Festool's New Line of Brushless Motor Sanders Takes Superior Sanding to a New Level of Smooth
............For those of us who believe Festool sanders are impossible to improve upon (which, I think, is the majority of us who have used them), Festool has, again, achieved the impossible with their new line of brushless power sanders. Utilizing the same design principles that have made Festool tools the best in the industry, Festool has incorporated a new platform of sanders with uber-efficient brushless motors, uber-effective dust collection, and a few new accessories to make the system even sweeter.
The new brushless sander platform includes three ETS EC random orbit sanders [the ETS EC125/3 (571897): 5-inch with a fine 3mm stroke, the ETS EC150/3 (571880): 6-inch with a fine 3mm stroke, and the ETS EC150/5 (571892): 6-inch with a broader 5mm stroke]. Each of these tools is built with a sleek, super-lightweight, low-profile design and, of course, a superior performance brushless motor. Ultimately, that motor is engineered to put more power to the pad allowing you to get more efficient sanding from a system that requires less maintenance.
There is a slew of benefits that come along with having a brushless motor. While you’re certainly familiar with these benefits, I’ll, nonetheless, very briefly recap them as they are shining, and glorious, and contribute considerably to the overall performance of these tools. Essentially, the friction-free power transfer of brushless motors ensures there is no resistance within the tool. This means that interior components suffer much less wear-and-tear and considerably less heat-damage. No friction, no heat, less power loss, greater power output, higher efficiency, constant power, less downtime. Basically, the tool works less hard (and, therefore, so do you), to deliver more work.
In addition to high-efficiency power output, these sanders also deliver superior high-performance. Festool’s brushless sanders offer the advantages of a pneumatic system without the expense (nor the burden) of the additional equipment required to run an air sander. The tools feature active electronic vibration control ensuring virtually undetectable vibration during use, and with an internal balancing system that will compensate for off-center pads, sandpaper, inconsistent pressure, and etc, you can rely on these sanders to deliver an uncompromising finish despite imperfect sanding conditions.
The EST EC sanders are ergonomically sleek, and comfortable to use. They deliver optimized sanding power while remaining extremely simple to maneuver. For optimum dust control, the tools have Multi-Jetstream dust extraction, and an electronic hose detection censor to alert users if the hose disconnects. Both features ensure there are no messy surprises in your workspace.
Speaking of the hose, Festool has also made a few improvements to their anti-static hose design. The new tapered hose has an integrated Plug It Cord and an anti-static sleeve that shrouds the ribbing on the hose. This shroud makes for smoother use while also protecting your materials from any damage an unsheathed hose might cause to delicate surfaces (meaning it will glide over edges on work tables or work pieces for smoother motion while sanding). The hose is available in 3.5- and 10-meters long.
Festool has also revamped the pad design for these tools incorporating a Multi-Jetstream design. This new configuration enhances air flow and dust extraction delivering a cleaner workspace, smoother results, and a cooler running pad. Each of these things, of course, contributes to a better finish and longer lasting consumables. The new Multi-Jetstream pads are slightly more expensive than the existing line of single Jetstream pads (by about $4-$5), but, excluding the ETS EC 125, which requires a different pad than the ETS 125 (one with a central fastener that fixes it to the sander), the existing line of Festool pads and abrasives is fully compatible with the new line of Festool brushless sanders.
Altogether, the system is designed to streamline your sanding process – to make each step more efficient and provide a seamless work flow between each of those steps. This approach allows you to enhance both your productivity and your profitability, ensuring you can achieve better results and do so in less time and with less mess. I don't know anyone who can shake a stick at that.