Rotex 125

[DiscoStu]

Not really a review at all but I used mine for the first time today. Had it about 2 months!

I have to say that the geared action is incredibly powerful and I struggled to hold it. I'm 6'2" and not small. Seriously powerful bit of kit.

I used it (also for the first time) with my CTL midi and it's a great combo. I'd say there was zero dust. (I'm sure there was some but it didn't seem like there was any).

Very impressed with the Rotex.

It will be interesting to use it on some tough work.


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[MikeJhn]

At nearly £400.00 I would expect it to sweep up and make the tea.

I have one of these: http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk ... der-643274 with the hose connection fitted (option) it also produces perceivably no dust, had it about two years and used it extensively.

Mike

 

[DiscoStu]

Prior to the Rotex I had (still have) a Bosch PEX 400 at about £80 and I can see where the money goes on the Festool. It is a lot of money and to be honest I only bought it because I had a voucher. I'm sure it will last a lifetime of my use though.

It's doesn't make tea, and it doesn't sweep up, but to be honest there is no dust to sweep up and it so efficient you get plenty of time to go and make the tea and time to relax drinking it.


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[Nelsun]

And there's the volume of the Rotex (I have the 150 but I'm guessing they're about the same). He's not quiet! That took me by surprise... along with the bolt-down-your-bench-and-strap-yourself-in Rotex mode.

 

[DiscoStu]

Yeah that is some power! As I say I'm not small and I struggled to hold onto it. I did find turning the speed down made it more manageable.


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[MikeJhn]

IMO an overpowered machine is worse than an underpowered one, at least with an underpowered machine you are not going to gouge the workpiece when using it, can't see the point of having a machine you can't hold onto or use at its maximum output.

Mike

 

[Wuffles]

You'd love the RAS180 then.

One thing I don't understand is you are the first to jump down someone's throat for buying a cheap router table (for example) as "you get what you pay for" and yet when someone reviews a geared sander you compare it to something cheap that isn't even a comparison. The sander you are happy with isn't geared.

 

[Nelsun]

I would not call it overpowered at all... despite my love for over-exaggeration. It just has a greater range of power than the non geared ROS that went before it. If you wanted to do a gentle final sand, you would't have it in geared rotex mode going full speed for obvious reasons. You'd put a soft fluffy bunny pad on and set it to tickle speed (you can do just about exactly that with the range of accessories for these sanders).

And there's nothing to stop you using one at full tilt. Given that it works similar to a belt sander but in a ROS form factor, you have to hold things down or watch them fly off the bench... same as a belt sander.

 

[DiscoStu]

What Nelsun said!

It's powerful yes and I was somewhat shocked by how powerful it was but that's what you want when you've got a load of material to remove. Turn down the speed and take off the gearing and you have a fine sander. Seems to be a great all rounder. No real compromise except maybe the cost.


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[MikeJhn]

I did not jump down anyones throat, in fact if you read my second post on the router thread I said "go for it"

IMO sanding is a finishing process, if you need to remove a lot of material there are many processes more accurate and better than sanding.

Mike

 

[Nelsun]

^And that's fine for what you do and how you do it. The rotext fits my particular needs very well which is why I bought one.

 

[Wuffles]

I did not jump down anyones throat, in fact if you read my second post on the router thread I said "go for it"

IMO sanding is a finishing process, if you need to remove a lot of material there are many processes more accurate and better than sanding.

Mike

Not talking about that post Mike. I can't be bothered to find them, but there are a couple of posts specifically about router tables where you've ignored the OP's (in one case mine) budget and basically trashed the suggestions given on the basis that the UJK one (which you own) that costs 5 times the price is best and that anything else shouldn't be considered.

Yet when it comes to sanders, anything over £40 is a waste of money?

I wouldn't consider a belt sander just "finishing".

 

[shed9]

A lot of Rotex users have concern in handling in the initial stage of usage. I have the 150 and the 90 and had similar issues, in particular with the 90 however it soon passed.

There is a school of thought that they need to be 'broken in' by running it loose for several hours and in fact there are several Youtube videos and a few threads on the FOG that suggest and this is a must. However I can't see what benefit this achieves at all and think it is a load of testicles. If anything needs to be broken in, it's just the users experience of the tool.

Superb range of sanders and well worth the money IMO.

 

[Adam9453]

Well this topic has caused more contention than I thought it would.
I got our local festool rep to demo the RO150 for me and I have to say its superb.
In answer to the point about stock removal being 'better' done in other ways, I kind of both disagree and agree.
I'll explain, I have a big planer thicknesser which is brilliant for flattening and thicknessing material but its a 300kg machine that I have to wheel into position when I want to use it. Wheeling it around isn't an issue and I certainly happily do it when i've got a stack of timber to dimension. However if I have just a small piece then its really not worth the effort & time. Much quicker to grab the sander, chuck it on the aggressive mode and whip the roughness off at a phenomenal rate, a quick plane by hand and its ready. Nice a quick.
The rotex is really a thoroughly versatile sander and with the variety of accessories available, it can pretty much do any sanding task thrown at it. Including sanding concave and convex curves in carved furniture.
Wuffles is right, comparing it to a cheap non-geared sander from home base is a little beyond ridiculous as they're chalk and cheese.
I suspect from your comments that you possibly haven't tried using a rotex, you should try one and I expect your opinion would change, I know mine did.

 

[DiscoStu]

The Rotex is a world apart from my Bosch. I'm not saying my Bosch is bad but very different to the Rotex.


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[Lonsdale73]

A lot of Rotex users have concern in handling in the initial stage of usage. I have the 150 and the 90 and had similar issues, in particular with the 90 however it soon passed.

There is a school of thought that they need to be 'broken in' by running it loose for several hours and in fact there are several Youtube videos and a few threads on the FOG that suggest and this is a must. However I can't see what benefit this achieves at all and think it is a load of testicles. If anything needs to be broken in, it's just the users experience of the tool.

Superb range of sanders and well worth the money IMO.

Never thought it would be possible to get excited about a sander!

Interesting to note you've had more of an issue with the RO90 than the RO150, same here. I can assure you all I'm nowhere near 6 feet two and - bit of a gut aside - I'm not what you'd call big built but I found the larger RO150 easier to handle than the RO90, the latter moving like a huge eel om steroids. Lot of money certainly but - for me - worth it for how much easier, enjoyable too, an aspect of woodworking I dreaded and hated doing.

 

[custard]

I've got the Rotex 150 and where as it's a smashing tool I find I don't really use it all that often, chiefly because for the furniture making work I do (and I accept others may have different needs) it falls between two stools. It's not the best choice for cabinet sanding, but neither is it the best solution for heavy stock removal like saddling a windsor chair seat.

For general sanding I stick to three random orbital Festool sanders as they're just more comfortable to hold during long sanding sessions. But for serious stock removal the Rotex isn't a patch on the RAS. I don't own a RAS but I wish I did, it's so powerful that it's edging into angle grinder territory! If I could get a half decent price on a RAS I'd trade the Rotex in a heartbeat.

 

[Wuffles]

I sold my RO150 on for similar reasons, I wasn't as impressed as I should be on the stock removal, whereas the RO90 is a remarkable machine - I love it.

I managed to get one of the ETS EC 150 sanders in the Amazon 4 for 3 sale earlier this year and with some particularly vicious Abranet HD on it, I'd say it removes material at a similar rate, for me at least.

I mentioned the RAS earlier in the thread because it's an overlooked machine with lunatic tendencies, shame the dust extraction isn't quite as good. Would probably love one though.

 

[RossJarvis]

I've got the R 90 and initially found it bucked around a lot on the powered setting but learnt that it all depends on the angle you hold it at. In general it's very dependant on getting a feel for holding it so that only an edge of the abrasive is in contact with the work, not the whole disc (or is it the other way round?) and you need to hold the thing with two hands to get the angle right (not for strength but for ease of use). It is easy to hold when you get the angle right but a beast when the angle is wrong. I think in the high power mode you need to get the edge of the thing to work but in the ROS mode you need to get the whole disc to work. Also in the ROS Mode you need to check that the pressure is right so that the disc rotates and doesn't stay in one place.