I also have this sander and the older version: Planex Easy. This one oscillates more like any random sander, but it also rotates (same as Planex Easy). The fact that it oscillates helps greatly in fine sanding. You probably are using 180 grit that came with the sander, but you should try 240 for much better results and lower the speed to 1-2 instead 5 for much more control on how much mud gets removed with each pass. Also, having used my Planex Easy for many years without fail, I'd suggest dusting off ( I use a dewalt cordless leaf blower) your sander after sanding, so it doesnt accumulate dust in that brushless motor. Unfortunately, Festool 36 AC vacuum you're using doesn't have a blower port to help with that. One more thing, when you disconnected the extension you put the sanding head down and didn't check the sand paper before resuming sanding. You'd be surprised how many times a few grains of sand got stuck to mine when I did that and I had swirl marks all over that plaster.
The recommendation at least for the old Planex model was that you should start the machine only after it's in contact with the drywall and it should be removed only after the machine has stopped. Otherwise it can gouge the surface (which I've done).
Thought this as well. But operator's manual and Festool's own video for the new one is stating that it should be started *before* placing it on the wall.
@@ILruffian Hmmm. You're right: I just watched Festool's video. I wasn't aware that the new on is random orbit. Looks like it makes things easier but I'm not sure if I'm ready to upgrade yet : )
I've got the original Planex and get great results from it. Have to turn it on on the wall or ceiling and turn it off on the wall/ceiling. Turn the vac down all the way then turn up to where it is just at the point of not dropping dust. Also use a finer grit then you normally do. I keep my old 220 paper that is still in good condition for light touch up or difficult areas where I need careful blending. Once you get the hang of it, it saves so much time in sanding and cleanup. Deff a learning curve but I can sand in a house without having to put plastic over everything or Walling off rooms. Still need to cover what is directly below you and I still hang plastic in critical areas just in case. A soft interface pad also helps in some situations. Turned my last ceiling job into less than an hr of sanding vs most of a day sanding with a pole. Great Video!
I have the original Planex, and for finish sanding use the interface pad, 320 grit mesh (not sure if that's available for the new one, but huge difference from the granet), speed 2-1/2 to 3 tops. Always start and stop on paper with the head fully contacting. The dust itself has the odd gritty bit that can leave swirl marks, so light pressure, and clean often. Takes some practice and finesse with the vacuum settings.
Het Tim. Have you use the soft pad? I'm looking to sell my original planex as i never really have great results. Are you able to finish with manually sanding afterwards?
@@eddieduff9740 I'm not sure what you mean by soft pad. They make an interface pad, which is softer I suppose. You have to replace the existing sanding pad with the one made for the interface pads, or the level of the sandpaper is wrong. I had a big learning curve at the beginning, and a few recoats to do, but now I can get pretty close to done just with the sander. I still go over everything carefully with an inspection light, and touch up with a sanding sponge.
I would say the old and new planex are great tools for large surfaces with harder material on them, it will make it really flat. On softer ones you will get ridges unless you have the surface mirror-like flat already. For the softer finish materials pick something like Mirka LEROS, the random orbital movement makes a huge difference. Result will be close/better to a hand polish with a sponge. both have their pros and cons. I guess best to have both planex for the first coats of hard material - target: get a flat surface. LEROS for the finish coat. Welcom to Poland and the absurd expectations of our customers :)
Hyde makes a nice vacuum pole sanding kit that I use to finish sand using mirka mesh sanding screens. also festool makes a hand sanding vacuum block that works for even smaller applications. Between the Planex, the Hyde pole sand tool and the hand sander basically all of my sanding is done through a vacuum system.
Just a suggestion, call Festool and request a rep. to come out to the job site to show you the proper way to use their tool. If it performs the same for him as it did for you,, ask him to come up with a solution to remedy it... it would be to both your benefit!
I’ve spoken to a rep from Festool. He said he was going to send me some sanding discs to try. That was 12 days ago and haven’t received anything yet. He didn’t offer to visit. I’ve also spoken to the office. They said experiment with the different settings. I sent them photos of my remedy and the Flex interface pad that I’m going to fit to the planex.
The trick is keeping the head level not to put too much pressure on any of the edges. I found instead of following a straight line I zig zagged across the edges keeping the pressure light and moving fast. Every time I have used it I would work up a sweat just keeping the head moving.
Ok..I have this sander. Turning the dial to the ceiling suction engages the centre holes and towards the wall suction engages the outer rim suction. The centre hole suction are what take the weight of the whole unit but it ties of more mud due to pressure from suction towards the drywall. The Hilti sander is way lighter and much more manoeuvrable with a 180°head, it never spins off on you and you can hold it literally vertically above you making ceilings easier on the shoulders. A COB L.E.D. usb light around the edge attached to Milwaukee usb battery and your golden. Much more gentle sander. Only ever use 220 grit and keep the revs on 2 to 4
If you are going to be doing a lot of overhead sanding with the Planex, suggest using their harness which supports all of the machine weight. 120 grit appears to work well for finish sanding.
6:38 As an electrician i can tell you that doesn't need sanded...*The Bus Bars Inside However* can use a little sanding (Joking, hopefully obviously, look up Arc Blast; it's no joke)
I agree. I always have to go over my work with a sanding sponge. I have tried different speeds, different sandpaper. Nothing beats hand power. Where the power sanders excel is, sanding between paint coats, or when painting someone else’s disaster paint jobs
As electric sanders are a lot more aggressive than pole sanders you should use at least a 220 grit (or finer) for ready mixed mud. For example I use a 320 grit (Mirka Iridium) and get great results for finish sanding. By the way I like the Mirka Leros way better than the Festool because it's better balanced. In my opinion the led light that comes with the Festool is a little overrated. Yes, you won't miss a scratch anymore but you'll never see how the complete wall or ceiling looks with that inspection light. If I have walls or ceilings with critical light I use the Festool STL 450 inspection light. Edit: I have read a lot of comments here saying that you get better finish with the Mirka because it's a random orbital sander. Please notice that the Planex 2 is a random orbital sander, too.
I used many different drywall sanders. Dewalt. Festool. Wen. They are all heavy and ceiling are a pain to sand. Mirka leros is above and beyond. Ceilngs are easier to sand than walls. Amazing machine
Saw it for real this week, we have this store In Qc called Outils Pierre Berger. For a time I knew them as an online shop but last year they opened a location here and damn I hate going there!! They manage to burn a hole in my pocket every time!! Too many nice tools!!
@@renaissanceman8581 I find with some muds even if lightweight mud that some are harder than others. With some muds I can use 120 grit others 220. I would rather have more aggressive grit and dull it down with an old sponge because it keeps grit better in my opinion.
I haven’t used this new Planex. I have the original. The Mirka is head and shoulders above the festool for finish sanding. I use 150 grit and no scratching. The Festool would eat thru the board with that grit.
I love your videos a bit too much I think. I have close to no interest in this planex, yet I chose to watch all three videos in the playlist and I’m not even disappointed with myself lmao. You are one of my absolute favorite CZcamsrs. I appreciate your context, thank you.
I get similar results with the Makita sander. It's not the end of the world really since like you mentioned, it gets me 90ish% there and then I just go over spots with a poll sander and sponge where need be. I usually run 220 grit. It still saves me a TON of time on bigger jobs and less dust the better if you ask me.
I have a lot of sanding to do--especially sanding down painted popcorn ceilings. Rental is $63 a day. So I found one online with a Amazon coupon and bought it for $163 including taxes. I'm hoping that I can manage this to reduce dust levels in a closed bathroom. Looking forward to getting some good use from it. Maybe not for finish sanding, however!
I have the original planex. I've also got the harness, but I only use that flatten a textured ceiling before skimming. They sell a 36 grit paper that really speeds that up. I've found that doing the ceilings and top third of the wall off a pair of stilts works much better. Set the sander up to be as short as possible and go to work. It's still more demanding than hand sanding, but the time is a bunch faster so the total work is quite a bit less. That said, if I were starting over I'd probably go with the mirka. The flutter marks will go away with practice. You just need to back way off the vacuum and let the machine float over the problem areas, particularly the butts.
Try moving the sander the way you moved your hand across the joint at 8:16 in the video . That way an edge of the sander doesn't ride into your joint go lightly and quickly. I did my entire kitchen in 25 minutes with the older version.
I found the absolute deal of a lifetime on Facebook marketplace. This past week, I got a festool drywall sander with case, as well as a tape tech Mud runner with 8 different angle heads and flushers, paid 100 for the mud runner w. attachments, and 150 for the festool , 250 total for 2 tools that combined cost over 2k . Gota love crack heads!
I’ve had exactly the same finishing problems with my planex 2. You need to vary the suction power on the hoover as well as the head. The only way I could stop it damaging the wall/ceiling surfaces was to buy another interface pad and put that on top of the original one. I’ve ordered an interface pad from Flex , I’m going to fit that. I think it will make it easier to use.
we use the interface pad too, had the same issues. Problem with that is, it is no longer dust free like before. On top of that the suction is lost making that thing heavy after some time.
@@Lukasz10000000000000 I think the interface pad is way too thin ,the fixing screws make it bulge. Our second interface cancel out the bulges. It takes alot of adjusting of the speed and two suction dials but I don’t get any dust now. Its definitely heavy but I swap hands regularly. The flexible angle of the head is very good so I can stand directly underneath it
You are the only person who knew exactly what the problem and solution is. Adding an interface pad helped a lot but you are again correct that it reduces the effectiveness of the dust collection.
@@ILruffian I’ve been using Alsecco FX Airless plaster. It goes quite hard. I haven’t had scratching problems,it leaves circular gouges like it’s pushing small pebbles into the wall. I’ve made my own interface pad by adapting one from a Flex drywall sander, I’m going to use it for the first time tomorrow.
I will look up that sander I'm remodeling my son's home and will be replacing the old lath and plaster with drywall and I just did a shop addition so I will be needing to do a lot of sanding
gotta love taking down old lathe and plaster. seriously though, few things are more satisfying than switching plaster walls to drywall once it's all done lol
That’s a pretty cool tool, I can see more contrast when the cameraman is further back, but not the surface. Have you ever tried it with the lights out, maybe you could see better contrast while you work?
I have a knock off power sander...no where near the quality of Festool...But it works well, I use 240 grit and turn the vacuum and speed WAY down to finish sand...gives me more control and less gouging. I absolutely love using it for nice almost dust free sanding. i still use the corner sander and i check over everything with very minimal touchup sanding. I will never go back to hand sanding!! I dont think Ben told us what grit he was using but he said a five for speed...maybe try turning down speed too...can't hurt to try!
might be heavy but cuts the work by 10x with pole sanding manually youd be sanding that all for so much longer and so much more dust so worth it to get somthing like this or even a cheaper brand if you do drywall at all
Personally I love it for large jobs, it is a time saver. I use it to bulk out the majority then fine tune with a pole and sponge sander. Feathering edges, screws and fields It's a beast. I stay off the butts, beads and flats less pull offs and edges. A good finisher shouldn't need much more than a couple swipes with a pole anyway. The price tag is beast as well at $2100.00 plus tax in the states. Handyman or repairs? Naw... not worth it. (just my two scents)
I do the exact same thing it uniforms everything cause of the sponge ...the black widow festool combo is a must....you will get a perfect job every time.. If u double up your pad on your festool it will help eliminate any circle marks from sander ..
Awesome machine. Yeah trying to have control with the extension is got to be hard. Probably only suitable for a rough sand before fine sand using hand tools.
so, let's say you're a DIY homeowner and dont want to drop $2000 on a planex rig. would say a cordless orbital hand sander connected to a shop vac be a reasonable option for smaller jobs?
Think about moving to midweight compound. I nearly returned my Planex 2 before taking it out of the box after watching this video. I have *zero scratches or swirl marks*. I did gouge a couple of times due to operator error (inattentiveness when putting it on the wall), but they sanded out easily. I bought a pack of 220, which I regret. I actually want to get 150, 120, and even 80.
I started trying to use a power sander but keep running into a gouging issue. After pushing/pulling the head against the ceiling for 2-3 feet, the head tilts, gouging the ceiling even at the lowest speed setting. I want to say it is my lack of experience and skill. Do you have any tips to avoid this?
So I switched to a higher grit and the sanding head stopped flipping on me as much. For any noobs like me, switch up to a higher grit for better control.
When you sand with an old school sanding pole or by hand ...your arm will still get soar...even with those electric sanders the same ...basically there's no way around certain things your gonna work...I still want one though
Once you become accustomed to it and really learn how to use it and watch what you're doing you're not going to want to put it down afterwards we would go over it with a light and a sand sponge
For content to add to your channel could you get ahold of some of the cheaper drywall sanders off amazon, they are cheaper than i thought before the price jump up to the festool. Curious if any of the cheaper ones in your opinion are worth it. I am really in the market for a drywall sander with a vacuum to cut down on dust after sanding and also to make ceilings easier. I just do so little drywall but I have become very proficient from watching all of your videos. Can Anyone else also in the comments add to the experience of a sub $300 powered drywall vacuum sander? Love all your videos I know you rather not be the vancouver drywall carpenter but your just too good at it.
It seems that all these sanders are a bit top heavy and puts a strain on the shoulders. However Festool is one of the lightest weighing just 4kg and I noticed from its website that they sell a harness, not that cheap...hey we`re talking Festool here! Have you tried out that option, or anybody? Thanks for the video.
Isn’t there a belt rig for this thing for when you sand ceilings? The unit sits on an open pin on the belt (which holds all the weight) and then you just use your arms to control the sander.
Here it is - www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/apparel-and-safety-gear/tool-belts/suspenders/103066-harness-for-festool-planex-drywall-sanders?item=ZA496911
Problem with that belt is, the unit lower handle sits around your middle then. Even with the extender he wouldn't be able to reach this ceiling. Perfect for low ceilings tho, much nicer on the shoulders...
I noticed that the first contact with the ceiling caused a semi-circular ding because the sanding head naturally is at an angle. I have the same problem with my Wen sander.
I think that might be a technique problem. Place the tool flat on the surface before turning on (and don't remove until after turning off). That might help prevent that.
With out a doubt, the best sander out there, is the Mirka leros, hands down in class of its own.....use 180 or 240 grit, no swirl marks, beautiful finish.....no need to go over it with a pole sander, thats for sure......
Honestly having used the Wen version I bought for a big ceiling job in my house, I think the swirl marks and stuff are filled and hidden with primer and paint and from the texture of the nap roller. It does get heavy though. Lol nice work as always.
Depends what type of finish you are going for. I'm actually skimming and then finishing with the Planex to get right of deep roller nap marks from shithead go-fast prior painters who must have used 3/4" nap rollers.
Disappointing to hear that it leaves scratches. Thought with the orbital action it would eliminate swirls and scratches. Can you use a finer grit sandpaper and turn the speed all the way down?
I use 220 grit on airless plaster. I have it on half suction power on the head and the half on the hoover and speed 2. If you have all 3 on full power,you would rip the paper off the plasterboard within seconds.
@@user-zz8ln3uh5x I use my planex to sand airless plastering which goes quite hard. The problems I had with it were. Gouging small circles and it could cut a trench across the ceiling that was the width of the head. I’ve greatly reduced this by putting a second interface pad on top of the existing one and turning down the speed and suction power. As long as I’m really careful with the planex, I can get a good finish.
@@duncanhiggins6463 Interesting. I recall at some point getting circular gouges... as if the machine was grinding tiny boulders into the surface. I'm not sure why I haven't had this problem in a while. I wonder what a side-by-side comparison of plasters and joint compounds would produce. I should also mention that I'm pretty leery of inside wall/ceiling corners because I've had the Planex leave a visible ledge.
@@user-zz8ln3uh5x that is the perfect description of the problems I was having. I think the plastic screws that attach the interface pad,are the reason for the circular bulges. Using the second interface pad cancels out the unevenness.
All these rotary electric sanders leave swirl marks. The mirka blows the festool away. I sand with 150 grit and my finish is better than my buddy's festool 240 grit
Festool sells a very comfortable harness that helps with any ceiling sanding or popcorn removal and it fits the original Planex, Planex Easy and Planex 2.
I also have this sander and the older version: Planex Easy. This one oscillates more like any random sander, but it also rotates (same as Planex Easy). The fact that it oscillates helps greatly in fine sanding. You probably are using 180 grit that came with the sander, but you should try 240 for much better results and lower the speed to 1-2 instead 5 for much more control on how much mud gets removed with each pass. Also, having used my Planex Easy for many years without fail, I'd suggest dusting off ( I use a dewalt cordless leaf blower) your sander after sanding, so it doesnt accumulate dust in that brushless motor. Unfortunately, Festool 36 AC vacuum you're using doesn't have a blower port to help with that. One more thing, when you disconnected the extension you put the sanding head down and didn't check the sand paper before resuming sanding. You'd be surprised how many times a few grains of sand got stuck to mine when I did that and I had swirl marks all over that plaster.
So 240 and what suction for ceiling?
@@wm2427 I use a festool harness for ceilings to help me sand, the suction between no suction to about 1/3rd.
@@1przemian does no suction reduce dust still?
who has a garage door ina kiotchen?
Do you know if this could be used to remove paint/primer off drywall? If so what grit and speed would you use?
The recommendation at least for the old Planex model was that you should start the machine only after it's in contact with the drywall and it should be removed only after the machine has stopped. Otherwise it can gouge the surface (which I've done).
Was about to leave this same comment but I saw this. That’s what I’ve had to do with my sander to eliminate gouges.
Thought this as well. But operator's manual and Festool's own video for the new one is stating that it should be started *before* placing it on the wall.
@@ILruffian Hmmm. You're right: I just watched Festool's video. I wasn't aware that the new on is random orbit. Looks like it makes things easier but I'm not sure if I'm ready to upgrade yet : )
@@user-zz8ln3uh5x which company invented the drywall sanding machine?
I've got the original Planex and get great results from it. Have to turn it on on the
wall or ceiling and turn it off on the wall/ceiling. Turn the vac down all the way then turn up to where it is just at the point of not dropping dust. Also use a finer grit then you normally do. I keep my old 220 paper that is still in good condition for light touch up or difficult areas where I need careful blending. Once you get the hang of it, it saves so much time in sanding and cleanup. Deff a learning curve but I can sand in a house without having to put plastic over everything or Walling off rooms. Still need to cover what is directly below you and I still hang plastic in critical areas just in case. A soft interface pad also helps in some situations. Turned my last ceiling job into less than an hr of sanding vs most of a day sanding with a pole. Great Video!
That's a powerful tool, maybe you need to use a considerably finer grit sandpaper?
He never thought of that.....
Higher suction needs higher grit....
If you’re not already my drywalling company uses 220 grit sand paper on our circular power sanders and it sands out completely smooth and flat
I have the original Planex, and for finish sanding use the interface pad, 320 grit mesh (not sure if that's available for the new one, but huge difference from the granet), speed 2-1/2 to 3 tops. Always start and stop on paper with the head fully contacting. The dust itself has the odd gritty bit that can leave swirl marks, so light pressure, and clean often. Takes some practice and finesse with the vacuum settings.
Het Tim. Have you use the soft pad? I'm looking to sell my original planex as i never really have great results. Are you able to finish with manually sanding afterwards?
@@eddieduff9740 I'm not sure what you mean by soft pad. They make an interface pad, which is softer I suppose. You have to replace the existing sanding pad with the one made for the interface pads, or the level of the sandpaper is wrong. I had a big learning curve at the beginning, and a few recoats to do, but now I can get pretty close to done just with the sander. I still go over everything carefully with an inspection light, and touch up with a sanding sponge.
I would say the old and new planex are great tools for large surfaces with harder material on them, it will make it really flat. On softer ones you will get ridges unless you have the surface mirror-like flat already.
For the softer finish materials pick something like Mirka LEROS, the random orbital movement makes a huge difference. Result will be close/better to a hand polish with a sponge.
both have their pros and cons.
I guess best to have both planex for the first coats of hard material - target: get a flat surface. LEROS for the finish coat. Welcom to Poland and the absurd expectations of our customers :)
The Planex sanders have random orbital movement according to Festool, unless you meant that LEROS has a different type of RO movement.
Hyde makes a nice vacuum pole sanding kit that I use to finish sand using mirka mesh sanding screens. also festool makes a hand sanding vacuum block that works for even smaller applications. Between the Planex, the Hyde pole sand tool and the hand sander basically all of my sanding is done through a vacuum system.
Just a suggestion, call Festool and request a rep. to come out to the job site to show you the proper way to use their tool. If it performs the same for him as it did for you,, ask him to come up with a solution to remedy it... it would be to both your benefit!
I’ve spoken to a rep from Festool. He said he was going to send me some sanding discs to try. That was 12 days ago and haven’t received anything yet. He didn’t offer to visit.
I’ve also spoken to the office. They said experiment with the different settings.
I sent them photos of my remedy and the Flex interface pad that I’m going to fit to the planex.
The trick is keeping the head level not to put too much pressure on any of the edges. I found instead of following a straight line I zig zagged across the edges keeping the pressure light and moving fast. Every time I have used it I would work up a sweat just keeping the head moving.
Ok..I have this sander.
Turning the dial to the ceiling suction engages the centre holes and towards the wall suction engages the outer rim suction.
The centre hole suction are what take the weight of the whole unit but it ties of more mud due to pressure from suction towards the drywall.
The Hilti sander is way lighter and much more manoeuvrable with a 180°head, it never spins off on you and you can hold it literally vertically above you making ceilings easier on the shoulders.
A COB L.E.D. usb light around the edge attached to Milwaukee usb battery and your golden.
Much more gentle sander.
Only ever use 220 grit and keep the revs on 2 to 4
If you are going to be doing a lot of overhead sanding with the Planex, suggest using their harness which supports all of the machine weight. 120 grit appears to work well for finish sanding.
120 for finish sanding is a bad idea; unless it's in a dark, rarely used area like storage rooms or closets.
6:38 As an electrician i can tell you that doesn't need sanded...*The Bus Bars Inside However* can use a little sanding
(Joking, hopefully obviously, look up Arc Blast; it's no joke)
once again an excellent video. Looks much smoother than the fridge door video. Lol
I agree. I always have to go over my work with a sanding sponge. I have tried different speeds, different sandpaper. Nothing beats hand power.
Where the power sanders excel is, sanding between paint coats, or when painting someone else’s disaster paint jobs
Hey Ben - not sure if you’ve done this already, but you can turn down the suction on the CT vac itself, that should help reduce the grooving.
As electric sanders are a lot more aggressive than pole sanders you should use at least a 220 grit (or finer) for ready mixed mud. For example I use a 320 grit (Mirka Iridium) and get great results for finish sanding. By the way I like the Mirka Leros way better than the Festool because it's better balanced.
In my opinion the led light that comes with the Festool is a little overrated. Yes, you won't miss a scratch anymore but you'll never see how the complete wall or ceiling looks with that inspection light. If I have walls or ceilings with critical light I use the Festool STL 450 inspection light.
Edit: I have read a lot of comments here saying that you get better finish with the Mirka because it's a random orbital sander. Please notice that the Planex 2 is a random orbital sander, too.
The hilti is less agressive
300k! Nice!!
I used many different drywall sanders.
Dewalt. Festool. Wen. They are all heavy and ceiling are a pain to sand. Mirka leros is above and beyond. Ceilngs are easier to sand than walls. Amazing machine
I agree with u 100%
Awesome! I just ordered one a few day ago. Getting delivery tomorrow and I’m pretty freaking excited.
Where did you get it and how much does it cost?
Saw it for real this week, we have this store In Qc called Outils Pierre Berger. For a time I knew them as an online shop but last year they opened a location here and damn I hate going there!! They manage to burn a hole in my pocket every time!! Too many nice tools!!
If you use softer lightweight I recommend 220 or 180 if you don’t like the aggressive scratches
They also carry a 320. Just turn the speed up to get out higher edges if you didn’t feather out enough during mudding.
@@renaissanceman8581 I find with some muds even if lightweight mud that some are harder than others. With some muds I can use 120 grit others 220. I would rather have more aggressive grit and dull it down with an old sponge because it keeps grit better in my opinion.
I use a Mirka Sander it leaves no scratches atall, and I think the ceiling version is even lighter.....
I haven’t used this new Planex. I have the original. The Mirka is head and shoulders above the festool for finish sanding. I use 150 grit and no scratching. The Festool would eat thru the board with that grit.
Good honest vid Ben!
That client's garage fridge and cabinets are nicer than my kitchen fridge and cabinets 😅
I love your videos a bit too much I think. I have close to no interest in this planex, yet I chose to watch all three videos in the playlist and I’m not even disappointed with myself lmao. You are one of my absolute favorite CZcamsrs. I appreciate your context, thank you.
I get similar results with the Makita sander. It's not the end of the world really since like you mentioned, it gets me 90ish% there and then I just go over spots with a poll sander and sponge where need be. I usually run 220 grit. It still saves me a TON of time on bigger jobs and less dust the better if you ask me.
I have a lot of sanding to do--especially sanding down painted popcorn ceilings. Rental is $63 a day. So I found one online with a Amazon coupon and bought it for $163 including taxes. I'm hoping that I can manage this to reduce dust levels in a closed bathroom. Looking forward to getting some good use from it. Maybe not for finish sanding, however!
Nice video but I’m not spending $3000 to pick up a pole sander. I’m learning how to use this thing from start to finish no pole requirements 😂
I have the original planex. I've also got the harness, but I only use that flatten a textured ceiling before skimming. They sell a 36 grit paper that really speeds that up. I've found that doing the ceilings and top third of the wall off a pair of stilts works much better. Set the sander up to be as short as possible and go to work. It's still more demanding than hand sanding, but the time is a bunch faster so the total work is quite a bit less. That said, if I were starting over I'd probably go with the mirka. The flutter marks will go away with practice. You just need to back way off the vacuum and let the machine float over the problem areas, particularly the butts.
I agree about the stilts and using it short. Makes it way easier on the shoulders even though it’s still pretty brutal.
And also lower your sander speed to 3-3.5 at the most. It might take a little longer but the end product is so much better with a lot less touch up
Try moving the sander the way you moved your hand across the joint at 8:16 in the video . That way an edge of the sander doesn't ride into your joint go lightly and quickly. I did my entire kitchen in 25 minutes with the older version.
I’ve been using the porter cable sanders for last 20 years I’ll have to try this one.
I found the absolute deal of a lifetime on Facebook marketplace. This past week, I got a festool drywall sander with case, as well as a tape tech Mud runner with 8 different angle heads and flushers, paid 100 for the mud runner w. attachments, and 150 for the festool , 250 total for 2 tools that combined cost over 2k .
Gota love crack heads!
I’ve had exactly the same finishing problems with my planex 2. You need to vary the suction power on the hoover as well as the head. The only way I could stop it damaging the wall/ceiling surfaces was to buy another interface pad and put that on top of the original one.
I’ve ordered an interface pad from Flex , I’m going to fit that.
I think it will make it easier to use.
we use the interface pad too, had the same issues. Problem with that is, it is no longer dust free like before. On top of that the suction is lost making that thing heavy after some time.
@@Lukasz10000000000000 I think the interface pad is way too thin ,the fixing screws make it bulge. Our second interface cancel out the bulges.
It takes alot of adjusting of the speed and two suction dials but I don’t get any dust now.
Its definitely heavy but I swap hands regularly. The flexible angle of the head is very good so I can stand directly underneath it
You are the only person who knew exactly what the problem and solution is. Adding an interface pad helped a lot but you are again correct that it reduces the effectiveness of the dust collection.
Are you guys all using lightweight compound to finish? I just did a whole bunch of walls skimmed with midweight (purple) and had no scratching issues.
@@ILruffian I’ve been using Alsecco FX Airless plaster. It goes quite hard.
I haven’t had scratching problems,it leaves circular gouges like it’s pushing small pebbles into the wall.
I’ve made my own interface pad by adapting one from a Flex drywall sander, I’m going to use it for the first time tomorrow.
be good if it had a attachment for internal corners
Small tip: Next time try it in almost dark room
I will look up that sander I'm remodeling my son's home and will be replacing the old lath and plaster with drywall and I just did a shop addition so I will be needing to do a lot of sanding
gotta love taking down old lathe and plaster. seriously though, few things are more satisfying than switching plaster walls to drywall once it's all done lol
Thanks and Congrats on the 300K subs.
I love the rambling at the ends of your videos!! I watch till the end! Keep up the good work
That’s a pretty cool tool, I can see more contrast when the cameraman is further back, but not the surface. Have you ever tried it with the lights out, maybe you could see better contrast while you work?
Congrats on 300K subscribers 😉👍😜✌😊🤘
I have a knock off power sander...no where near the quality of Festool...But it works well, I use 240 grit and turn the vacuum and speed WAY down to finish sand...gives me more control and less gouging. I absolutely love using it for nice almost dust free sanding. i still use the corner sander and i check over everything with very minimal touchup sanding. I will never go back to hand sanding!! I dont think Ben told us what grit he was using but he said a five for speed...maybe try turning down speed too...can't hurt to try!
might be heavy but cuts the work by 10x with pole sanding manually youd be sanding that all for so much longer and so much more dust so worth it to get somthing like this or even a cheaper brand if you do drywall at all
My 2 cents.
I tried it all. Nothing beats Trim-tex black widow 180 grit sand pads.
Personally I love it for large jobs, it is a time saver. I use it to bulk out the majority then fine tune with a pole and sponge sander. Feathering edges, screws and fields It's a beast. I stay off the butts, beads and flats less pull offs and edges. A good finisher shouldn't need much more than a couple swipes with a pole anyway. The price tag is beast as well at $2100.00 plus tax in the states. Handyman or repairs? Naw... not worth it. (just my two scents)
I do the exact same thing it uniforms everything cause of the sponge ...the black widow festool combo is a must....you will get a perfect job every time.. If u double up your pad on your festool it will help eliminate any circle marks from sander ..
You know we watch til the very end...always.
Awesome machine. Yeah trying to have control with the extension is got to be hard. Probably only suitable for a rough sand before fine sand using hand tools.
the black widow is the best pole sander ive ever used !!!!! cuts down on sponging drastically !!!!
I'm here to see how well this expensive tool worked.
so, let's say you're a DIY homeowner and dont want to drop $2000 on a planex rig. would say a cordless orbital hand sander connected to a shop vac be a reasonable option for smaller jobs?
Think about moving to midweight compound. I nearly returned my Planex 2 before taking it out of the box after watching this video. I have *zero scratches or swirl marks*. I did gouge a couple of times due to operator error (inattentiveness when putting it on the wall), but they sanded out easily. I bought a pack of 220, which I regret. I actually want to get 150, 120, and even 80.
I started trying to use a power sander but keep running into a gouging issue. After pushing/pulling the head against the ceiling for 2-3 feet, the head tilts, gouging the ceiling even at the lowest speed setting. I want to say it is my lack of experience and skill. Do you have any tips to avoid this?
So I switched to a higher grit and the sanding head stopped flipping on me as much. For any noobs like me, switch up to a higher grit for better control.
Can’t wait to find out how many thousands of dollars a festool dustless sander costs!
That "garage", looks like a kitchen.... that garage is nicer than my actual kitchen. 👀
When you sand with an old school sanding pole or by hand ...your arm will still get soar...even with those electric sanders the same ...basically there's no way around certain things your gonna work...I still want one though
It does the job.
just mirka or hilti.festool is good but heavy.and dont have 180° head
Gettin old VC
Oh well, time catches us all
Once you become accustomed to it and really learn how to use it and watch what you're doing you're not going to want to put it down afterwards we would go over it with a light and a sand sponge
Hey mate… you need to use the old festool interface pad on top of the new one.
I wonder if a variable speed trigger would make it easier to use
Were you using the 180g that comes with it? Bump it up to 220 or 240 if you are still getting scratches.
For content to add to your channel could you get ahold of some of the cheaper drywall sanders off amazon, they are cheaper than i thought before the price jump up to the festool.
Curious if any of the cheaper ones in your opinion are worth it.
I am really in the market for a drywall sander with a vacuum to cut down on dust after sanding and also to make ceilings easier. I just do so little drywall but I have become very proficient from watching all of your videos.
Can Anyone else also in the comments add to the experience of a sub $300 powered drywall vacuum sander?
Love all your videos I know you rather not be the vancouver drywall carpenter but your just too good at it.
Omg. 300k subs!!! ❤️
It seems that all these sanders are a bit top heavy and puts a strain on the shoulders. However Festool is one of the lightest weighing just 4kg and I noticed from its website that they sell a harness, not that cheap...hey we`re talking Festool here! Have you tried out that option, or anybody? Thanks for the video.
Isn’t there a belt rig for this thing for when you sand ceilings? The unit sits on an open pin on the belt (which holds all the weight) and then you just use your arms to control the sander.
Here it is - www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/apparel-and-safety-gear/tool-belts/suspenders/103066-harness-for-festool-planex-drywall-sanders?item=ZA496911
Problem with that belt is, the unit lower handle sits around your middle then. Even with the extender he wouldn't be able to reach this ceiling.
Perfect for low ceilings tho, much nicer on the shoulders...
Belt attachment is for the original Planex design.
@@robvanharen81 I have this harness and this sander can reach 10 foot ceiling with it.
There is this solution but I've never tried it. www.leifarvidsson.se/arbetsmiljo/slipstallning-for-tak-till-giraff-och-planex
instead of going up and down, try going in a circular motion. I find it helps with the lines.
Could you have used a lesser grit on the sandpaper for less marks?
Solution radius 360 dustless for touchups after festool.
That looks so heavy! You are at least 6’3” tall, this girl is 5’2” short and 105 lbs.
bought a similar sander cause i thought it would help.... nah. Too heavy and there is a lot to do. pole sander the way to go for me.
I noticed that the first contact with the ceiling caused a semi-circular ding because the sanding head naturally is at an angle. I have the same problem with my Wen sander.
I think that might be a technique problem. Place the tool flat on the surface before turning on (and don't remove until after turning off). That might help prevent that.
It also helps to start on the bare paper instead of on the mud. Of course that won’t work on level 5.
JOEST discs , 220-240 G . Wouldn't use any other sanding disc.
Why would you paint a garage with flat paint?? less durable than an eggshell or satin paint.
I do it because I don't want to spend the time doing another coat of drywall finish. Flat is much more forgiving.
With out a doubt, the best sander out there, is the Mirka leros, hands down in class of its own.....use 180 or 240 grit, no swirl marks, beautiful finish.....no need to go over it with a pole sander, thats for sure......
You can do that with Festool also. With an class leading dust collection as a bonus.
But the tool is no better than the person using it.
You should show us how much dust is in the vacuum after
I use and love the radius 360 pole sander
is that a dishwasher...in the garage?
aren't there some 5 mill or 10 mill sponge interface pads for the planex? i got 5 mill pads for my ETS 150 and with 180 grid that thing sands perfect
Honestly having used the Wen version I bought for a big ceiling job in my house, I think the swirl marks and stuff are filled and hidden with primer and paint and from the texture of the nap roller. It does get heavy though. Lol nice work as always.
I’ve got the Wen too. That thing is heavy but worth the sore arms with the lack of cleanup compared to hand sanding!
@@goali3903 absolutely. Ill take intermittent breaks here and there to get blood back in my arms. Lol
Depends what type of finish you are going for. I'm actually skimming and then finishing with the Planex to get right of deep roller nap marks from shithead go-fast prior painters who must have used 3/4" nap rollers.
Will this work on plaster style stucco (not popcorn)? Even if it’s only good enough to then do a full skim?
Do you use this after you prime and after your first coat of wall color as well or just a pole sander. I only paint and was entertaining getting one
For garages only maybe?
How do you feel in your shoulders
The interface pad is to remove ridges left behind. Why pay $1400 US.rhen pole sand after makes no sense. Also now your making dust.
Thuis department of tools from ceiling sanding is still waiting for breakthrough
So after two years, are you really using a power sander more?
I've heard some ppl saying it leaves swirls / grooves. what is the best set up / settings?
Disappointing to hear that it leaves scratches. Thought with the orbital action it would eliminate swirls and scratches. Can you use a finer grit sandpaper and turn the speed all the way down?
I use 220 grit on airless plaster. I have it on half suction power on the head and the half on the hoover and speed 2.
If you have all 3 on full power,you would rip the paper off the plasterboard within seconds.
I use all-purpose mud (which is harder than he's using) and don't have a problem producing scratch-free surfaces for smooth-wall.
@@user-zz8ln3uh5x I use my planex to sand airless plastering which goes quite hard.
The problems I had with it were. Gouging small circles and it could cut a trench across the ceiling that was the width of the head.
I’ve greatly reduced this by putting a second interface pad on top of the existing one and turning down the speed and suction power.
As long as I’m really careful with the planex, I can get a good finish.
@@duncanhiggins6463 Interesting. I recall at some point getting circular gouges... as if the machine was grinding tiny boulders into the surface. I'm not sure why I haven't had this problem in a while. I wonder what a side-by-side comparison of plasters and joint compounds would produce.
I should also mention that I'm pretty leery of inside wall/ceiling corners because I've had the Planex leave a visible ledge.
@@user-zz8ln3uh5x that is the perfect description of the problems I was having. I think the plastic screws that attach the interface pad,are the reason for the circular bulges. Using the second interface pad cancels out the unevenness.
All these rotary electric sanders leave swirl marks. The mirka blows the festool away. I sand with 150 grit and my finish is better than my buddy's festool 240 grit
Why do they make the drywall sander to heavy ,should make it lighter 💭🤏
it looks heavy to be doing ceilings with. maybe need slilts to get head close to celing level.
Festool sells a very comfortable harness that helps with any ceiling sanding or popcorn removal and it fits the original Planex, Planex Easy and Planex 2.
What was the price for that complete setup?
Hello, I want to ask you, would you suggest it to someone to buy this machine, do you think that someone can do his job faster and better?
Can you attach a shoulder strap connected to it to take some of the weight?
Yes festool sell one it’s £225 in the UK
No skateboarding when you pull your groin!
Will it be good to use on a parquet floor, wood floor....?
Salut , moi aussi j’ai un problème de ponçage avec la nouvelle festool , la planex 1 poncer bien mieux et festool ne veut rien entendre 😡😡