Festool Rotex : Initial Impressions (long)

I

imported_gusbubba

New member
First of all , when considering buying this machine , the hardest

thing is justifying the expense----$350 on clearance ; $420 regular.

As I also do a lot of woodworking and various home-improvements where

it will be useful , I considered it a worthwhile investment.

What really sold me on it over the nearest competitor---Bosch ($250)---was

this machine's dust collecting abilities....with the right hookup , it's almost

100%. Pretty impressive.

I've had a chance to test drive the RO 150 twice since recieving

it 3 days ago. First on my white Ford Ranger with minor marring

from a rough PA winter. I left it in Random mode using a green Sonus

DAS pad and OCP. After experimenting with various speed settings

ranging from 3-5 (not sure of actual OPM's at the moment) , I settled

on 4 and went to work.

It broke down the OCP sufficiently in 3-5 passes moving at

a medium pace. This was a welcome result as earlier in the week I had

attempted swirl removal with OCP/OCC on a 2000 black BMW Z3

and a black '05 Jaguar X-Type via PC.....:wall.

The second vehicle was my sister's metallic Plum '98 Chrysler

Sebring. I again used OCP on random mode on half of the car @ speed 4,

but this time using a white LC polishing pad. The other half of the car I did

in Forced Rotation mode @ 4.5 with the same set-up.

Both vehicles finished down with a minimum of effort to a clarity and shine previously unmatched using a PC. While these were not rugged tests

for this machine, I am nonetheless impressed with the results.

I had some difficulty in Forced mode with pad skipping

and control , but I attributed this to polish build-up on the pad. The polish

broke down VERY quickly in this mode and it will take some time learning

the nuances of it.

Overall , the Festool is a VERY smooth , VERY well balanced and VERY

powerful machine. It emits a steady and forceful but relatively quiet sound

of fine machinery working efficiently. CRC circuitry ensures the rotation

remains at constant speed without bogging down. It is a pleasure to use,

especially after struggling for time-consuming results with the PC for the

past 3 years. I feel like I traded in a Yugo for a Cadillac.

I'll get to better test it tomorrow on a black Jaguar XK-8 (?) with a

wonderful dealer-installed swirl-job.

As I get better acquainted with the RO 150 , I'll post my findings

and , once I get the hang of taking and posting pics , I'll post a process

breakdown.....if anyone's interested. ?

Sorry for the lengthy (windy) post , but I wanted to be thorough.

Any comments/questions will gladly be answered to the best of my ability.



Thanks , everyone......hope I can be helpful.
 
Thanks for the review. Looking forward to more updates and photos. How is it on noise? My porter cable is pretty loud.
 
Wow! This machine sound like the ultimate! Too bad I just ordered a rotary... Maybe I'll get one down the road, but being 17 and having spent over two thousand on detailing suplies in 6 months i need to slow down!
 
bigltc : I can't really say that it's much quiter decible-wise than the PC ,

but it's a steadier sound. The pitch never changes no matter how hard

you bear down on it...it's real easy to get into a rhythm with it.



MSB : if you learn the rotary , you probably won't have much need

for this. I would've gotten a rotary myself , but this machine suits too

many needs for me right now. It's a nice stop-gap , but not a replacement for the rotary.



I got to use it today on a metallic black Volvo SUV with some pretty bad

scratches and swirls courtesy of the swirl-o-matic car wash.

I used the PB's SSR line and made pretty quick work of it once I got settled on the correct pad/product/speed combo. The hood was the worst

with some pretty deep scratches and took a good amount of trial before

I got what I wanted. There IS a learning curve with this machine , but it's actually

fun to use. It's nice to be able to just turn a knob and get more concentrated power.



I'll try to post pics next go-round.
 
lol also 17 but i've spent wayyy more than $2000 CAD on detailing supplies... it adds up quick
 
Arrrrgh. I was hoping that having a PC and rotary for paint and a Bosch RO sander for wood would keep me from being temped to buy an RO 150.



Thanks for doing a great job reviewing it.







...Feeling week... :scared:



...Must resist urge.... :nono



....Mmmmmm, more Systainers....... :drool:





PC.
 
What are the vibrations like from this machine? More or less than a PC and also do you get more/less/the same vibration in forced rotation as you do in orbital mode?
 
Mikey : vibration is almost non-existant. In random mode , you can hold it at the tail end with

one hand and easily keep control....very smooth.

Forced Rotation is just as smooth , but it tends to want to run on you. Can't hold it

too loosely or too tight. It's something you just have to get the hang of.

At the end of a long day running it , your hands don't hurt , but you will feel a slight tingle.



other pc : Which model Bosch RO do you have ? From everything I read and researched , the Bosch dual-mode is not far behind.

Owners are very happy with it. Reviewers claim it keeps up with the Festool in terms of

performance. Dust collection is supposed to be pretty good ,too. The Festool reputation is unmatched , though. NOBODY had a SINGLE bad thing to say about it.



And , yeah , the systainers are very cool.........
 
The Festool rotexes seem to be popular machines overseas. I guess partially because of voltage issues with the PC. Definitely look forward to hearing more about your long-term satisfaction with it.
 
I can't wait to see some pictures! Like many others... I'm soooo tempted. What I really like being in my shoes would be the ability to just switch from the PC to the Festool and keep all my existing materials.



The price though is the BIGGEST factor in pulling the trigger...



Must

.

.

.

Resist! :grinno:



-Mike
 
Mike , if you're thinking about it, now would be the time.

Festool is discontinuing the RO 150 (they will maintain parts/service , though) for the RO 125 ,

I believe. Same principle , but modified ergonomics.

You can get the 150 on clearance for $350 or the 125 at an introductory price of the same ,

I belive.

Both deals are very temporary , however.

Prices on all Festo tools are set and controlled by the company , so shopping

around for a better deal is useless.
 
A side note : this machine will not accept conventional backing plates like the

ones used for the PC or any rotary , for that matter. You have to order a polishing

plate from Festo ($16). But that plate will work with any 6" or above hook and

loop pads.

I will inquire as to whether or not the Edge system can be adapted and let y'all know.



By the way , the hook material on the plate is SERIOUSLY STRONG ! Pads with a flat backing and

loop material that reaches the edge of the pad (LC constant pressure , for example) are

easiest to remove. And when I say other pads are difficult to remove , I mean it.

I've had to leverage the machine with one hand and pull like hell with the other , being

careful not to separate the pad from it's backing.

I have big and strong hands like a gorilla and it's still a chore for me.

...just something to keep in mind.
 
gusbubba said:
…other pc : Which model Bosch RO do you have ? From everything I read and researched , the Bosch dual-mode is not far behind.........
Click to expand...
3725DVS, 5� RO only, not dual mode. It is a great sander though.





PC.
 
gusbubba said:
Mike , if you're thinking about it, now would be the time.

Festool is discontinuing the RO 150 (they will maintain parts/service , though) for the RO 125 ,

I believe. Same principle , but modified ergonomics.

You can get the 150 on clearance for $350 or the 125 at an introductory price of the same ,

I belive.

Both deals are very temporary , however.

Prices on all Festo tools are set and controlled by the company , so shopping

around for a better deal is useless.
Click to expand...



Decisions decisions decisions...



I really like the RO 150, but since you mentioned that they will only work with 6" or greater pads, I may just have to drop down to the RO 125 because of it's 5" pad.



I would definitely be interested on the information you find on whether their Edge System will work on the RO 150.



Thanks for the heads up,

Mike
 
For those of you on the market the Makita BO6040 is another, less expensive, route to go. From reading this review they sound like they operate nearly the same, balance and feel aside.
 
MichaelM said:
For those of you on the market the Makita BO6040 is another, less expensive, route to go. From reading this review they sound like they operate nearly the same, balance and feel aside.
Click to expand...





Exactly. But from what I've read and reviewed , the Makita is plagued with

mechanical issues.

The Bosch model is similarly priced and gets much better reviews from owners and reviewers. It's said to be powerful and well-balanced.



I took a long look at it before deciding on the Festool.
 
gusbubba said:
Exactly. But from what I've read and reviewed , the Makita is plagued with

mechanical issues.
Click to expand...



I hope not. Grown quite fond of mine and the brand has shown to be quality otherwise. I'm sure time will tell though.
 
MichaelM said:
I hope not. Grown quite fond of mine and the brand has shown to be quality otherwise. I'm sure time will tell though.
Click to expand...





Sorry , didn't mean to belittle your choice in equipment.

Have you developed any preferences with pads ----size , brand , etc....?

Also , any usage tips you've gained from experience would be helpful.



I notice you're from PA , where exactly is Lansdale ?
 
gusbubba said:
Sorry , didn't mean to belittle your choice in equipment.

Have you developed any preferences with pads ----size , brand , etc....?

Also , any usage tips you've gained from experience would be helpful.



I notice you're from PA , where exactly is Lansdale ?
Click to expand...



No worries, your comments were not offensive.



As far as pads go I mainly use 7.5" LC VC pads, either white polishing or black finishing. Occasionally i'll use an orange power pad with a light to medium polish but i'll go to my rotary for any significant correction work. The Makita dual mode polisher comes with a 6" backing plate that fits these pads very well.



The only tip I have off the top of my head is to take your time with it and try different combinations of pad, product and speed to see what works for you. I don't know what kind of experience you have with polishing but if you have any specific questions i'd be happy to share what I have learned. FWIW most of the polishing I do with this machine is with the speed set between 3600-5100 OPM.



Lansdale is a suburb of Philly, about 20 miles or so out, in Montgomery Co.
 
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