Random Orbital Sander - Festool or not

[elsa]

I'm in the market for a new random orbital sander.
I hear people swear by their Festool tools but their sander is around twice the price of others.

Is it really worth the extra money?
Does it work twice as fast?
Does it give a finish that is twice as good?
Is it twice as quiet?

Does anyone have any objective reasons why it's worth paying so much for Festool?
Also, does the festool take the standard hole pattern 150mm sanding discs?

 

[LyNx]

I was looking at the festool but i couldn't spend that amount so i went for the Metabo SXE450 which is nearly top of my list of the best buys so far.

http://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product.php/section//sn/METSXE450

Plus i don't think the festool will take the standard discs

Andy

 

[Anonymous]

Is it really worth the extra money?
Does it work twice as fast?
Does it give a finish that is twice as good?
Is it twice as quiet?

No.
No.
No.
No.


Many other quality sanders do exactly the same job, eg Metabo.

The Festool might provide beter dust collection, but no other advantage over other quality manufacturers producst.

To qualify this, I have used and considered a Festool ROS and purchased the Metabo.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Elsa

This is one instance where the Festool is not as good as the opposition.

Buy the Metabo SXE450.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Jake]

This is one instance where the Festool is not as good as the opposition.

Having used both, that simply isn't true. Whether the Festool is worth the extra is a different question - and one I'd prevaricate on at RRP prices.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Jake

Having used both, that simply isn't true. Whether the Festool is worth the extra is a different question - and one I'd prevaricate on at RRP prices.

IMHO, it was when I tested them eighteen months ago. When Andy King tested them he also gave the Metabo better marks than the Festool.

Cheers
Neil

 

[cambournepete]

I wanted a Festool sander, I really did, but I bought the Metabo at the Axminster show last year where I tried the Festool sanders.
I didn't like the RO150 - I found the shape a bit awkard and it was heavy. The RO125 was better, but still noisy and vibrated quite a lot and the other 2 6" ones only have one orbit size each and cost £100 more than the Metabo.

The Metabo came with a Metabox which will sit nicely in my Festool systainer stack

 

[Jake]

The ROs are not comparable - they are different tools entirely, on rotary they will rip off paint and so on nearly as fast as a belt sander, on random orbit they are significantly more powerful and fast than a Metabo.

The 150/3 and 150/5 are the real comparators, and yes, they lack the clever dual orbit feature which is part of what makes the Metabo appear such good VFM. But the Festools are very much lighter (whether this is important depends on how much of your sanding is other than horizontal), have significantly better dust extraction (you will notice this more on paint, MDF and so than on wood, so again its significance will depend on your usage). I also preferred the ergonomics of the Festools, and they vibrated less.

Having said that, the price tag of the Festools was too much for me. But ignoring VFM, they were definitely the better machines - just not better enough to make me spring for them.

 

[Tarkin]

I've got the Metabo 450 and it's brilliant, better than any other ROS I've used. The dual orbits is especially good and is what really seperates it from the crowd, on the 6mm setting with 40 or 60 grit paper it's rougher than a badgers arse. But then switch to 3mm and 240 grit and it'll give fantastically smooth finish. It's also built like a tank and has far less vibration than other ROS.

My only critisicm is that it's DX isn't as good as I hoped, but its far from hopeless. Admittedly I haven't used the Festool, and while some of their kit is (probably) worth the money, there is no way the ETS150 is worth almost twice the price of the Metabo IMHO.

 

[johnelliott]

I had a Metabo and loved it until I wore it out. Then I got a Festool RO150 with which I was initially quite disappointed. Now that I've got used to it I would not go back. Whether or not they are worth the extra depends on your point of view. Mine is used in a full time workshop situation, and to me it is well worth the extra
John

 

[RogerS]

it's rougher than a badgers arse.

I wonder how you know that :wink: :lol:

The mind boggles :?

 

[prawnking]

i have a ryobi
here
works great
good dust extraction and worked well when sanding down badly weathered garden furniture with 60 grit then 120grit
also has variable speed (or is this standard on all ROS
and it only cost £40. bargain!!
but i suppose it what features u want and the name u pay for

cheers

shaun

 

[Anonymous]

If we are going to talk prices, I have a Performance Power that cost me £19.99 about two years ago - still working fine.

At the end of the day, it only has to randomly spin some sandpaper and clear the dust away

 

[Tarkin]

it's rougher than a badgers ****.

I wonder how you know that :wink: :lol:

The mind boggles :?

Wouldn't you like to know! :wink:

Would also second prawnking, I've used the Ryobi ROS and for 40 squids is a good machine, but i'd still go for the Metabo, the dual orbits makes it the best ROS around IMHO.

 

[Nick W]

I have the Bosch GEX 150 which also has dual orbit doofers. Currently on offer at Screwfix for £199.

Works very well, and the extraction is not at all bad when attached to my Trend T30AF.

 

[Quetech]

I have used the Metabo with the fein extractor to sand drywall among other things and it is fantastic the dust extraction is superb.
However it is heavy for prolonged use in a vertical or over head situation.

Mike

 

[Scrit]

I have two Festools. The better dust extraction is what interested me - they replaced Bosch GEXs. Reliable, not too noisy, good brakes (therefore not tiring to use on long sessions), not too heavy, but most of all the DX is better than the oppositions.

Scrit