Festool "PRO 5 LTD" ETS 125 REQ Random Orbital Sander Deal

[firworks]

ToolNut/FestoolProducts has a deal on the new version of the 5" Festool ROS. 99$! Comes with a systainer too. Also comes with a coupon for 50$ off a future Festool purchase probably from FP/ToolNut.

View media item 64252
http://www.festoolproducts.com/fest...-pro-5-ets-125-req-random-orbital-sander.html

I'd like to upgrade but I can't spend money on tools right now. My Bosch ROS10 will have to do. Maybe someone else though who was either looking at getting the older model or just wants to break into Festool can make use of this deal.

Note: I think this guy uses proprietary sander pads. You can't just use the regular old 5" hook and loopers.

 

[Rick M]

I bought one. I have a 5" PC but it's nothing special, been wanting to try a Festool and see if they are up to the hype.

 

[gamp945]

Looks nice. The page you linked to also says that they'll give you a $50 voucher towards another Festool item.

I use a Bosch ROS20VSK right now, so I guess I'll pass since the Festool wouldn't be a major upgrade. If I were buying new, I'd probably jump on this. But maybe not if the sanding pads are actually proprietary...

 

[PureLeaf]

Is the hole pattern the standard for sanding discs from other orbitals?

 

[JoeMA]

Been on the fence about buying this. It is only 1.7 amps--most competitors are at least double this, including the Swiss made Bosch. Also would prefer a 6 inch over 5 inch.

 

[PureLeaf]

I guess this review pretty much says it to me:

If you are looking for a quality, finishing sander, you may want to consider the “Festool 571817 ETS 125 EQ Random Orbital Sander”. Relatively light in weight, this sander is comfortable to hold and as quiet as a finishing sander can be. It operates smoothly and is easy to control. The sander does an excellent job at the finishing step. If you are in the market for a general-purpose sander that can remove more of the stock, you may want to consider using one of Festool’s larger sanders before you reach the finish step. This unit is not a general purpose sander and should be evaluated in that light.

I wanted to buy this as a present for my dad who uses a crappy orbital from harbor freight but like JoeMA said. The Bosch is 30 bucks more, has double the power.

 

[CTyankee]

I guess this review pretty much says it to me:

If you are looking for a quality, finishing sander, you may want to consider the “Festool 571817 ETS 125 EQ Random Orbital Sander”. Relatively light in weight, this sander is comfortable to hold and as quiet as a finishing sander can be. It operates smoothly and is easy to control. The sander does an excellent job at the finishing step. If you are in the market for a general-purpose sander that can remove more of the stock, you may want to consider using one of Festool’s larger sanders before you reach the finish step. This unit is not a general purpose sander and should be evaluated in that light.

X 2
My boss recently purchased a Festool sander and vacuum. Not sure what model, but the RO sander itself was well north of 200 dollars. Amazing performance....if you can handle the sticker shock.

I'd be a bit skeptical about this one replacing your average random orbital, Any "finish" sanding I need to do can be accomplished with a finer grit at a lower speed. .

 

[Git]

X 2
I'd be a bit skeptical about this one replacing your average random orbital, Any "finish" sanding I need to do can be accomplished with a finer grit at a lower speed. .

There is more to it than just the grit of the sand paper

Festool makes their finish sanders with different strokes 5/64” (2 mm), 1/8” (3 mm) or 3/16” (5 mm)

This one has the smallest, 5/64” (2 mm) stroke, which is the least aggressive. If you're only planning on having one sander - this isn't it

Also keep in mind if you like those containers that it comes with - a 'T Loc Systainer 2', that is worth about $65 by itself

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=68750&cat=68749

 

[rice rocket]

Wow, $50 on a $99 sander is a pretty rich offer, from a company that has historically had fixed pricing. Must be a slow year. Maybe people got fed up with them jacking their prices 5-10% annually.

Is the hole pattern the standard for sanding discs from other orbitals?

No, they have their own proprietary pattern, and no available hole punch.

 

[icecactus]

The pattern is proprietary, but the dust collection is phenomenal and their granat line of abrasives is way better then anything else I have tried. It lasts forever...

 

[CTyankee]

X 2
Any "finish" sanding I need to do can be accomplished with a finer grit at a lower speed. .

There is more to it than just the grit of the sand paper

Never said there wasn't..just stated what works for me.

If you're only planning on having one sander - this isn't it

Guess you're pretty much agreeing with me on this....

 

[rice rocket]

The pattern is proprietary, but the dust collection is phenomenal and their granat line of abrasives is way better then anything else I have tried. It lasts forever...

Dust collection is very good, but no better than my Makita or Bosch sanders with a vac. I'm glad that they brought dust collection to the forefront, but the market has largely caught up.


Granat is decent, I have more granat than anything else for my RO150.

That said, Mirka has better paper IMHO, their gold paper is fantastic and very affordable, and their Abranet is the best thing since sliced bread. Once you go w/ the screen paper, you'll never want to use anything else.

I have some Klingspor too, which is also nice paper...but really, Abranet or nothing.

 

[shanetoolnut]

Guys, thanks for posting this great deal. This is Shane from The Tool Nut. Here to answer any questions you might have.

This is a great offer from Festool to help folks who otherwise wouldn't consider one of their tools to give them a try. This sander is the new version of the ETS 125 EQ sander which sells for $195. At just $99, it's a steal. Add the $50 voucher for a future Festool tool purchase, and it's even sweeter. A three year warranty with free shipping to and from the repair center if you ever need repair work done. You can try this and every Festool risk free with their 30-day money back guarantee.

We offer free shipping on all of our Festool orders.

Hit me up with any questions you have here or via email at [email protected]

Shane

 

[Git]

Guess you're pretty much agreeing with me on this....

Yes

Don't buy it to REPLACE "your average random orbital" as you put it. It is a finish sander and even with a higher grit, the 2mm stroke isn't going to be that aggressive, and you will probably be disappointed

IMO if you already have a sander, this would be a great choice to compliment it

 

[firworks]

I bought one. I have a 5" PC but it's nothing special, been wanting to try a Festool and see if they are up to the hype.

That's what is tempting me too. I don't think I could get into another Festool tool for this cheap especially with a systainer and the voucher.

Looks nice. The page you linked to also says that they'll give you a $50 voucher towards another Festool item.

I use a Bosch ROS20VSK right now, so I guess I'll pass since the Festool wouldn't be a major upgrade. If I were buying new, I'd probably jump on this. But maybe not if the sanding pads are actually proprietary...

Yeah the voucher could be a big deal for people too. I too have Bosch ROS though I can't remember if it's the ROS10 or the ROS20. It does the job but I don't think it's spectacular or anything. If I knew I could get cheap pads I think I'd be more leaning into the deal but I am pretty sure they are proprietary.

Is the hole pattern the standard for sanding discs from other orbitals?

I don't think so. In one of the pictures you can see the bottom and it is pretty different from your standard 5" hook and loop sanders.

Been on the fence about buying this. It is only 1.7 amps--most competitors are at least double this, including the Swiss made Bosch. Also would prefer a 6 inch over 5 inch.

The lower current could be represented in the shorter stroke length. Since it's a fine finish sander they may not have needed that much power. I agree though 6" would be nice over 5".

Wow, $50 on a $99 sander is a pretty rich offer, from a company that has historically had fixed pricing. Must be a slow year. Maybe people got fed up with them jacking their prices 5-10% annually.

Kinda like the Fein deals last year!

The pattern is proprietary, but the dust collection is phenomenal and their granat line of abrasives is way better then anything else I have tried. It lasts forever...

Do you have to have one of their dust collectors? Can I run it off my 1-1/2" or 1-1/4" shopvacs?

Guys, thanks for posting this great deal. This is Shane from The Tool Nut. Here to answer any questions you might have.

This is a great offer from Festool to help folks who otherwise wouldn't consider one of their tools to give them a try. This sander is the new version of the ETS 125 EQ sander which sells for $195. At just $99, it's a steal. Add the $50 voucher for a future Festool tool purchase, and it's even sweeter. A three year warranty with free shipping to and from the repair center if you ever need repair work done. You can try this and every Festool risk free with their 30-day money back guarantee.

We offer free shipping on all of our Festool orders.

Hit me up with any questions you have here or via email at [email protected]

Shane

Hey Shane! Welcome back! You guys seem to be getting all these deals on the premium brands somehow. How about like a 200$ Mafell track saw next!

Yes

Don't buy it to REPLACE "your average random orbital" as you put it. It is a finish sander and even with a higher grit, the 2mm stroke isn't going to be that aggressive, and you will probably be disappointed

IMO if you already have a sander, this would be a great choice to compliment it

It would be a good compliment to get finer. Unfortunately I probably need to go the other way. I've got a Bosch 5" ROS and I use it for rough and fine and finish sanding and it takes forever. I'd like to get into a more powerful 6" sander but like I said a few times before this deal is still tempting.

 

[shanetoolnut]

Hey there, Firworks, good to see ya! Yeah, this may be the deal of the decade from Festool and we're be offering it to our customers. I'll see what I can do about that Mafell deal.

 

[JoeMA]

The lower current could be represented in the shorter stroke length. Since it's a fine finish sander they may not have needed that much power. I agree though 6" would be nice over 5".

I don't think so. This is one of the least powerful 2 mm stroke sanders. I never used the older ETS 125 but heard that it was underpowered. Festool upgraded the motor from 200W to 250W (looks to be 2A now rather than the 1.7A I previously stated) and claims that the material removal rate is increased by up to 25%, but 2A is still significantly less than competing models.

While the festool price is enticing, i decided that the
Bosch ROS65VC-6 Bosch better suits my needs. More powerful (3.3A), 40% larger surface area (although available in 5 inch also), uses standard consumables and made in Switzerland (never held a Swiss-made tool that disappointed me). Anything to cut sanding time down is worth it to me.

 

[JoeMA]

BTW, I have had nothing but great experiences buying from Toolnut. I recommend trying them out if you have not already.

 

[winlinmac]

The fact that it claims to use proprietary pads is a deal breaker. The cost of pads will add up or even exceed the cost of the tool itself. Reports coming in showing that this product is more of a finishing sander. I think my Bosch will have to do for now, though that systainer is pretty enticing.

ToolNut/FestoolProducts has a deal on the new version of the 5" Festool ROS. 99$! Comes with a systainer too. Also comes with a coupon for 50$ off a future Festool purchase probably from FP/ToolNut.

View media item 64252
http://www.festoolproducts.com/fest...-pro-5-ets-125-req-random-orbital-sander.html

I'd like to upgrade but I can't spend money on tools right now. My Bosch ROS10 will have to do. Maybe someone else though who was either looking at getting the older model or just wants to break into Festool can make use of this deal.

Note: I think this guy uses proprietary sander pads. You can't just use the regular old 5" hook and loopers.

 

[winlinmac]

Shane, how much are replacement pads? Are there any modifications we can make to existing hoop and loop pads?

 

[thor80]

I have a couple 6" festool sanders now, you can stick any paper to them but your holes won't line up for dust collection. Honestly, their sandpaper is so much better and lasts so much longer I don;t mind paying more for it. Deal is pretty tempting but only if you need a true finish sander. Both my sanders are the big 5mm stroke and I love how fast they clean up material, 2mm is going to be dissapointing I think. I do wonder if you can stack the regular 10% off you get when buying a vac at the same time with the 50$ coupon, that would make it 100ish off the vac and the sander free. I'll try to check later, my festool dealer is a block from my shop.

 

[shanetoolnut]

Shane, how much are replacement pads? Are there any modifications we can make to existing hoop and loop pads?

I just want to make sure we're talking about the same thing. "Pad" to Festool is the white foam on the bottom of the sander. "Abrasive" or sandpaper is the sheet that you attach via hook and loop.

So... The pads are $35-40 depending on which you get as a replacement. It would only need to be replaced if you damage the pad (white foam).

The abrasives are as low as about $0.05 per sheet, depending on the quantity and grit you buy. We do have some Festool abrasives that are also discontinued that we are selling for up to 50% off called Cristal (for rapid material removal) and Brilliant (for bare wood and finishes).

The current abrasive offerings are Rubin (for bare wood) and Granat (for just about any application: bare wood, finishes, solid surface, paint, etc). As well as some specialty abrasives for other applications. We have an abrasive search tool on our website to help with choosing the right abrasive.

We will also be adding some abrasive starter kits to the website later today that will make it easy for those not familiar with Festool. They will likely be 10 sheets each of 3-4 grits and will run about $39 with free shipping.

http://www.festoolproducts.com/accessories/sanders/abrasives.html

Thanks,
Shane

 

[thor80]

Also, reservations about this sander to the side, festool sanders are one of their best products, they last forever and don't vibrate. My buddy is a painter and re-does tons of wood garage doors, he has a contract with a country club that never ends. His guys can burn out any makita, milwaukee or the like sander in a week or too because the use them almost all day without shutting them off. He ponyed up for some festools a year ago and they work like new still.

 

[thor80]

I just want to make sure we're talking about the same thing. "Pad" to Festool is the white foam on the bottom of the sander. "Abrasive" or sandpaper is the sheet that you attach via hook and loop.

So... The pads are $35-40 depending on which you get as a replacement. It would only need to be replaced if you damage the pad (white foam).

The abrasives are as low as about $0.05 per sheet, depending on the quantity and grit you buy. We do have some Festool abrasives that are also discontinued that we are selling for up to 50% off called Cristal (for rapid material removal) and Brilliant (for bare wood and finishes).

The current abrasive offerings are Rubin (for bare wood) and Granat (for just about any application: bare wood, finishes, solid surface, paint, etc). As well as some specialty abrasives for other applications. We have an abrasive search tool on our website to help with choosing the right abrasive.

We will also be adding some abrasive starter kits to the website later today that will make it easy for those not familiar with Festool. They will likely be 10 sheets each of 3-4 grits and will run about $39 with free shipping.

http://www.festoolproducts.com/accessories/sanders/abrasives.html

Thanks,
Shane

what Cristal is going away? That paper is awesome, you know why?

 

[thor80]

Oh, and Shane, since you seem to be a dealer, can we stack the 10% off a vac with the 50$ coupon we would get when buying the sander by putting it towards a vac purchased at the same time? Does that make sense?

 

[shanetoolnut]

Both my sanders are the big 5mm stroke and I love how fast they clean up material, 2mm is going to be dissapointing I think. I do wonder if you can stack the regular 10% off you get when buying a vac at the same time with the 50$ coupon, that would make it 100ish off the vac and the sander free.

The 2mm is designed primarily as a finish sander. Grit has much to do with the rate of removal. The PRO 5 sander has a pretty strong motor at 250W that should be able to handle low grits without issues of bogging down. You just won't be able to ride it like a bronco. Some folks tend to put a lot of pressure on their sanders. Really, the abrasive should do the work. If you're pushing down, you likely need a lower grit.

There's nothing that prohibits your $50 voucher from being used with the 10% off package deals for vacs and MFT tables. So, you can use the $50 voucher with package deals. You cannot combine vouchers if you buy more than one sander on a single order.

 

[shanetoolnut]

what Cristal is going away? That paper is awesome, you know why?

Cristal was discontinued over a year ago. We like Cristal and many of our customers do as well. So, we bought all of Festool's remaining inventory to continue to offer it.

Having worked at Festool USA for about 7 years, I know exactly why it was discontinued. The abrasives line up was getting too complicated and confusing for customers. In an effort to simplify the offerings, the number of options was reduced. Granat is an amazing all-around abrasives for just about any application and it lasts for a very long time without clogging or dulling. So, it's the abrasive of choice that Festool is promoting now. It can do everything Cristal can do and more.

If you still want Cristal, snags some from our website, it's 50-60% off the regular prices.

Shane

 

[icecactus]

The fact that it claims to use proprietary pads is a deal breaker. The cost of pads will add up or even exceed the cost of the tool itself. Reports coming in showing that this product is more of a finishing sander. I think my Bosch will have to do for now, though that systainer is pretty enticing.

I am assuming you mean paper, not the actual pad. Actually, its quite the opposite. When I first bought a festool sander I had the same concern. You can use others paper on a festool. You just loose some of the benefit. The holes in the festool paper is designed to push air through and **** it up. So the paper stays cooler and does not clog nearly as much and you get very good dust collection.

I built 2 large shed doors and another large project and I am still on the same sheets of 6" granat. I would have been through boxes of sand paper by now using the big box store ****.

Your kinda screwing yourself if that's the deal breaker...

 

[tjpavlov]

Shane, how long is the voucher good for?

 

[shanetoolnut]

Shane, how long is the voucher good for?

The voucher expires on December 31st, 2017. So, you have ~14 months to use it.

 

[winlinmac]

You're absolutely right, thanks! Pads should last a long time

I am assuming you mean paper, not the actual pad. Actually, its quite the opposite. When I first bought a festool sander I had the same concern. You can use others paper on a festool. You just loose some of the benefit. The holes in the festool paper is designed to push air through and **** it up. So the paper stays cooler and does not clog nearly as much and you get very good dust collection.

I built 2 large shed doors and another large project and I am still on the same sheets of 6" granat. I would have been through boxes of sand paper by now using the big box store ****.

Your kinda screwing yourself if that's the deal breaker...

 

[tarbellb]

Shane, do you guys ever offer the occasional Refurb Sale Festool does?

Would the voucher be good for a item on that list, if it happened before 12/31/17?

So close to pulling the trigger on one...

 

[mmouse]

Since orders are suspended, when it returns, will it still be $99 + $50 voucher? Or is this deal dead?

 

[shanetoolnut]

Shane, how much are replacement pads? Are there any modifications we can make to existing hoop and loop pads?

Sorry for the late reply.

The pad, the white foam part, is about $35-40 to replace.

The abrasives / sandpaper, is around $0.05-0.10 per disc depending on the quantity you buy. Some folks balk at these prices a bit, but Festool abrasives do last much longer than the sandpaper you buy at your local hardware store, generally speaking. So, they are actually a good value.

Not sure what modifications you're wanting to make. If you're just trying to use some other brand of sandpaper, there are other manufacturers that make abrasives with the Festool hole pattern, as an alternative. Some people also use universal discs that work with any hole pattern.

Shane

 

[todd_fuller]

Some people also use universal discs that work with any hole pattern.

Alternately, someone could use Abranet which doesn't care about hole pattern. That's my preferred abrasive these days.

 

[yuri]

...
The abrasives / sandpaper, is around $0.05-0.10 per disc depending on the quantity you buy. Some folks balk at these prices a bit, but Festool abrasives do last much longer than the sandpaper you buy at your local hardware store, generally speaking. So, they are actually a good value.
...
Shane

Are you sure about prices you quoted? Where can I get the sandpaper at that cost?
I would say more like $0.5-$1. per disc.

 

[RKA]

I think Shane's math is a little off on the abrasives. For the 125mm sander, prices vary between roughly $0.57 to $1.30 depending on abrasive type and mostly quantity. 10 packs are the most expensive and 100 packs are the least. Some grits are available in 50 packs as well, but the biggest issue for hobbiests and new users are that not all grits are available in 10 packs across their spectrum of abrasive products. Their are a few retailers that will offer custom assortments by breaking up the 100 packs themselves, and they are priced at the high end of the range.

 

[firworks]

Alternately, someone could use Abranet which doesn't care about hole pattern. That's my preferred abrasive these days.

Whoah cool. I've never seen Abranet before. I'll have to grab some and try it out.

 

[The.Handyman]

The newer Norton Pro Sand will also work. It is perforated with hundreds of holes for dust extraction.

 

[dutchgray]

Whoah cool. I've never seen Abranet before. I'll have to grab some and try it out.

Abranet is fantastic, its one of those things that are so much better that traditional paper just seems so rubbish.