Best Finish Sander?

[Carpenter96]

Hi I have a 1/2 Sheet dual action sander. You can run it as orbital or in line. I also have a couple of random orbit sanders. I agree if money is no object buy the Festool, but if you bought the Porter Cable you would have enough money left to buy $120 worth of abrasive discs. Regards Bob

[cabinetman]

Originally Posted by Dal300

I have to disagree with Loring's wiki post... pneumatic DA sanders have been around for decades. they aren't the same as a ROS. I'm not sure I can describe the difference, but when doing body work on a truck or car you always want to use a DA and not an ROS because the ROS won't allow you to feather the edges like you can with a DA.

+1. I agree. I've used them since the 70's.

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[LCHIEN]

Originally Posted by Dal300

I have to disagree with Loring's wiki post... pneumatic DA sanders have been around for decades. they aren't the same as a ROS. I'm not sure I can describe the difference, but when doing body work on a truck or car you always want to use a DA and not an ROS because the ROS won't allow you to feather the edges like you can with a DA.

BTW, if you have ever noticed, a vibratory sander like the finish sanders and mouse sanders and others leave a nasty 'scroll' pattern that's difficult to get rid of. ROS and DA's don't do that if you let them do their jobs.

i just copied what was there verbatim. The caveat with Wiki is that it is user-generated content (any reference writing is subject to human factual errors or bias for that matter). I generally find it a reasonable guide. I presume you experts by lack of comment agree that the important content from Wiki concerning the dual action rotating and orbiting, lack of swirl marks and indifference to the grain direction was correct.

[leehljp]

Originally Posted by Dal300

BTW, if you have ever noticed, a vibratory sander like the finish sanders and mouse sanders and others leave a nasty 'scroll' pattern that's difficult to get rid of. ROS and DA's don't do that if you let them do their jobs.

That is one thing that I noticed right away on the Festool. I have the 6 inch (150) Rotex and switching between modes, one will leave swirls/scroll patterns (also more aggressive) and the other doesn't. It is super at feathering. It does remind me of the days of feathering with the DA back in the mid '70s in auto body work, except the Festool is much heavier.

Having said the good points of the festool, here are the negative points of the Festool for me:
1. I should have bought the 125 or 5 inch model as the 6 inch is too big for most of what I do. I bought the 6 inch over the 5 inch because I figured I might be re-sanding floors, which I have not gotten around to doing just yet. Hoever, if I did, I probably would rent a floor sander rather than being on my knees now.
2. It is FAR more sander than I am worth. It is out of my league but I am happy to have a Rolls Royce parked in the weeds in my yard with the other junkers! Those two actions get the job done well.
3. It is a workhorse of a team of Clydedales, and a racehorse of Secretariat speed, but it isn't meant to be used as an occasional, once every three months projects.

The greatest value it has served for me is the dust collectino system for the 9 hole sanding discs. LOML appreciates the lack of dust when I sand in the house. So, if severe allergies to dust are a value at all, this has been worth it. Still the Festool is out of my league, but LOML would not let me part with it - until the house is finished being re-modeled sometime in the later part of this new century!

[cabinetman]

Originally Posted by LCHIEN

i just copied what was there verbatim. The caveat with Wiki is that it is user-generated content (any reference writing is subject to human factual errors or bias for that matter). I generally find it a reasonable guide.

I've quoted Wiki after reading the part I quote, and doing any necessary research regarding the accuracy of the selection. Because, someone always does the research to check it out, as we well know. Quoting Wiki to me is like entering it either in place of my own response, or as a further explanation of my response. As you said, the content is user generated, and it represents what is taken as reliable. It may only be an opinion which may be at best, questionable.

Originally Posted by LCHIEN

I presume you experts by lack of comment agree that the important content from Wiki concerning the dual action rotating and orbiting, lack of swirl marks and indifference to the grain direction was correct.

I replied without reference to whether I agreed or not with the data from Wiki. I've used all types of sanders and many different brands. I prefer a D/A and ROS over other types. What does make for better surfaces is a good technique. It's not always the tool.

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[cabinetman]

I would add that I would have to agree with Wiki to quote it.

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[Carpenter96]

Hi my students always ask which tools to buy and my response is the same every time. What is your budget? And given their answer I tell them to buy the best tool they can afford. Given the choices out there decisions are much more difficult in todays world than 20 years ago. The better the tool usually means the more quality work it will do. Regards Bob