IRFIG Launch, Sanding is Fun

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Announcing

The Indianapolis Rockler Festool Interest Group — IRFIG

.. a place for current and prospective Festool owners to share knowledge

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First Meeting: – a special kick-off event at Rockler Woodworking and Hardware Castleton store in Indianapolis IN  — A “HANDS-ON” event emphasizing sanding processes and Festool sanders.  Participants will be able to use tools on real projects.  The event will be held in the unoccupied retail space immediately adjacent to the Rockler store.

Date:   February  Saturday 16  9 :00 am to 1:00 pm

Registration:   Please call the store (317/578-9750) to register for the event.  While space is not restricted, we need to get an accurate number for lunch.

Theme:   Making Sanding Fun!  — The Festool Sanders

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How many times have you heard a woodworker say “sanding is fun”?  Almost never!  Once you:  (1) understand the reasons for sanding, (2) understand the underlying principles of how to accomplish the desired outcome. (3) have the proper sanding machines. (4) have proper abrasives. and (5) have effective dust control, you will enjoy the experience.  Festool has 12 sanders in their product line.  Festool also has numerous families of abrasivesin a wide variety of grits.  In addition, there are pads, buffers and other accessories.  The Festool CT vacuums complete the sanding system.  These tools provide for not only an enjoyable sanding experience, but an enjoyable wood finishing experience as well.

Sessions (times are approximate and will float as approriate):

9:00  to 10:00  Introducing the IRFIG, Sanding and Festool – Classroom and Demonstration Style

  • About the Indianapolis Rockler Festool Interest Group
  • Sanding overview and theory
  • Festool sander line (there are 12 machines), what are the strengths of each machine?
  •  The abrasives — what do you use where?

10:00 to 11:00  Attendee “hands on use”

  • We will have nearly all sander models for you to work with.  Current owners — bring your machines and/or projects with you.
  • Plenty of raw wood samples to work with
  • A refinishing project.  This 30+ years-old play kitchen needs refinishing.  Have at it!  You will have hands-on experience with all of the sanders and abrasives to take off the old finish and prepare these items for spray finishing
  • OWNERS OF EXISTING SANDERS ARE URGED TO BRING THEM ALONG.  Additional equipment will be appreciated.

11:00 to 12:00  LUNCH Break and Speaker.  Light lunch and drinks provided.

Brian Sedgely, National Festool Trainer from Lebanon IN will join us to talk about two new tools in the Festool line just now being introduced:

  • CMS Router Table
  • Planex LHS 225 Drywall Sander

12:00 to 12:30  Sanding  Flat Surfaces and Moldings

Plywood, veneered projects and several types of moldings will be discussed.  Again, there will be assorted materials including these birds-eye maple panels which are parts for a shelving unit under construction that will allow for hands-on experience.

12:30 to 1:00  Finishing and Polishing

Festool sanders and abrasives are useful not only for sanding raw wood, but are useful for between coat sanding and for final polishing.  A number of panels that are at intermediate stages in the finishing process will be used for demonstrating finishing process and the roles sanders play —    sealed only, first coat of finish, second coat of finish, etc.  In addition scrap pieces at intermediate stages will be available for “hands on work”.  Finishing steps will include not only the the final finishing steps, but polishing out to a gloss surface with abrasives such as pumice and rottenstone and wax polishing.

1:00   Official Adjournment of Formal Meeting

Tools, projects and personnel will be available for a period of time after this .

About the Indianapolis Rockler Festool Interest Group

  • Group’s purpose is education and information sharing
  • Rockler views this activity as a marketing service to current and future customers.  The sessions will not be intensive sales activities
  • Roger Muller, Rockler associate, is serving as facilitator.  Over time, other Rockler personnel and IRFIG participants will be instructors/speakers.
  • Meetings are to be conducted at approximate intervals of one to two months.  Exact day of week and time of day and length of meeting will be adjusted as the group develops.
  • Not all meetings will be as intensive as the sander and saw “kick-offs”
  • Proposed second meeting:  “Saws and Acccessories”.  This will again be an intensive “kick off” event covering circular saws, guide rails, the parallel guides and extensions, the MFT-3 table and more.
  • Proposed third meeting:  Routers  (format undecided)
  • Beyond this — shorter meetings, field trips and whatever else attendees desire.
  • Attendees are encouraged (actually expected) to present in the future about their experiences.
  • You do not need to have purchased equipment from Rockler to attend.  If you have purchased elsewheres — you are still welcome.
  • You do not need to be a current owner of Festool equipment

Contacts:   Rockler Indianapolis, 317/578-9750

Rockler Woodworking and Hardware

8452 Castleton-Corner Dr

Indianapolis, IN 46250

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