# Festool Planex NA Available 03/01/12



## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

Well Festool has put a price tag on the North American Planex, they also have given the release date for this machine. Looks to be 1000.00 for the sander and 700.00 for the CT36 extractor. 

I know some of you may think I speak of Festool too much but I just recently started using them and love them and have been curious about the price point on this one. 

It is higher than the PC unit but that was to be expected. 

http://www.festoolproducts.com/Planex-Sander-Accessories-s/259.htm


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

$1,700  I could buy enough sanding pads to last me till i retire for that..LOL!! seriously ,,,would love to have one:yes:


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

About the cost of two PC units with PC vacs. 

I wish it did not require a special vac.


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## Tim0282 (Jan 8, 2008)

Festool makes such a good product. We have the vac, hand sanders and drills. They are top notch.


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

Tim0282 said:


> Festool makes such a good product. We have the vac, hand sanders and drills. They are top notch.


I agree. They are a bit more up front but with the quality, warranty, 30 day no questions asked return policy which they encourage you to try the tool and if you don't like it to return it. It makes them a good value.


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## Scott_w (Jun 16, 2010)

The ct26 won't work with it?

scott


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

Scott_w said:


> The ct26 won't work with it?
> 
> scott


 I think you need a AC CT. This site pairs the Planex all the way down to a mini Which seems odd. http://www.tool-home.com/products/catalog/index.php/cPath/1667


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

Worky, Heres a tip i found out today from a friend, he has 3 festool sanders, After you have used your hand festool sander for a while and the brushes get worn down. It will just stop, What happens is in the brushes is a little switch, once they wear down to a point this switch gets exposed and a little spring will pop it out of the centre of the brush, Its a cut off switch to protect the sander from damage, Clever huh. So its not buggered, It just needs a new brush, Most power tools just start spitting and farting and sparking them selves silly, But not festool :thumbsup:


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

cazna said:


> Worky, Heres a tip i found out today from a friend, he has 3 festool sanders, After you have used your hand festool sander for a while and the brushes get worn down. It will just stop, What happens is in the brushes is a little switch, once they wear down to a point this switch gets exposed and a little spring will pop it out of the centre of the brush, Its a cut off switch to protect the sander from damage, Clever huh. So its not buggered, It just needs a new brush, Most power tools just start spitting and farting and sparking them selves silly, But not festool :thumbsup:


Pretty cool. 

When I visited them we saw their repair shop and got the run down, here in the states they try to get a repaired tool back to you within a couple days of receiving it. Good turn around compared to other places that can take many weeks.


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## Philma Crevices (Jan 28, 2012)

Azn escorts with vacuum sanders!!! Wicked


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

Philma Crevices said:


> Azn escorts with vacuum sanders!!! Wicked


Fk Yeah, Wheres mine.


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## Stopper (Nov 5, 2011)

I bought the Planex a few years ago, Cost almost $4000NZD with Vacuum. And honestly with the Portcable you get what you pay for, the sanding head on them is far too stiff compared to the Planex. you have to keep greasing the cables on them. The Vacuum is small and the tiny filter in it clogs up rapidly. The Planex one can sand an entire house and you don't have to go near the filter.
Also the Planex one comes in three sections, which allows you to set it up as a short sander or put one or more mid sections in to make it a very long sander to reach higher spots. The sanding head on them does a much better job than the portercable ones too, it sucks on tight doing most of the work for you, takes the weight off the arms when doing ceilings etc

I did get a good run out of the portercable one though, over ten years I think, but it was maintenance intensive


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## GYPSUMTRADESMAN (Feb 20, 2010)

*fest tool planex*

i saw it on you tube the tool in action looks good easy to sand and can be put apart for smaller areas but i really do think is just way to expensive the porter cable does its job i have one for almost 7 years if the price was fair i would buy it


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## Stopper (Nov 5, 2011)

GYPSUMTRADESMAN said:


> i saw it on you tube the tool in action looks good easy to sand and can be put apart for smaller areas but i really do think is just way to expensive the porter cable does its job i have one for almost 7 years if the price was fair i would buy it


 Its not much dearer than a porter cable and over time I'm sure it will save a lot of time, far less maintenance and far less changing of filters, plus it packs away in your van easily, Then you save even more time because of being able to configure it short or long, 

Portercable is about $1100
Planex is $1700? thats half what I paid for mine, they're cheap as chips now

That extra $600 is well worth it I reckon


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

Stopper said:


> Its not much dearer than a porter cable and over time I'm sure it will save a lot of time, far less maintenance and far less changing of filters, plus it packs away in your van easily, Then you save even more time because of being able to configure it short or long,
> 
> Portercable is about $1100
> Planex is $1700? thats half what I paid for mine, they're cheap as chips now
> ...


Pretty much how I see it. Yes you will spend more upfront but you will save in abrasive sheets. The PC is about $20 for 5 sheets where the Planex is suppose to be $30 for 25 sheets

Also they will not clog up on the sheets as easily as they have the hole pattern for the dust to be sucked through. 

If you factor in the price of paper over long term use the Festool Planex is the better deal over all imo.


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## Stopper (Nov 5, 2011)

Workaholic said:


> If you factor in the price of paper over long term use the Festool Planex is the better deal over all imo.


I never thought about the paper.. it lasts a long time too, but perhaps the most important thing is that it looks some damn cool


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## GYPSUMTRADESMAN (Feb 20, 2010)

Stopper said:


> Its not much dearer than a porter cable and over time I'm sure it will save a lot of time, far less maintenance and far less changing of filters, plus it packs away in your van easily, Then you save even more time because of being able to configure it short or long,
> 
> Portercable is about $1100
> Planex is $1700? thats half what I paid for mine, they're cheap as chips now
> ...


actually i like how compact it is i would love to buy this tool with my tax money i been waiting for it for a long time you can even sand a small closet with it than again is a festool great investment:thumbup:


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

Stopper said:


> I never thought about the paper.. it lasts a long time too, but perhaps the most important thing is that it looks some damn cool


I am jealous. Awesome sander, the compact design is just cool as hell.


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## D's (Jan 15, 2009)

Festool has a bunch of cleaning attachment kits; tradesman, workshop, industrial, turbo brush. Anyone know what works best for final clean up - cleaning outlets, concrete & OSB floors, etc.?

Does the Planex really increase productivity over pole sanding. Maybe for big ceiling reskims but pole sanding doesn't really take that long and you don't need to worry about dragging all that gear around. I'm having trouble seeing the value, not to say it isn't there though. Is it a money maker?


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

D's said:


> Festool has a bunch of cleaning attachment kits; tradesman, workshop, industrial, turbo brush. Anyone know what works best for final clean up - cleaning outlets, concrete & OSB floors, etc.?
> 
> Does the Planex really increase productivity over pole sanding. Maybe for big ceiling reskims but pole sanding doesn't really take that long and you don't need to worry about dragging all that gear around. I'm having trouble seeing the value, not to say it isn't there though. Is it a money maker?


I am expecting a "Tradesman Cleaning Set" for cleanup. 

Compared to pole sanding it would be energy you are saving and your health by going dustless.


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## Bazooka-Joe (Dec 31, 2010)

does the vac come with the Sander, I would pay the money and be happy


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

Bazooka-Joe said:


> does the vac come with the Sander, I would pay the money and be happy


Here is a quote taken from a Festool employee who answers Festool questions at PT. 



shofestoolusa said:


> Saw the thread and thought I'd remind those who are considering a Planex drywall sander that all Festool power tools have a 30-day money back guarantee. So, there's virtually no risk is trying one out. The price in the U.S. for the Planex and the CT AutoClean dust extractor as a package is $1675, which includes package savings at participating dealers (which I know of none who don't do packages).
> 
> Festool genuinely stands for something different as a power tool manufacturer. We offer exceptional service and are here to support you. You really will never be able to appreciate what Festool is about until you've experienced it first hand. I challenge you to give us a try and have no doubts that you'll be impressed.
> 
> Shane


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## D's (Jan 15, 2009)

Drywall contractors need to accomplish two things once we get mud on the wall; sand, and cleanup. *The Planex/CT36AC combo excels at both.

The Planex is useful for removing textures, sanding between the 2nd and final coat, and sanding skimmed ceilings. *A final sand with light and sponge is still required for paint grade. *The dust reduction is impressively effective, but not completely dustless. *For 100% dustless appropriate barriers and negative air are still required. *The auto-clean function does what it's supposed to do but as a new feature it faces some acceptance hurdles. *Festool's video only illustrates how it works conceptually. *They need to show how it cycles in use so contractors know what to expect & realize the popping sound isn't so bad. *I found that the auto clean function on its own works but is much improved with periodic deep cycling by obstructing the hose end or using the blast gate. *Since deep cycling is necessary to improve performance, really the AC should just come with the BlastGate to not confuse the issue. *AutoClean 95% of the time, sometimes BlastGate - like when moving the vac between rooms.

Ergonomically, it is easier on walls but probably on par with pole sanding for ceilings due to the extra weight. *Once there's an extension on, it starts to feel like a wrestling match. *Ceilings under 9' are no problem but anything over probably need that harness or are more easily pole sanded.

The AC comes with both the plastic liner and cloth bag, but really a contractor is not going to want to deal with those consumables unless required, such as for lead & asbestos. The autocleaning works just as well without the liner bag and I've found with a bit of care it's possible to recycle the dust back into the compound.

Typically when cleaning up the job site after drywall, there is so much fine dust that you have to sweep the majority up first and then vac. *Even then the dust will still clog the filter. *This is still the case with the AC although less frequent and way easier with a BlastGate. *To eliminate the need to sweep altogether I bought a Dust Deputy Deluxe cyclonic separator designed to work with the Festool vac from Oneida air. *The dual stage separation combo works fantastic, saves lots of time and is much tidier. Hypnotic to watch too! *Festool should license that product and brand it accordingly.

I've had some trouble finding the right cleaning kit set. *Both the compact, and tradesmen sets are too small when cleaning an entire house, but okay for small renovations and patching. *I've ended up using the 2" set off my old Shop-Vac instead.

To summarize the advantages in order of importance to my business...

Quality: *homeowners and GC's value added/perceived cleanliness and professionalism of tools
Productivity: *sands a bit faster, cleanup significantly reduced with right setup, no bags or clogged filters to deal with
Ergonomics: *less physical effort, shows staff appreciation
Functionality: sanding + cleaning in one compact modular system


Recommendations for Festool & drywall contractors:
Include BlastGate
Get a better demonstration of AC function to ease acceptance of feature.
Demonstrate how it works with or without bags
Suggest dual stage separation(Dust Deputy) for big jobs like drywall cleanup
Suggest basic cleanup kit to go with included 36mm hose, and 50mm industrial cleaning set.


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## walltools (Sep 15, 2009)

Workaholic said:


> Well Festool has put a price tag on the North American Planex, they also have given the release date for this machine. Looks to be 1000.00 for the sander and 700.00 for the CT36 extractor.
> 
> I know some of you may think I speak of Festool too much but I just recently started using them and love them and have been curious about the price point on this one.
> 
> ...



We were going to wait to launch in on our new website that is slated to come out in a week or so, but we just couldn't wait. We have them in stock, plus everything else you might need (vacuum, extension, discs, etc.) We haven't added everything to the site yet, but we have added the Planex:
http://www.walltools.com/store/festool-planex-drywall-sander-571579-lhs-225.html

By the way, as a Festool Dealer we are not allowed to discount their products lower than their MAP or give away freebies. So, drywalltalk10 coupon and free t-shirt is out with Festool. Porter Cable doesn't qualify to the 10% off coupon though either.


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## walltools (Sep 15, 2009)

*Festool Planex Drywall Sander from Wall Tools:* http://www.walltools.com/store/festool-planex-drywall-sander-571579-lhs-225.html


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## walltools (Sep 15, 2009)

Bazooka-Joe said:


> does the vac come with the Sander, I would pay the money and be happy


We sell the Sander and the Vacuum separately, or together. The Festool Vacuum is not required to run the Sander. That being said, the Festool Planex LHS 225 was designed to work with in conjunction with the CT36 E AC Dust Extractor with AutoClean to be the ultimate dustless drywall sanding system. 

Many guys don't even run vacuums with their power sanders. However, if you do want to do dustless and want an extremely well designed dustless sanding solution... you're in luck. Festool makes top of the line equipment.


We're here to help!


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

walltools said:


> We sell the Sander and the Vacuum separately, or together. The Festool Vacuum is not required to run the Sander. That being said, the Festool Planex LHS 225 was designed to work with in conjunction with the CT36 E AC Dust Extractor with AutoClean to be the ultimate dustless drywall sanding system.
> 
> Many guys don't even run vacuums with their power sanders. However, if you do want to do dustless and want an extremely well designed dustless sanding solution... you're in luck. Festool makes top of the line equipment.
> 
> ...


I have been using Festool sanders for the last six months and without the vac they do not perform nearly as well.


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

I don't own a Planex, but I recently used my RO150 to sand a loft floor that was made of reclaimed 2x6 tongue and groove that had variations as big as a 1/16" all over the place (no way to get a floor sander up there.)

Using 50 grit paper and my Fein vacuum, I was able to sand on the floor for 5 hours without a mask (perhaps not the smartest option....my boogers were a tad woody that night) and there was no dust on the floor. And I made a LOT of dust....

I'm in love with Festool, and if I can find a way to work in a Planex and a CT36 I will do so. Absolutely.:thumbsup:


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

SlimPickins said:


> I don't own a Planex, but I recently used my RO150 to sand a loft floor that was made of reclaimed 2x6 tongue and groove that had variations as big as a 1/16" all over the place (no way to get a floor sander up there.)
> 
> Using 50 grit paper and my Fein vacuum, I was able to sand on the floor for 5 hours without a mask (perhaps not the smartest option....my boogers were a tad woody that night) and there was no dust on the floor. And I made a LOT of dust....
> 
> I'm in love with Festool, and if I can find a way to work in a Planex and a CT36 I will do so. Absolutely.:thumbsup:




Sums it up for me.


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