Festool RO 150 FEQ users beware, backing plate flew off for two owners

[ZoranC]

Zoran my backing plate just came off now.

Sorry to hear you had trouble. I am glad nothing was damaged (except bp) and nobody was hurt.

The backing plate was damaged a bit and i will go get a replacement soon.

Care to post picture of damaged bp, please?

However it was designed to be used for car polishing i hear.

I do not know was it designed to be used for car polishing but I do know they do list it in some materials under 'automotive'. That was enough for me to say to Festool rep it is not fit for the purpose and he accepted return. I did not send it back yet because I got ping-ponged a little bit. Festool wants me to send it to place I bought it from and that place will handle it from there. Well, few days later that place sent me back to Festool to get shipping labels from me to them (I am not springing for expensive shipping due to something that is not my fault) and to make long story short I am stuck in phone tag, when I am at lunch break they seem to be at lunch break too and message is again not returned. I have to find break in my work day to place call and not go through automated system but through receptionist.

 

[Thejoyofdriving]

It has came off like 5 times now, it still does not fly off but it is sure annoying. I tried to use some hot glue to keep it on there, but the machine gets so hot it melted it and the plate came off. I am just going to break out the epoxy and finish the car with it, after i am done hopefully i can get it off. This really really really sucks.

 

[ZoranC]

I am just going to break out the epoxy and finish the car with it, after i am done hopefully i can get it off.

Do not use epoxy. If it is strong enough to keep in place bp under all that torque then it is strong enough that you won't be able to remove bp by hand and you end up with tool that you can not return. And if it is weak enough to be removed by hand then it is not strong enough to withstand all that torque and might result in damage and then again can not be returned.

 

[ZoranC]

Joy, any news? BTW, which speed it was at when it failed?

 

[Thejoyofdriving]

Joy, any news? BTW, which speed it was at when it failed?

Speed 5, i called a festool distributor and they said that they will contact festool with the problem and call me back. I ended up placing a very small amount of epoxy, worst case i will cut it off, i can do it with out damaging the machine i think. I am pretty worried about damaging my car but i dont really have a choice now, i cant leave it in the garage for much longer. I cant post pics now because its kind of a hassle,i have like 500 other pics i need to download and i just dont feel like doing it now. I will see what i will do when i get a call back.

 

[Thejoyofdriving]

Just spoke to festool... they were telling me that some guy just called them a little while ago with the same problem Guessing it was you? Any way they said that they are surprised at this and that they will run some tests tommorow and see how this pad is coming off. I might get that flex, i just want to wait and see how much vibration it has.

 

[ZoranC]

Just spoke to festool... they were telling me that some guy just called them a little while ago with the same problem Guessing it was you?

I called them last week so I would not know, depends on what is their definition of "a little while ago".

Any way they said that they are surprised at this and that they will run some tests tommorow and see how this pad is coming off.

They can run tests all they want, I have no time nor money for games, mine is going back, I am calling them tomorrow, Friday at latest, for shipping label.

I might get that flex, i just want to wait and see how much vibration it has.

First review has been up as of few days ago on other forum.

 

[Thejoyofdriving]

Just wanted to say that in rotex mode the backing plate stayed in place very very well. Its a self tightening system so it would make sense that rotex mode would make it stick on there real good. But in orbital mode its a different story.......... Also the machine is starting to sound like it needs to be greased, its squeaking at start and stop. I still am thinking about the flex, i got that hang of using the festool in DA, but it is still hard to control, i have been thinking maybe i will switch to rotary......but im too scared of causing damage, idk.

 

[ZoranC]

Just wanted to say that in rotex mode the backing plate stayed in place very very well. Its a self tightening system so it would make sense that rotex mode would make it stick on there real good. But in orbital mode its a different story...

... which sucks because it is a random orbit mode that is most often used.

 

[Surfer]

Personally I am very lucky that nobody got hurt / nothing got damaged because trust me, when you see the force that thing is flung with there is some serious kinetic energy behind it that could do some extremely serious damage because it is a rotating object with an "edge".

I said before, when my friends backing plate broke his LC pad flew, let me tell you, pad flies off at speed 6 its hauling ass lol.

 

[FMINUS]

In the rotex mode, does it replace a rotary?

 

[ZoranC]

... let me tell you, pad flies off at speed 6 its hauling ass lol.

... and that's at 6000 OPM 4 Amps (PC, right?). Now imagine how it looked like on me with Festool's 6 Amps 6600 OPMs

 

[Surfer]

... and that's at 6000 OPM 4 Amps (PC, right?). Now imagine how it looked like on me with Festool's 6 Amps 6600 OPMs

yup

 

[ZoranC]

In the rotex mode, does it replace a rotary?

Short answer: It is not purely rotary. It combines rotation with random orbit for more aggressive swirl free action.

Long answer: I can not post link to Festool's site as link would get deleted but you can find details on how it works there.