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Do you think I could use these tool to sand my wooden spindles on the staircase, there are over 100 spindles to sand which is coloured white currently. I am guessing the wood to be cherry or maple and getting it down to wood grain and staining them. Let me know your thoughts?
Try to keep in mind that at least as the Surf Prep sander, it’s advertised as a finish sander. A finish sander by its very nature isn’t as aggressive as a regular sander. It shouldn’t be used to remove an entire finish although it can. It shouldn’t be used to remove thick coatings although it can. It’s meant for finish sanding. If people could remember that and not push them beyond their capabilities they would find these are superior to anything out there.
I’ve never used either one but I have 3 other Festool sanders. I would recommend getting a Festool vacuum in place of the shop vac. You plug your sander into the vac and the vac automatically starts and stops when you turn on and off your sander. They’re quieter as well.
I prefer festool sanders myself. You could have put the furniture on its side (put something under the edge to protect it) to make it easier to sand rather than trying to sand vertically. Save your back and make yourself a workbench that is 20 inches high for working with larger pieces of furniture for sanding and finishing.
Just when I think I know which one I want.... I change my mind. I already have a 5" Festool sander and the dust collection. It's amazing. I'm not happy with the ability to do curved edges. I have a soft pad for my sander and it just doesn't do the job. Plus my sander is round. So getting into corners just doesn't happen. I have thought about getting the surf prep so that I can do rounded edges and to get into the corners. But then i see this festool one that you can use the squishy pads from Surf Prep. It's a lot cheaper. Especially since I already have the hose and dust extractor.
I use a festool rotex as well. The surfprep looks great too, but i dont think its worth the extra cost unless you have a weigth issue. Also i recently bought antivibration gloves which REALLY improved my condition afterwards sanding, as way less vibrations arr absorbed by my hands.. Thanks world - God bless yall
I have the festool with surfprep pads and I'm really pleased with how it performs. I've never used the surfprep sander but it looks like a great sander as well.
Thank you for this detailed review! I love Surfprep sanders. Started with Festool and went to Surfprep. I paired these sanders with the Festool MIDI I (great dust extractor) and recently purchased Surfprep's POV-8 dust extractor. I believe each company offers professional grade tools. (We haven't even mentioned Mirka!) For me, I use Surfprep because of the tools and the people behind the company. Their customer service is bar none. I have fellow refinishing colleagues who use Surfprep, Festool, Mirka, and 3M (Surfprep sanders and dust extractors are made by a 3M company). At the end of the day, use what works best for you. Do awesome work and put your clients first!
I would say if you want something that has the feeling convenience of your surf prep but has the performance that a festival would provide, then you should have looked at a Mirka.
I want either but trying to not spend too much right now as I build and improve my skills. I did buy the surf prep foam pads for my detail sander and orbital I have on hand. I already see they are way better than just standard sanding pads.
Festool is best overall, you just cannot beat the festool dust extraction and the customer service if you have an issue which is worth its weight in gold.
I sold my festool sanders on marketplace after switching to a Mirka 5” random orbital and the surf prep sander. You THINK the festool sanders are top notch until you use and see the results of Mirka and surf prep. I do love my festool dust extractor though
8:18 Conclusion: "Both sanders will offer great result so it really comes down to your personal preferences" So that you can save 8 mins of your life from wasted.
I love them both. The Festool is higher off the surface so it gives you that clearance at any angle over the cabinet trim, window trim, moldings, bases, etc. For the SurfPrep, I recommend the rubber interface, otherwise you may get some extra vibration.
Both of these are ridiculously expensive. Don't waste your money on either. There is no sander like these that should cost more than $150. Even that....nope. $50 sanders work just as well.
Have you tried these sanders and compared them to your $50 sander? That’s the only way you would know for certain that they aren’t better. I’m here to tell ya, I have tried them all and $50 sanders are not the same as these. You don’t have to buy them, I’m just here to give ya the facts.
Can you share which hose adapter you are using? I bought one, Rockler Universal Shop Vac Hose Adapter - Small Port Shop Vac Adapter Kit and it seems heavy and hard to move around with when plugged into the sander. Thanks in advance.
might not “need” it but man is it nice and light and non-static and doesn’t get caught on anything and it cooperates perfectly with no wrestling with it.
I don’t like the lever, either, on the surf prep. For my larger sander i went Festool 125 rotex because it had a switch versus the Mirka that had the lever. I love my surf prep but the lever proves to be hard on my arthritis. I use the festool when striping large surfaces or drawer sides. It really makes quick work of those tasks compared to the surfprep.
I saw an interview where a SurfPrep rep emphasized how little vibration you feel with their sander. I think you mentioned these two have similar amounts of vibration - curious if you've noticed one being better than the other for long sanding sessions?
There is definitely a difference between brands and types of sandpaper. If you buy cheap sandpaper, you will go thru it so fast and it will rip and tear. I personally like SurfPrep sandpaper, Festool’s granat sandpaper or Diablo sanding discs (these don’t fit exactly but they work for the most part)
I want to send trim.. which one do u recommend? Can I use the festool with the surface pad?? In that case. What kind of sand paper should I use ? Thanks
Thank for taking the time to do this great video. Can I ask what made you purchase the Festool if you were happy with the SurfPrep? You did mention the Festool was better for horizontal surfaces, but that's a lot of money for just this one advantage.
I bought the Festool because I have heard a lot about it and wanted to compare it to the SurfPrep. That’s one part of my job that I love. I get to buy products and create these reviews to help you know what is good to buy.
@kristyhuber7835 still made in Taiwan. Assembled? I'm not sure about that . These sanders were made overseas before they put their branding on them they are made in the same factory that Mirka and others use
@@shidoin5398 I just know the surfprep are assembled in California. I was messaging with one of their employees last week and finally ordered a sander. It will be here Wednesday!
don't use vacuum with sanders. The create to much suction with too little cfm (volume of air). That's causing most of the vibration and swirl left on the surface. Get a dust extractor, it's more pricey for sure but you will forever be happy with it
That specific hose attaches to the Festool sander, which I can’t find an specific adapter for any hose to attach to a festool sander. If you’re on a budget you can make any hose work if you buy a flexible pvc adapter in the sizes that you need. Check out this post on our SurfPrep Alternative to see how we used a cheap adapter like that to make it attach to the hose. arayofsunlight.com/surfprep-sander-alternative/
I have a Domino and a tracksaw from Festool. I use a Cen Tec (cheap Amazon level hose) and zip tie the adapter to the tool. The Cen Tec system is such that you leave the zip tied adapter on the tool and just do a quick connect / disconnect with the hose from your shop vac. Works great. The ONLY downside is that it won't fit in your Festool box anymore. I don't think that's a huge deal since at some point most people end up putting their tools in cabinets so that they are easy to access vs using tool boxes. Paying for a Festool hose is crazy to me. I'm a pro cabinet and furniture builder. I have better things to spend my money on.
@@lesliebaird8011surfprep in made in the US. They get some of their parts for overseas but it is actually assembled here in the US. I believe Festool is also assembled here.
I took the RTS 400 for a test drive a while back. I ended up not keeping it. I think the DTS 400 would fit my needs better as it can get into corners better. I honestly think Festool needs to revise these two sanders to be lower profile and brushless. I do enjoy my ETS-EC 150 and would not give it up for any other sander.
Good video, I have been looking at the Feestool for ages as I have asthma but have to do DIY. Health and Saftey comes first in DIY. especially as some old furniture has LEAD paint on it which is toxic if breathed in. A quiet Sander is heaven to my ears ! However I am confused why you put Dont waste your money in the title ???? they are both good.
❤ ❤Not sure where to start with your furniture flip?
Download our (free) list of MUST HAVE supplies we use to paint furniture. arayofsunlight.com/must-have-supplies-yt/ ❤ ❤
Why are you using the Surfprep pad on the Festool sander?
Do you think I could use these tool to sand my wooden spindles on the staircase, there are over 100 spindles to sand which is coloured white currently. I am guessing the wood to be cherry or maple and getting it down to wood grain and staining them. Let me know your thoughts?
Try to keep in mind that at least as the Surf Prep sander, it’s advertised as a finish sander. A finish sander by its very nature isn’t as aggressive as a regular sander. It shouldn’t be used to remove an entire finish although it can. It shouldn’t be used to remove thick coatings although it can. It’s meant for finish sanding. If people could remember that and not push them beyond their capabilities they would find these are superior to anything out there.
“Don’t waste your money” leads me to believe one of these is more affordable than the other… that was an incorrect assumption 😂😂😂
I’ve never used either one but I have 3 other Festool sanders. I would recommend getting a Festool vacuum in place of the shop vac. You plug your sander into the vac and the vac automatically starts and stops when you turn on and off your sander. They’re quieter as well.
+ stops pigtails cause you can turn the suction down
Amazon sells a plug-in that will make any vac do the same for around $15.00
You forgot to say festools vacuum is hepa!
Does the surfprep fit the festool vac?
the festool might be cheaper but you forgot to add the prices of the vac, track saw, and domino you end up buying as well haha
I know we're approaching End Times when we're at a point where Festool is cheaper then anything 😂
Don't forget the Kapex miter saw and SawStop cabinet saw (I heard Festools owns them now) I have them all. Buy once cry once. Lol
I prefer festool sanders myself. You could have put the furniture on its side (put something under the edge to protect it) to make it easier to sand rather than trying to sand vertically. Save your back and make yourself a workbench that is 20 inches high for working with larger pieces of furniture for sanding and finishing.
Just when I think I know which one I want.... I change my mind. I already have a 5" Festool sander and the dust collection. It's amazing. I'm not happy with the ability to do curved edges. I have a soft pad for my sander and it just doesn't do the job. Plus my sander is round. So getting into corners just doesn't happen. I have thought about getting the surf prep so that I can do rounded edges and to get into the corners. But then i see this festool one that you can use the squishy pads from Surf Prep. It's a lot cheaper. Especially since I already have the hose and dust extractor.
I use a festool rotex as well. The surfprep looks great too, but i dont think its worth the extra cost unless you have a weigth issue. Also i recently bought antivibration gloves which REALLY improved my condition afterwards sanding, as way less vibrations arr absorbed by my hands..
Thanks world - God bless yall
Exactly
Keep in mind, the Surfprep will outlast the festool by years if in a heavy use environment. The Surfprep is designed for much harsher environments
I have both sanders and am equally pleased with both.
So timely! I am in the process of deciding on which RO sander I will buy and both of these are top contenders! Thanks
Glad to help!
I have the festool with surfprep pads and I'm really pleased with how it performs. I've never used the surfprep sander but it looks like a great sander as well.
Thank you for this detailed review! I love Surfprep sanders. Started with Festool and went to Surfprep. I paired these sanders with the Festool MIDI I (great dust extractor) and recently purchased Surfprep's POV-8 dust extractor. I believe each company offers professional grade tools. (We haven't even mentioned Mirka!) For me, I use Surfprep because of the tools and the people behind the company. Their customer service is bar none. I have fellow refinishing colleagues who use Surfprep, Festool, Mirka, and 3M (Surfprep sanders and dust extractors are made by a 3M company). At the end of the day, use what works best for you. Do awesome work and put your clients first!
I would say if you want something that has the feeling convenience of your surf prep but has the performance that a festival would provide, then you should have looked at a Mirka.
I want either but trying to not spend too much right now as I build and improve my skills. I did buy the surf prep foam pads for my detail sander and orbital I have on hand. I already see they are way better than just standard sanding pads.
Festool is best overall, you just cannot beat the festool dust extraction and the customer service if you have an issue which is worth its weight in gold.
I sold my festool sanders on marketplace after switching to a Mirka 5” random orbital and the surf prep sander. You THINK the festool sanders are top notch until you use and see the results of Mirka and surf prep. I do love my festool dust extractor though
Nice job explaining the differences between the two. New subscriber here and looking forward to your other episodes.
8:18 Conclusion: "Both sanders will offer great result so it really comes down to your personal preferences"
So that you can save 8 mins of your life from wasted.
I'll buy some sanding blocks and do some light stretching... Had no idea a sander was so freaking expensive.
I just want this for sanding patterns but only if the price reduce i will buy 😂
Those are almost the same price, but perfect review 👌
I just can’t decide still.
Festool plus the surfprep pads is the best combo
Until you try a Mirka then you never go back to Festool
I love them both. The Festool is higher off the surface so it gives you that clearance at any angle over the cabinet trim, window trim, moldings, bases, etc. For the SurfPrep, I recommend the rubber interface, otherwise you may get some extra vibration.
Hi if possible could you put a link of where to get the profile pads for the festool please great video thank you
Links to the products are written in the description for ya!
@@ARayofSunlight The link no longer works for the Surfprep pads for Festool. It gives a 404 error.
Do you still get a lot of dust? I wanted to be able to do it inside..
Not if you hook them up to a vacuum.
Both of these are ridiculously expensive. Don't waste your money on either. There is no sander like these that should cost more than $150. Even that....nope. $50 sanders work just as well.
Have you tried these sanders and compared them to your $50 sander? That’s the only way you would know for certain that they aren’t better.
I’m here to tell ya, I have tried them all and $50 sanders are not the same as these.
You don’t have to buy them, I’m just here to give ya the facts.
@@ARayofSunlight I'm sure you're right as you've done all of the ground work on this. For my level, though, I just can't justify the cost.
You don't need the festool hose! I have an adapter for my shop vac that works perfectly!
Can you share which hose adapter you are using? I bought one, Rockler Universal Shop Vac Hose Adapter - Small Port Shop Vac Adapter Kit and it seems heavy and hard to move around with when plugged into the sander. Thanks in advance.
might not “need” it but man is it nice and light and non-static and doesn’t get caught on anything and it cooperates perfectly with no wrestling with it.
Thank you for this comparison! Very helpful. - Jill 😉
I don’t like the lever, either, on the surf prep. For my larger sander i went Festool 125 rotex because it had a switch versus the Mirka that had the lever. I love my surf prep but the lever proves to be hard on my arthritis. I use the festool when striping large surfaces or drawer sides. It really makes quick work of those tasks compared to the surfprep.
You may have noticed significant more dust collection with the plugs left on your 3x4 SurfPrep sander.
A Festool RO90 would make mincemeat of those two.
Completely different animals. My RO 150 would make mincemeat of my RO 90 and the RTS 400 pictured here. It's all about the right tool for the job.
Surf prep comes in a kit with tons of pads. Festool does not. You also do not have to buy the festool hose.
The RTS leaves scratches and tiny circles and is not usable on stain grade surfaces.
that's just simply untrue. this is a defect in technique/user, not equipment
This. Most likely culprit for swirl marks is too much suction.@@jamiecady
The mirka deos would be a better match to compare.
I saw an interview where a SurfPrep rep emphasized how little vibration you feel with their sander. I think you mentioned these two have similar amounts of vibration - curious if you've noticed one being better than the other for long sanding sessions?
Oh that’s a good point. I think the Surfprep might win, but I don’t know if I compared close enough to say for sure.
Would you recommend a specific brand of sandpaper for the festool sander, or would any other brand of sand paper work just as well? Thank-you
There is definitely a difference between brands and types of sandpaper. If you buy cheap sandpaper, you will go thru it so fast and it will rip and tear. I personally like SurfPrep sandpaper, Festool’s granat sandpaper or Diablo sanding discs (these don’t fit exactly but they work for the most part)
Thank your for this breakdown. I'm looking to upgrade from my starter sander and this was an excellent review.
Glad it was helpful!
I want to send trim.. which one do u recommend? Can I use the festool with the surface pad?? In that case. What kind of sand paper should I use ? Thanks
What sanding sponge attachment did you use with the festool? Thanks for this video!
You can google the term "Festool interface pad", and a few of those sponge products will show up.
One question, how to replace the pad when it is worn? I have a festool sander
Where do you buy the sandpaper for the festool sander? Thanks
Hey! Links to each products are listed in the description for you!
Such a deal🥳🥳🥳🥳
Thank for taking the time to do this great video. Can I ask what made you purchase the Festool if you were happy with the SurfPrep? You did mention the Festool was better for horizontal surfaces, but that's a lot of money for just this one advantage.
I bought the Festool because I have heard a lot about it and wanted to compare it to the SurfPrep. That’s one part of my job that I love. I get to buy products and create these reviews to help you know what is good to buy.
Surfprep made in Taiwan.- Festool made in Germany
Some of its components are made in Taiwan but it is assembled in the US.
@kristyhuber7835 still made in Taiwan. Assembled? I'm not sure about that . These sanders were made overseas before they put their branding on them they are made in the same factory that Mirka and others use
@@shidoin5398 I just know the surfprep are assembled in California. I was messaging with one of their employees last week and finally ordered a sander. It will be here Wednesday!
@@kristyhuber7835 I hope it works out for you! The sanding pads don't last long and are crazy expensive
What size vacuum is good to use with either. I have a 9 gallon vacuum and it doesn’t creat enough suction
don't use vacuum with sanders. The create to much suction with too little cfm (volume of air). That's causing most of the vibration and swirl left on the surface. Get a dust extractor, it's more pricey for sure but you will forever be happy with it
BINGO. #1 cause of swirl marks is too much suction.@@LeFrenchBacon
Fesstol is the best
Why do you say that?
Great review thanks ❤
discount code did not work
Hmmmm, it works for me. RAY10 is the code. I guess it will not work on their vacuum though.
really beautifully done review video.
Glad you liked it!
Is the $135.00 hose really necessary or will another hose fit?
That specific hose attaches to the Festool sander, which I can’t find an specific adapter for any hose to attach to a festool sander.
If you’re on a budget you can make any hose work if you buy a flexible pvc adapter in the sizes that you need. Check out this post on our SurfPrep Alternative to see how we used a cheap adapter like that to make it attach to the hose. arayofsunlight.com/surfprep-sander-alternative/
@@ARayofSunlight Thanks!
shop vac small hoses fits perfectly without adapter on festool tools
I have a Domino and a tracksaw from Festool. I use a Cen Tec (cheap Amazon level hose) and zip tie the adapter to the tool. The Cen Tec system is such that you leave the zip tied adapter on the tool and just do a quick connect / disconnect with the hose from your shop vac.
Works great. The ONLY downside is that it won't fit in your Festool box anymore. I don't think that's a huge deal since at some point most people end up putting their tools in cabinets so that they are easy to access vs using tool boxes.
Paying for a Festool hose is crazy to me. I'm a pro cabinet and furniture builder. I have better things to spend my money on.
Great review! Do you know where these sanders are made ?
I want to know where these machines are made, also. I am trying to support products made in USA
@@lesliebaird8011surfprep in made in the US. They get some of their parts for overseas but it is actually assembled here in the US. I believe Festool is also assembled here.
I took the RTS 400 for a test drive a while back. I ended up not keeping it. I think the DTS 400 would fit my needs better as it can get into corners better. I honestly think Festool needs to revise these two sanders to be lower profile and brushless. I do enjoy my ETS-EC 150 and would not give it up for any other sander.
I have a DTS 400. Love it! One of the best purchases I've made. They are way more efficient than any other sander.
I can’t speak for the rts 400 but the rtsc 400 is most definitely brushless.
Yes! Why can't they hack of that clunky top portion
How do you get into corners or do rounded curves with ets ec-150?
Good video, I have been looking at the Feestool for ages as I have asthma but have to do DIY. Health and Saftey comes first in DIY. especially as some old furniture has LEAD paint on it which is toxic if breathed in. A quiet Sander is heaven to my ears ! However I am confused why you put Dont waste your money in the title ???? they are both good.
I was thinking “Don’t waste your money buying both of these sanders” or wondering if you need to buy the other sander.
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