balance.
Great video, completely agree with your assessment. I’ve used a PC 505 and 6” RO for many years, and just recently acquired a Rotex 150. It’s a beast, but a nice one! I do mostly hardwoods and endgrain, like to use rotary mode with a grit, and then switch to RO with same grit before moving up.
It's 5mm rotation on fine sanding 👍 did enjoy the vid mate
The reason I go with a shorter stroke sander is that in no way,shape or form can I afford those sanders you showed. If I were still doing production finish ,perhaps but not for my needs now.
I just bought the 150/5
Love your honesty!
Spencer, using Rotex with finer grit paper and on lower RPM makes it one-hand operable - bulky grip is exactly for that. I use only Festool sand papers and it works great with their sanders.
Is the Rotex good for finishing as well when not in aggressive mode?
@@FloazaWoodworks Last Saturday I renovated white oak countertop finished with Ikea oil (client's wish). One side of the countertop was exposed to direct sunlight, so every possible imperfection was extremely visible. To remove the old oil I used 80 grit no-name sandpaper on Rotex with aggressive mode. Then 120 on aggressive, 120 on fine mode and finally 150 grit on fine. It looks great. So, yes, Rotex 150 is suitable for finishing. Of course you can also use as a polisher.
@@Stefan_Kawalec awesome, thanks! 😊
@@FloazaWoodworks Of course, if you do some high-end wood-working, I'd recommend borrowing Rotex, ETS, maybe some Mirka and Makita and trying them out with the same sandpaper/sanding net. Some sanders work better with papers, while other give finer finish with nets.
Couple of years ago I had Makita BO6040 dual-mode sander. It was great. I never had any pressure or urge for Festool, their price tag is revolving and their exceptional quality is self-proclaimed myth. I mean Festool makes good, professional tools, but they are as good as any other pro brand.
Anyway, when I compared newer version of Makita BO6050 to Rotex, I've noticed that Rotex has a bit less vibrations, but also less power than Makita. While I had a chance to buy new Makita or new Rotex in the same price, I've chosen Rotex, although I'm generally Makita guy. I needed a sander for long continuous use without fatigue and with lesser ability to remove material. My fellow cabinet maker uses Makita and he finds it much better than Rotex.
I sand floors for a living.
Mirka deros for me!
I have the Rotex, it’s awesome!
Thank you for this information, I’m a finisher and I just learned a lot from this video
Super content as usual, I couldn’t agree more to your conclusions 👍
I enjoy getting down to the short strokes.
Great video (I've watched it three times over the last year or two), but I have a question:
Preface: You said that you use the Festool ETS EC 150/5 random orbital sander 99% of the time, and you also said you use 120 grit sandpaper 99.9% of the time on both this sander and your Rotex (which you use on the hardest woods like white oak).
My question is-for a non-professional whose workflow is less demanding (though still demanding enough)-might it still make sense to forgo the Rotex and instead go down to a 60 and/or 80 grit sandpaper for hardwoods using the ETS EC 150/5, and then finish up with the 120 grit sandpaper? I've never sanded white oak with anything.
Thanks for sharing and keep up the great work.
I own 3 sanders, a Festool ETS150/5, an RO/90 and an old heavy metal Craftsman 1/2 sheet sander. I would buy the big Festool sheet sander but my Craftsman was purchased for $10 at a garage sale and it works like new. All great tools.
Welcome back
I have never used festool. I use Ridgid in most of my videos. Good video comparison! Ok I got to get back to laboring!
If you wear a good glove with padding, you can use rotex mode all day
Thanks for the info just bought the 5” rotex returning it for the 6” ets
Great video Spencer - thank you!
Great video. Would love to see your method for making the mitre returns on treads someday!
Great video about the sanders. Thanks for the advice.
Thank you for the video Spencer, I made a big order from your Amazon but some tools I need are not available, I’ll be checking back to order once available
I appreciate it! The support helps!
its been difficult adjusting back to electric sanders after using pneumatic ones in a large shop. you really cant beat the aggressive power and fine finish of air sanders, no comparison. i do like the dust collection efficiency of the festool system though, i think that is really the only outstanding feature of their sanders.
Excellent and informative review! Thank you.
Didn't realize that the 6" made that much of a difference! The quality of the sandpaper is another thing to look at, watch Jonathan Katz Moses recent video comparison, it was an eye opener!
I 2nd checking out his video, it's crazy how much the quality varies between brands
I always enjoy your videos. Many thanks 🙏
Can I make a suggestion...?
Try mirka 6" sander... It is unbelievable
why use the rotex over a belt sander followed by the ets? I have a bosch sander with 2 modes, hate it, leaves brutal swirl marks that I find harder to get rid of than belt sander scratches even when you have to go across grain as you will on those stair treads. Thanks for the video...I love my ETS 150, and have thought about a rotex, but worried its a more expensive bosch.
Great info. Thinking of buying a Rolex 150.
On a stained front door or kitchen cabinets I would use a 2mm orbital
Excellent video, thank you!!! What sander(s) and grit(s) would you recommend for removing stain on white oak stair treads to prep to re-stain? Thanks
great tuto 👍
I’m gunna guess that the Rotex is more for renovation work, a little bit of everything. Especially grinding surfaces flat. I used a rotex after using a porter cable right angle 6in for 20 years. The way it moves took half the time out of the task.
Great presentation! thanx
Do you glue the "breadboard" trim on the end grain? Had any pop apart that you know of?
Great review Spencer. Would you recommend the ETS 150 for smoothing out plaster walls? I am painter and this looks like the tool I need to prep my walls on domestic properties. Thanks, Kevin
I just ordered the ets ec 150/5. 3 days ago just got it yesterday used it today and absolutely love it. Has a lot of good reviews and I think it’s going to do just what I need but I see a rotex in my near future. Debating on the ro 90 or ro 150. What kind of sand paper do people like to use. I’ve heard 3M makes a good paper called xtract and cubitron 2. And it’s cheaper then festool paper. Great video tho.
The holes must lineup or it’s worthless, also just like there sanders, they make the best paper, but both are expensive.
@@truthserum9157 festool sandpaper really isn't the best to be honest. 3m cubitron as well as mirka abranet are better than the festool sandpaper. The sanders however are definitely some of the best on the market
Just a novice person here remodeling my bedroom. I have lead-based paint on longleaf pine walls i want to remove safely. As far as the hole pattern differences between the 5 and 6" versions, is there one that would capture more of the dust? Already have a great vacuum/collector ready and yes, I'll still be wearing a respirator with lead-filter
What sander would you recommend for a painter sanding doors trim, handrails, balustrades etc.? I have a DTS 400 which is great but looking to add the next addition to the collection to make these jobs easier. Thanks.
Very helpful; thanks a million.
Keep it simple and superior: Mirka Deros and a Mirka Deos. Done.
Perhaps a mirca deros with 8mm sanding stroke would be too agressive for regular cabinet work but useful for sanding rough beams?
Table saw vs cake mixer. Go
Hi mate I have just purchased a Ryobi hinge jig needing a bit more advice when I set the jig up I goes right through the with of the door
Bro, get a Surfprep!
Who makes the clamp rack you have back behind you to your right up against the wall?
Woodpecker. I think it was a one time tool.
So what's your sanding strategy? do you stop after 120 grit for paint grade items? How far do you go for stain grade items?
If I hadn’t retired last year I’d sell everything and invest in all Festools. Or add to the original ones I already have.
Seriously. The tools that exist now weren’t even a pipe dream when we were coming up!
@@monkeygraborange Heck when my dad was framing back in the late 40’s early 50’s he had a guy on the job just for sharpening hand saws. I still have all the guys tools. Even the tools for setting the teeth.
great video...thanks!
Great video Spencer, are you aware of the front snap on handle made for the 150 rotex? It seems to make the issue of balance go away.
Have you tried the edge sanding guide yet??
Great!
Thanks for sharing
I am certain they made cannon balls out of white?
Bosh came out with their version of Festool both 5 & 6 “. I grabbed them both in advance $600
Now $1200 plus!…..
I believe it’s 5mm stroke on both; but I would have to double chk . They are better balanced the Fesse - Tool and good dust extraction however longer?
So far after bout a year I really put them thru their paces and typical Bosh (exception their miter saw) it just runs & runs
Would I pay $1200?? No probably buy a rotex 150 for my finish work!!
Great video and just a note I needed more note books and getting your store on Amazon ????
I put in your name (YT name ) and nothing?? It say it is there just could not get it to pop open????
What paper do you run? Is that abranet on the ets and standard paper on the rotex?
Festool paper. I haven't experimented with other brands.
Just tried to purchase the Festool ETS EC 150/5 from your link. Says it is currently unavalible. What do you advise?
Unfortunately it doesn’t look like it’s currently available on Amazon. Thanks for checking though!
Have you tried any Mirka products? They look sturdy but I don't know how they compare to Festool
Thank you for the upload, very helpful. I have the ETS EC 150/5 (using hard pad and the backing pad), work with solid oak quite regularly and also don't have a wide belt sander, nor have room for one either. I am thinking about picking up either the Rotex 150 or BS 75 belt sander with the surface sanding frame-the latter seems ideal for flattening slabs and flushing up stuff like your stair threads. I'm leaning towards the belt sander at this stage, how does the rotex compare against a decent belt sander?
Honestly I haven’t used a belt sander in my work flow for a long time. So I can’t comment with any authority there.
please show how your vac line is run to your work able