wrote:
On Friday, February 5, 2016 at 11:34:43 PM UTC-6, wrote:

$70 on a Bosch sander and maybe $100 on a decent vac might be
doable. Think I'd get anywhere near the performance with just the paper?
Enough to make it worthwhile?

I know, this is kinda like putting racing tires on a Buick...

And think how much better your Buick runs with good tires on it!


On Saturday, February 6, 2016 at 12:15:03 AM UTC-6, Leon wrote:

The paper is absolutely a major part of the longevity, and a vac. It
wold probably work pretty good on any sander/vac combo.

Leon is right.

No doubt you can get superior performance with the Rotex/Vac Festool
combo. But I have very satisfactory results sanding INSIDE homes with my
Bosch 5", my Milwaukee half sheet, my Ridgid 5" oscillator and my Ridgid
4" finisher. I hook them up to my big shop vac with two sections of hose
and put the vac outside if I am doing a lot of heavy sanding. If I am
doing finer work like sanding inside bookcases (refinishing) and not
raising much dust, I use the same shop vac with a HEPA or Allergen rated filter in it.

http://www.homedepot.com/s/shop%2520...0filter?NCNI-5

It is almost dustless.

However, my one guy that I trust on Festool use (beside Leon!!) tells me
that the Rotex setup with his Festool vac is about 99% dustless in a
house if he watches his technique. He does custom cabinet installs as
well as custom butcher block counter tops. He would know. And as a
sidebar, it is a $1400 sanding setup. Sure he vacuums after installation
so the vac isn't a single use tool, but the primary use of his setup is
to sand inside houses.

I would bet that I get most of that performance out of my setup, but it
isn't as elegant, it is uglier, and it is on helluva lot noisier. His
setup just sounds more professional!

As far as the paper goes, spend the money on paper. Spend the money on
paper. Spend the money on paper. Your satisfaction with your sanding
setup will start with the paper you buy, and the paper should be about
the best you can get. When I was doing a lot of refinishing, I used to
buy this stuff wholesale:

http://www.amazon.com/MIRKA-GOLD-HOL.../dp/B000XY0VZM

Good paper, good price. If you aren't going to use a ton of it, then buy
their combo pack. Worth every penny. Our old friend Robatoy turned me
on to this product as I was using 3M, and this turned out to be much
better. Lasted longer, and the hook and loop was better.

A good sander doesn't have to be a commercial grade product like Leon
has. He USES his a lot, so it makes perfect sense for him. My oldest
Milwaukee random orbit is needing to be replaced as there are no more
parts for it, but I don't use sanders enough to justify the price of a
Festool. If I had a cabinet shop, Leon and Karl have me won over on the
value of Festool, so no doubt I would own some of their products. But...
I don't. So the next refinish job I get I will either be looking at this
if it is a small one, then keep this in the stable of utility sanders:

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-BO5041K...words=5+sander

or this one, the one I really want. This baby is a really nice sander,
made in Switzerland so it probably is a rebranded Elu, like my 3hp DeWalt
plunge router. If I buy this one, it is a Robert only sander. I have
tested this and it is so smooth it was sexy just turning it on:

http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-ROS65VC-...words=5+sander

It picks up an amazing amount of dust even without a vacuum attachment
with its on board filter system.

Do some homework and you can make yourself a great setup for a very
reasonable cost. Oh yeah... and spend the money on paper!

Robert


Robert you might want to take a look and test drive this sander. Oddly it
is in the price range of the "for Roberts hands only" Bosch sander.
Although only considered a finish sander it is silky smooth. I played with
one at a WW show a few years ago. I was shocked at how I could literally
run and guide that sander with a single finger resting on top of the
sander.

http://www.festoolusa.com/power-tool...-sander-571817