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Tool: ETSC 2 125 Random Orbit Sander Shop Now
Manufacturer: Festool
MSRP: $598 (kit includes sander, 2x 4Ah batteries, charger, dust bag, edge guard, and Systainer)
If you’ve been reading this magazine for a while, you might have noticed that I’ve been on a quest for the perfect battery-powered sander. There are lots of good, even great ones that I’ve tried, but they all fall short of my (very demanding) expectations. Until now.
The new Festool ETSC 2 sander is, top to bottom, the best sander I’ve tested. The first thing that I noticed out of the box is that the sander base and dust port are a single piece of metal. Yes, metal, not plastic. There’s an LED ring just above the base that can cast light across the surface of your workpiece, highlighting imperfections you might otherwise miss.
But the real highlight is the ergonomics. The sander features a low profile with the usual place on top to place your hand (as you can see in the photo). But there’s also a handle that extends back towards the battery. Switching to that grip position affords an incredible amount of control, with very little fatigue. After all, the sander is held down by gravity, so a palmed grip like you see on most sanders is clumsy, and requires more stamina to support the sander while going through the grits.
The other party trick is that the sander remains balanced with a dust hose attached. The battery is offset underneath the handle, so the dust port exits very near the rear of the sander, like it would on a pneumatic one. No other sander I’ve tested has managed to get that right.
Last, and maybe most importantly of all, the sander performs beautifully. It’s exactly what I’ve been searching for.
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