Instrument Assessment: Lights in your Sander

Lighting the way in which

Floor imperfections can slip previous even probably the most expert woodworkers. A technique to enhance your odds is with correct lighting. Fortuitously, toolmakers are on the case, and I had the chance to strive two new choices for enhanced lighting throughout sanding.

Dutton Instruments Individualized Sander Mild, duttontools.com	Straightforward to connect. Mount the Dutton mild by merely sliding it into place.	Mild it up. The sunshine comes with a 16-ft. twine, and zip ties are included for twine administration.

First up was the Individualized Sander Mild from Dutton Instruments. I used the one for the Festool ETS 150, however the firm provides fashions for a lot of Festool and Mirka sanders, in addition to some Dewalt, Bosch, and 3M sanders. The sunshine is a 3D printed plastic clip with an embedded LED strip. The sunshine mounts onto the sander by merely sliding it into place–no instruments required. In use, the sunshine didn’t vibrate or come free.

It gives sturdy mild, illuminating a number of inches close to the sanding disc–proper the place your eyes are already targeted. The sunshine comes with a 16’ twine–loads lengthy sufficient for any store, and small zip ties are included for simple twine administration. The lights clip on and off simply, however in my store, it’s prone to stay connected more often than not. Dutton is growing a battery-powered choice as effectively.

The opposite software I examined is the Festool ETSC 2 150. This battery-operated sander has a lightweight constructed into the machine. Not like the Dutton mild, there are excessive and low settings with default brightnesses in-built. These settings can truly be adjusted by way of the Festool app if you wish to dial them in. I’ve used Festool sanders for years, and this one performs simply in addition to I’ve come to anticipate.

I used to be a bit skeptical of the mud bag and have a tendency to favor utilizing a vacuum for sanding operations. Nevertheless, the interior Festool system for pulling mud away from the workpiece and into the bag labored rather well. Typically, I’ve at all times considered cordless sanders being extra helpful for sitework and installations, however given the gathering energy of the bag and robust mild, I can see this software getting loads of use in any store, notably in tight areas like the within of cabinetry.

Both of those lights work nice for serving to you discover any imperfections in your floor preparation and avoiding post-finish surprises. There are small variations between the lights price noting: First, the Festool mild is barely stronger, casting a bigger halo of sunshine than the Dutton mild. One other small distinction: the Dutton mild has a small shadow ring surrounding the sanding disc; the Festool doesn’t have this shadow.

Lastly, the Festool mild is a cooler temperature than the Dutton. In the case of value, the Dutton mild is $49.99 and simply snaps onto the sander it’s possible you’ll already personal. Nevertheless, should you’re out there for a brand new sander, the ETSC 2 ($499 for the 6”; $399 for the 5”) is a good selection.

—Adam Godet, a woodworker in Washington, D.C.

Advantageous Woodworking Beneficial Merchandise

The clear winner right here is Festool’s CT 48 Mud Extractor. It has wonderful capability relative to its dimension, and unmatched suction energy. It packs in quite a few delicate however very useful design touches, like a intelligent foot brake and straightforward hose and twine storage.

Festool Rotex FEQ-Plus Random Orbital Sander

The Festool Rotex is a top-of-the-line selection. On its coarse setting, it eliminated inventory almost twice as shortly because the second-fastest mannequin. However that pace doesn’t imply you’ll need to wrestle with it. It’s no enormous process to manage it with two palms, and its lengthy physique offers you loads of room to discover a candy spot whereas holding it.

Bosch 12V Trim Router

Trim routers are simpler to deal with once you reduce the twine, and the Bosch’s compact, curvy form and distinctive base give it unmatched management.