Festool Ets Ec 150/5 Eq Sander Silver

As usual with Festool tools, the quality and design are superb! The ergonomics are perfect. The only thing you need to be aware of is; the hole pattern for extraction. There are a lot of holes so you really need to purchase Festool sanding discs, to align with the pad to achieve the best dust extraction. When you do, the extraxtion is also very good.

Best 150mm sander out there? I think so.

Have been using this now for a few months since replacing my old Bosch GEX 125-150 AVE. Main reason for swapping was the weight and overall size of the Bosch. It really was awkward to use on anything but flat horizontal surfaces and since a great deal of my work is curves and other tricky situations then it had to go. I looked around extensively and found this Festool ETS EC. Gave it a shot and haven't looked back. Handles superb, has minimal vibration, stops almost instantly, the brushless motor never bogs and the sander features probably the best dust extraction around. Talking of dust extraction I bought the Festool CTL26 to go with this and I can't imagine a better combination.The finish produced using 150/3 model which features a 3mm orbit is super smooth if ... MoreHave been using this now for a few months since replacing my old Bosch GEX 125-150 AVE. Main reason for swapping was the weight and overall size of the Bosch. It really was awkward to use on anything but flat horizontal surfaces and since a great deal of my work is curves and other tricky situations then it had to go. I looked around extensively and found this Festool ETS EC. Gave it a shot and haven't looked back. Handles superb, has minimal vibration, stops almost instantly, the brushless motor never bogs and the sander features probably the best dust extraction around. Talking of dust extraction I bought the Festool CTL26 to go with this and I can't imagine a better combination.The finish produced using 150/3 model which features a 3mm orbit is super smooth if you do it right and go up through the grits. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this if your looking for what is probably the best 240v 150mm DA sander around.Only thing I'm not so hot on is Festool consumables price. The sanding discs are, in my opinion, pricey in comparison to even top end abrasives manufacturers such as 3M and Mirka. And of course Festool have their own proprietary hole configuration on their pads to aid in better dust extraction. You can punch your own holes in other cheaper discs but its a faff and not what you want to be doing mid-job.

Best sander in class (Mirka included)

I've used this sander now in the workshop and on site in renovation for over a year and can extol its virtues where functionality and ergonomics are concerned. Its comfortable to use long term (not perfect there is some vibration of course) and the brushless motor is constant and has plenty of power. Dust collection is extremely good and as for reliability mine is still going strong. The design i think is superior to the Mirka equivalent as its electric and designed as such not generically pneumatic. However it comes with the usual festool gimmicks such as a vacuum nozzle warning (if on or off); vibration sensor (that one a good idea) although they add expense to an already expensive brand.The price is of course my only criticism at over four hundred pounds!!!!

Festool aftercare...

All of my power tools are Festool and are great but my last purchase was an extra sander which was faulty, after 6 attempted repairs it still came back faulty. Axeminster was fantastic, they gave me a brand new one for all of the hassle in endured.Unfortunately that one was faulty too. Again Axeminster was great in refunding my money.I presume this must have been a faulty batch as my original one is still working perfectly after 3 years.5 stars for Axeminster but unfortunately nothing for festool and I don’t think I’ll be purchasing another festool product due to its appalling aftercare service.

Great finish, terrible life expectancy

I bought a 150/5 sander a few years ago and have been pleased with quality of finish it produces. Yesterday though it decided to just stop working. I'm fairly sure it's the speed controller board but that's a £100+ part. Naturally, it's just out of warranty so perhaps I shouldn't complain but this tool hasn't done much work. It's sold as a professional tool but seems to have the life expectancy of a bargain basement item.

Great sander

This is my first Festool and I already love this sander. No more vibration problems with my hands. Made the move from a cheap DeWalt sander to this and will never look back. The comfort and low vibration of this sander make sanding not such a dreaded thing. Be sure to get a dust hose for it.

Great sander with excellent dust extraction!

I bought this over 1 month ago and have been primarily using it to sand walls.I have it attached to a Starmix iPulse H class vacuum (M class is enough if you already have one). Starmix provide very basic step-down adapter which can be cut with a knife to fit the sander's dust extraction port. The dust extraction is excellent when using Granat net sanding discs and is still almost as good when using regular / non-net sanding discs. Irrespective of how good the dust extraction is, I would always recommend a respirator with filters sufficient for such dust (3M's 2135s / P3Rs), non-ventilated googles and ear defenders but don't take my word for it, do your own PPE research!The detachable power cord is a great idea. The vacuum I have has an auto mode where when the ... MoreI bought this over 1 month ago and have been primarily using it to sand walls.I have it attached to a Starmix iPulse H class vacuum (M class is enough if you already have one). Starmix provide very basic step-down adapter which can be cut with a knife to fit the sander's dust extraction port. The dust extraction is excellent when using Granat net sanding discs and is still almost as good when using regular / non-net sanding discs. Irrespective of how good the dust extraction is, I would always recommend a respirator with filters sufficient for such dust (3M's 2135s / P3Rs), non-ventilated googles and ear defenders but don't take my word for it, do your own PPE research!The detachable power cord is a great idea. The vacuum I have has an auto mode where when the tool's power is plugged into the vacuum, the vacuum coms on with the tool. However, as I bought it from Germany, the power connection is EU, not UK but because I can swap out the sander's power cord, I can simply use the Festool EU connection which I bought separately.From my current usage, the speed setting make sense. Interestingly enough, on too high a speed, the friction between the sanding disc and wall causes heat so a lower speed and more patience is required.The trigger and speed adjuster both feel good in use and would say that there is an impressive amount of power for 400 watts when I'm using it.The vibrations are low providing you keep your hand on the top of the sander and don't over exert it, which is what it is ergonomically designed for.The sander is reasonably light and can be comfortably operated one-handed using your other to help navigate your vacuum hose and power cable.I note some pig tail markings on the plaster at times from the random orbital pattern but I'm reasonably convinced this is user error on my part in terms of how much pressure I exerted vs where I exerted it (ie: listing to one side) vs the speed.I also note that periodically, it is worth decoupling the backing pad with an Allen key and cleaning out inside as dust can still accumulate despite the dust extraction, especially fine dust from plaster. This may cause a loss of suction and perhaps some heat.Something that may not be too obvious is that you can buy a Festool product outside your home country yet register it in your how country. This makes online shopping across Europe much easier.I'm knocking one star off the overall rating because of the lack of longevity of the backing pad / base plate that is bolted to the sander to which the sanding discs are attached using hook-and-loop (aka Velcro). Despite me doing some heavy sanding with grits from P40 to P120, I only got a few hours out of that backing pad / base plate before having to replace it at a cost of about 40 pounds. The Velcro just wore down too quickly. Some might say that I'm not rating the tool and I'm rating a consumable but I disagree. The tool is useless with that item. Having to replace that item after just a few hours heavy use is quite an expensive proposition for a tool that already cost 600 pounds. There's no alternatives let alone better alternatives.All in all, I'm very happy I bought this sander. Even if I had known about the one concern above prior to purchase - the backing pads wearing out faster than I would like, I would still have bought it. I look forward to using it for years to come including on wood!

Horrific vibrations

I had a Bosch GEX 125-150 AVE that worked fantastically for years ... until the spindle broke. I took it apart and figured a £50 part would solve the problem but couldn't for the life of me figure out how I'd take it apart far enough to fit that part. And by then upgradeitis had set in. I wanted a Festool.Unfortunately it's a massive disappointment. Yes, the dust collection is superb (but then you *have* to use a vacuum whereas the Bosch had an option of a filter which worked well for the odd job) ... and attaching a vacuum changes the balance of the machine so much so that I find one-handed work impossible - you can't simply hold it by the handle with one hand. I *love* the electronic brake so you're not waiting forever for it to stop spinning before you put it ... MoreI had a Bosch GEX 125-150 AVE that worked fantastically for years ... until the spindle broke. I took it apart and figured a £50 part would solve the problem but couldn't for the life of me figure out how I'd take it apart far enough to fit that part. And by then upgradeitis had set in. I wanted a Festool.Unfortunately it's a massive disappointment. Yes, the dust collection is superb (but then you *have* to use a vacuum whereas the Bosch had an option of a filter which worked well for the odd job) ... and attaching a vacuum changes the balance of the machine so much so that I find one-handed work impossible - you can't simply hold it by the handle with one hand. I *love* the electronic brake so you're not waiting forever for it to stop spinning before you put it down.But.In use the vibrations are *terrible*. At pretty much all speeds. Now I hear you say, "it's a random orbit sander, what did you expect?". To that I say, I expected better. My old Bosch was an order of magnitude more comfortable to use. I could use the Bosch for hours without a problem. I'm struggling to use the Festool for more than 30 minutes.In summary the Fezza should be a lovely piece of kit. But it's not. And Axminster's returns policy of "you can only send a tool back if you haven't used it" isn't much use - it's impossible to experience the vibrations without using it!Massive regret spend.

Shipping disappointment...

The sanders are awesome...not much else to say. I’m generally not one to leave a review, as there are plenty of others and the sander speaks for itself. You get what you pay for. What I didn’t expect to get however, was a brand new sander that looks like it was tumbled in a dryer...scuffed, nicked and banged up. Whatever UPS did during shipping is a major disappointment. The Systaners do a good job holding tools in place during job site transport, but they’re not made to flipped upside down and bounced this and that way. Opening my new sander, I didn’t expect to find one looking worse than my several year old and highly used one. ShopFestool is great, and this is no reflection on them...but I won’t order another tool like this if it has to be shipped. I will just go ... MoreThe sanders are awesome...not much else to say. I’m generally not one to leave a review, as there are plenty of others and the sander speaks for itself. You get what you pay for. What I didn’t expect to get however, was a brand new sander that looks like it was tumbled in a dryer...scuffed, nicked and banged up. Whatever UPS did during shipping is a major disappointment. The Systaners do a good job holding tools in place during job site transport, but they’re not made to flipped upside down and bounced this and that way. Opening my new sander, I didn’t expect to find one looking worse than my several year old and highly used one. ShopFestool is great, and this is no reflection on them...but I won’t order another tool like this if it has to be shipped. I will just go to a physical retailer so I can actually get a new tool...that looks new. Hopefully the tumble treatment hasn’t caused any damage...time will tell.

The Best all around general purpose sander made

The last sander I'll ever have to buy. The dissension to buy this one was tough. But having now used it for a couple of weeks on multiple types of material, I think it's the Best all around, general purpose sander made. This one was back ordered, so it did take a little longer to be delivered.