571760 - Festool 6" Dual Mode Sander RO Rotex 150 FEQ

I'll admit that I am a fan of Festool's products, but I have owned and used competitor's similar products. I will list here the reasons I feel that this is a great product, and some cons. I am a professional woodworker. I make furniture for a living and use this tool several times weekly, averaging 4-6 hours/week. Some days, I'll spend maybe 6 hours using the tool with few breaks. All of this tool's usage is in my workshop.

Pros:

- Two modes of operation are handy when used in conjunction with different abrasives
- Many applications include (1) heavy sanding for material removal (2) light to fine sanding for a very flat and fine surface (3) buffing resulting in mirror finishes
- Separate speed control
- Dust collection is tops
- Extreme durability
- Power cord quick connect; compatible with other Festool tools

I take care of all of my tools and this tool is no exception, but I have found it to be extremely durable and have been using it regularly now for 4 years. I have run it for an hour straight, and it will get warm, but after a 10 minute break, it's right back at it. I haven't required any repairs yet.

Cons:

- Heavy when used for long periods, so maybe not a great contractor's tool for on-site sanding jobs
- Expensive
- Expensive accessories, with Festool tightly controlling price

Festool does make a very high quality product, and I recommend this tool to anyone who has (1) a wide range of application needs (2) want a tool that will last (3) have a need for a very durable tool with heavy daily use (4) want a sander that can help you create very fine, flat results in wood.

I've had this sander for about 8 months and have used it on a couple of woodworking projects. First off it's a beast. Not only is it big, it's very powerful. I started looking at the Festool (my first Festool) when I heard I could cut my sanding time in half. That caught my attention. I hate sanding. Most boring part of the project. So I went to a Festool seminar at my local woodcraft (they have them all the time at lumberyards and woodworking stores)and I guess I swallowed the hook. First off I found there are two types of people that attend those sales seminars. The first bunch are enthusiasts such as myself trying to find out the skinny on a new tool or two. The other type is the ones that are hard core Festool addicts. They have several Festools at home and swear by them. What I haven't figured out is if they really use them much. Let's face it. These tools are very pricey and often are double or more over their competitors.
Long story short. This tool does not cut your sanding time down much at all (if at all). You're locked into using their expensive sanding disks and you still have to go through each and every grit to get good results. If you try and use the aggressive mode to remove a lot of material, it does as advertised (although the salesman said I would never need my belt sander again...bull, it's not that aggressive). But it will leave deep scratches in the material and require lots of sanding time in the orbital mode to remove them. I should also mention it is loud. You'll need hearing protection for any lengthy sanding session. And when you're in aggressive mode it vibrates bad. It is a handful to control. Power comes with a trade off of control. If you're not on top of it, it will jump all over your project.
For a leveling a table top or stripping paint off a flat project this tool will get it done. But I still find myself turning to my 5" RO palm sander first (PC 333). It's quieter, easy to control and although it takes a while the results are predictable. Save your money and pass on this one.

This is a big rugged sander that will really take off the wood in aggressive mode. If you only get one Festool sander get the ETS-150. It is more versatile and suitable for woodworking. I use this sander on outdoor projects like decks and swing sets. As with all Festool sanders don't bother buying it unless you want to hook it up to vacuum - either a Festool, or highly rated Fein.

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