Posted: 4/23/2025 9:25:01 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Zaphod][Edited]
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Howdy! As I begin to get back into this hobby, I am desirous of replacing my existing Makita and DeWalt random-orbit sanders with a good unit that will both be easier to use AND have better dust extraction. I have never purchased a Festool product, but I am not one of those to poo-poo them just because they are expensive. Every review I've ever read raves about them. In my case, I plan to get a CT26 dust extractor no matter what sander (Festool or Bosche) I get. My question for you guys is... If you had to have ONE sander, what model Festool would you choose? Intended use will be small projects such as chopping boards, intarsia, bird houses, and the like. I'll need to build several pieces for my shop (work/outfeed station, flip cart, band saw base, etc.) as well, and may even expand into the bookcase realm. All advice appreciated. Thanks! |
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I have two Festool random orbit sanders, and looking at getting a 3rd. The two I have are the ETS EC150/3 EQ-Plus and the ETS EC150/5 EQ-Plus They are the 6" versions. One is the 3mm stroke and the other is the 5mm stroke for more aggressive and faster sanding. I bought my first one last year. Then bought another one this year, each with their own vacuum and covered hoses. I got the 3mm version first with a smaller Festool vac. Was very happy with it. Sands so much faster than my old little 5" orbitals. Almost no sanding dust at all. About the only sanding dust now is when easing the sharp edges by hand. I used to keep a fan on the table to blow all the sanding dust away from me. Shop is so much cleaner now. Only downside, other than the cost, was changing the sanding disc for a different grit when sanding a batch of doors or whatever. That's one reason I bought a second one with its own vacuum. When I bought the 2nd one, I got the big vacuum. Cutting down sheets of plywood with my track saw was filling up the little one quick. They both work great. Between the bags and the hepa filter, clean air is all that comes out of them. The sanders don't weight much and have plenty of power. Don't have to ride it or press down hard, just let it work. And I use the Festool sandpaper. Doesn't cost more than what I was using, has all the holes so the vacuum works and does a good job. I bought the 6" versions because I do so much sanding, plus the larger sanding pad usually keeps things a little flatter. And now I am looking at getting the little 3.5" Rotex sander. I need something for small areas, but still has the power to get it done quickly. I build cabinets for a living, and some days those sanders are ran nearly nonstop. I would have to take multiple breaks with my old sanders to let my hands rest and stop tingling. No problem running the Festool ones for long periods of time, usually with just one hand. 
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I also have the ETS EC150/3 EQ.. It is expensive, and well worth the cringe-worthy cost. And is the tool I spend the most time-in-hand with. I can sand for extended times and not get tingly hands due to vibration. I am switching to 3M Xtract™ Cubitron™ II Net Disc 710W .sandpaper exclusively. It works faster and lasts longer that any other abrasive I have tried. |
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I'm not at home right now, but I think I have the ETS 125 line which works fine for finish sanding. I have 3, round, rectangular and the wedge. When I lived in Austin, we could use these indoors with the Festool dust collector and not have to worry about dust in the house. It was too damn hot to work on the porch or in the garage. |
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Originally Posted By Zaphod: I'm reckon I'm trying to decide between the ROTEX RO 150 FEQ-Plus and the ETS EC150/3 EQ-Plus. If you are starting out get the ETS EC150/3 EQ-Plus first. The 150/3 is a finishing sander. If you want quick material removal get the 150/6. The Rotex is for heavy sanding jobs. Bosch makes a machine that is close to the Rotex and half the cost. But the Rotex has both sanding strokes built in. Just flip the switch. It is heavy and gets old after about 30 minutes of use. |
 Festool Sander Comparison https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_BxZ48FbP0&t=635s Bent Woodworks did a video on this a while back that seems applicable. TLDW: He recommends the ETS 150/6. |
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Originally Posted By GloriusMark:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_BxZ48FbP0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_BxZ48FbP0&t=635s Bent Woodworks did a video on this a while back that seems applicable. TLDW: He recommends the ETS 150/6. Thanks. Hadn't seen that one. |
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I have a ETS EC150/3 EQ-Plus and use with a CT-26 dust collector. I suspect that the CT-26 is the most used machine in my shop. I use it with other tools and for general cleanup. I'm thinking about getting a second one to use just for the cleanup. On a side note I have tried the 3M xtract cubitron II discs and am not impressed. I think the Festool discs are better, they stay on the sander better and last much long as far as I can tell. |
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There isn't anything magical about Festool. Most quality sanders coupled with a good dust extractor will perform just as well. I have a 20 year old Fein Turbo 2 coupled with a Fein 6" random orbital sander that is as aggressive as a belt sander if you want to to be. Its the model that has an angle grinder body. Virtually no dust at all despite removing a LOT of wood. I also have a Festool RTS 400 EQ palm sander. Its also dust free hooked to the same Fein dust extractor with HEPA filter. I have the same experience with the Makita 5" random orbital and the small Dewalt RAS. It's really the dust extractor that is important as long as the tool is quality with ample sanding pad holes or slots for extraction. BTW, the Festool track saw is the tits. I've had mine since they first came out. Having said that my Festool EC-TEC T 15 + 3 cordless drill is a piece of shit. The chuck can't hold a bit securely no matter what you do. It always spins free after a short time. It gathers dust in favor of my Ridgid cordless drills and drivers. |
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Originally Posted By Zaphod: ...no matter what sander (Festool or Bosche) I get. What Bosch model is competing with Festool sanders? I'm not aware of anything that is really trying to be in the same market segment. The absence of Mirka in the discussion is surprising. And for those who can't justify $600+ on a sander, there are the Mirka clones and derivatives (including 3M). |
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Originally Posted By PJC9876: The sanders don't weight much and have plenty of power. Don't have to ride it or press down hard, just let it work. And I use the Festool sandpaper. Doesn't cost more than what I was using, has all the holes so the vacuum works and does a good job. I bought the 6" versions because I do so much sanding, plus the larger sanding pad usually keeps things a little flatter. And now I am looking at getting the little 3.5" Rotex sander. I need something for small areas, but still has the power to get it done quickly. I build cabinets for a living, and some days those sanders are ran nearly nonstop. I would have to take multiple breaks with my old sanders to let my hands rest and stop tingling. No problem running the Festool ones for long periods of time, usually with just one hand. You don't build very many cabinets if you is dicking with one of those and think it has 'plenty of power'. 
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My first festool purchase was the CT15 vac and the ETS-EC 125 sander. That sander does such a great job and leave so little dust. Wife unit no longer bitches about the dust in the workshop! Oh, and it's very low in the vibration department, I love that. Yeah, it's spendy, but damn, I look forward to going to the workshop now. FWIW, I now have far too many systainers full of green tools, it's an addiction. |
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I have a ETS EC150/5, RTS400, and Rotex 90. I also have a Bosch version of the Rotex in 6" the 1250DEVS, and another Bosch sander the ROS65VC. If you're getting ONE Festool sander get the ETS EC150/5. Get the Festool discs, they fucking finally have Granat in 50 packs now. Get a hard pad. I bought into the 3M Cubitron Xtract mesh discs and while nothing beats them for dust extraction and abrasive life, you MUST use a protection pad with them, which I don't like as it negates the benefits of using the hard pad. Also, while abrasive life is exceptional, discs can easily shred. Watch the Festool live channel on YT where Sedge (a bit annoying as he can be over the top but explains very well) goes over all the sanders, abrasives, how to use dust extraction with them, etc. |
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Originally Posted By A_G: I have a ETS EC150/5, RTS400, and Rotex 90. I also have a Bosch version of the Rotex in 6" the 1250DEVS, and another Bosch sander the ROS65VC. If you're getting ONE Festool sander get the ETS EC150/5. Get the Festool discs, they fucking finally have Granat in 50 packs now. Get a hard pad. I bought into the 3M Cubitron Xtract mesh discs and while nothing beats them for dust extraction and abrasive life, you MUST use a protection pad with them, which I don't like as it negates the benefits of using the hard pad. Also, while abrasive life is exceptional, discs can easily shred. Watch the Festool live channel on YT where Sedge (a bit annoying as he can be over the top but explains very well) goes over all the sanders, abrasives, how to use dust extraction with them, etc. JUST FYI - The 3M Cubitron XTRACT net disks are vastly superior. I am running through the Festool Granat discs and replacing them with 3M XTRACT. The Granat discs are "OK".... The XTRACT discs cost about the same and have an affective sanding life at least twice as long. My sanding time is noticeably less using them. |
There are many situations in life where there are valid arguments for different courses of action.
Choose the course of action that preserves (or restores!) the most individual freedom and Liberty.
Choose the course of action that preserves (or restores!) the most individual freedom and Liberty.
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Originally Posted By HBruns: JUST FYI - The 3M Cubitron XTRACT net disks are vastly superior. I am running through the Festool Granat discs and replacing them with 3M XTRACT. The Granat discs are "OK".... The XTRACT discs cost about the same and have an affective sanding life at least twice as long. My sanding time is noticeably less using them. Originally Posted By HBruns: Originally Posted By A_G: I have a ETS EC150/5, RTS400, and Rotex 90. I also have a Bosch version of the Rotex in 6" the 1250DEVS, and another Bosch sander the ROS65VC. If you're getting ONE Festool sander get the ETS EC150/5. Get the Festool discs, they fucking finally have Granat in 50 packs now. Get a hard pad. I bought into the 3M Cubitron Xtract mesh discs and while nothing beats them for dust extraction and abrasive life, you MUST use a protection pad with them, which I don't like as it negates the benefits of using the hard pad. Also, while abrasive life is exceptional, discs can easily shred. Watch the Festool live channel on YT where Sedge (a bit annoying as he can be over the top but explains very well) goes over all the sanders, abrasives, how to use dust extraction with them, etc. JUST FYI - The 3M Cubitron XTRACT net disks are vastly superior. I am running through the Festool Granat discs and replacing them with 3M XTRACT. The Granat discs are "OK".... The XTRACT discs cost about the same and have an affective sanding life at least twice as long. My sanding time is noticeably less using them. They are superior when you're sanding flat surfaces ONLY and don't mind having to use the protection pad with them, which you MUST. The issue with the protection pad is it gives just a little bit of softness to the pad, and if you're trying to keep what you're sanding dead flat the protection pad makes that more difficult. The discs also shread and disintegrate if you try to sand a radius, even a rather large radius round over with a foam interface pad. One other thing is that due to the shape of the abrasive and orientation, they tend to be more aggressive grit for grit over their conventional counterparts. Put another way, they feel rougher and leave deeper scratches than their counterparts so one may need to start with 120 instead of 80 for instance. I bought into the hype and got a bunch of them. They excel at dust collection, no question. They also have a long life (if you only sand flat surfaces) and do cut faster. They also have the drawbacks I pointed out above. They're another tool in the arsenal and I still use both when one fits the bill better than the other. |
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Originally Posted By HBruns: I also have the ETS EC150/3 EQ.. It is expensive, and well worth the cringe-worthy cost. And is the tool I spend the most time-in-hand with. I can sand for extended times and not get tingly hands due to vibration. I am switching to 3M Xtract™ Cubitron™ II Net Disc 710W .sandpaper exclusively. It works faster and lasts longer that any other abrasive I have tried. Ditto. Should have done it years ago. So much better than everything else I used prior. Dust extractor is a Makita though. It’s superb |
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