I need advise on upgrading my sanding equipment

I would go with this: http://www.festoolproducts.com/Festool-571794-ETS-150-5-EQ-Random-Orbital-Sander-p/571794.htm. If you have a Festool Dealer close by you can try it out for 30 days and return it if you’re not pleased with no questions asked

-- Michael Garrett

+1 for Bandit.

A hard pad for the ETS150 would be a great addition as well. Consumables last longer
with the dust extraction and the better dealers will let you purchase consumables piece
meal, like 10 at a time instead of purchasing a whole box.

I have never owned a Festool sander but those who have owned one seem to say good things about them. I own 7 different brands of ROS some have larger more aggressive swirls than others, my favorite of the ones I own is the Milwaukee brand .
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-5-in-Random-Orbit-Sander-6021-21/100609940#.Ub3DzufVDgQ

It’s possible you are not you going through all of the grits of sand paper to get a smooth enough finish or your working with one of the woods(like cherry) I find your better off using a pad sander for the last 3 grits 120,150,180.
http://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-330-Speed-Bloc-Sheet-Sander/dp/B0000222Y9/ref=sr_1_28?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1371391684&sr=1-28&keywords=porter+cable+sander+pad

A drum sander is a great tool for the construction end of sanding but I think you would be better off getting a sander that you can feed material into rather than a Sand flee style sander.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200450953_200450953?cm_mmc=Aggregates-_-Shopzilla-_-Woodworking>Woodworking%20Sanders-_-123582

-- https://www.artisticwoodstudio.com/videos

I have never owned a Festool sander but those who have owned one seem to say good things about them. I own 7 different brands of ROS some have larger more aggressive swirls than others, my favorite of the ones I own is the Milwaukee brand .
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-5-in-Random-Orbit-Sander-6021-21/100609940#.Ub3DzufVDgQ

It’s possible you are not you going through all of the grits of sand paper to get a smooth enough finish or your working with one of the woods(like cherry) I find your better off using a pad sander for the last 3 grits 120,150,180.
http://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-330-Speed-Bloc-Sheet-Sander/dp/B0000222Y9/ref=sr_1_28?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1371391684&sr=1-28&keywords=porter+cable+sander+pad

A drum sander is a great tool for the construction end of sanding but I think you would be better off getting a sander that you can feed material into rather than a Sand flee style sander.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200450953_200450953?cm_mmc=Aggregates-_-Shopzilla-_-Woodworking>Woodworking%20Sanders-_-123582

-- https://www.artisticwoodstudio.com/videos

I like the festool Ro 150 eq. I use a spindle sander, disc sander and vert belt sander quite a bit to clean up curves cut with a band saw.

-- Sorry the reply is so long. I didn't have time to write a short reply.

“Would this sander be a good upgrade?” In a word, Yes.
Your patient contractor is giving you sage advice, it’s in your best
interest IMHO.
http://www.festoolusa.com/default.aspx
Under the contact drop down menu you can participate in the Festool
forum for added insight.
http://www.festoolusa.com/power-tools/reconditioned/
I purchased the Rotex 90 during the last reconditioned sale and I’m stoked with
it’s perfomance.

http://www.bobmarinosbesttools.com/Default.asp?bhcd2=1289531945

A 6” ROS has about 30% more surface area than a 5”.

Festool sanders are generally excellent. They have
effective dust collection and are balanced in such
a way that it takes longer to make your arm numb –
though it will still happen.

I have the 6” rotex sander.

If you want to sand less, learn about scrapers.

I have drum sanders and they take a lot of fiddling -
there’s definitely a learning curve to getting the
results you want without wrecking the paper. I
buy it in 50 yard rolls and that keeps the costs
down a lot.

Sorry I thought I deleted the double post

-- https://www.artisticwoodstudio.com/videos

If the DeWalt ROS was a terrible machine, they wouldn’t have sold so many of them. I think your problems are more down to technique than the sander itself. Work through the grits as Jim says, don’t apply a lot of pressure, check the paper frequently for corns (gummed up bits), connecting it to a shop vac will help as well.
It’s worth trying these things before splashing out on a new sander, I have also found using the yellow DeWalt Siafast discs gives better results than using just any fits-all ones from the hardware store.

I have used a Dewalt ROS for several years and get good results. Let the sander do the work. Uneven pressure will result in gouges and uneven results.

-- Carl in SC

Rate of feed, always of interest in woodworking, is a factor here.

Recommended rate is one inch per second. Make that single change, assuming you’re going through the grits, and your problems will be very close to being solved, if not gone forever.

Kindly,

Lee

-- "...in his brain, which is as dry as the remainder biscuit after a voyage, he hath strange places cramm'd with observation, the which he vents in mangled forms." --Shakespeare, "As You Like It"

Additional data…I checked at WoodCraft and the guy told me that if you clean out behind the pad on the DeWalt ROS, especially the area where the belt is, it will help do away with the swirl marks.

Thanks for all your advice,
Mazzy

-- Mazzy, San Francisco Bay Area, http://www.woodworkwonders.com

How many different good sanders could you buy for the same money?

Do you drive a $ 40K new truck to work? Then, the Festool brand is a good choice. I guess you can afford it.
If you buy it, you’ll want to buy the vacuum too. There goes, what?....a grand?..... Geez.

I noticed your boss didn’t offer to pitch in to help buy it for you to use on his jobsites. Ask him. Who knows?

Unless you’re in a shop, you probably won’t use the vacuum attachment 90% of the time. A good dust collector “bag” (cloth bags tear) that is easy to remove and empty is more important, to me.

I own several 5” sanders made by PC, Bosch and Makita. I found my 6” Makita requires two hands so I don’t use it as much. But, no unusual swirl marks with any of them so it’s probably technique as suggested by Mazzy rather than your sander, unless it’s beat up and the shaft is bent from dropping it.

I picked up a stroke sander drive at a auction a few years ago and finally built one last winter. for drawer fronts and cabinet doors and even face frames you can not beat the control. I really enjoy using it I am always working at a comfortable height, there is almost no dust as it is hooked to my collector. On the down side they take quite a bit of room and belt changing is a little time consuming about five minuets on my shop built machine. There have been some plans posted here on how to build one. They are not a very expensive build but they are pretty pricey to buy new.

-- A tube of calk and a gallon of paint will make a carpenter what he ain't

Waho6o9 is showing the two best ones IMO