Machine Mart Air Sander

[busastars]

Right I got one day left to use my Vat free at Machine Mart and am after an Air Sander.

I know nothing but would like it to be as universal as possible and cheep on consumables. Few on there around £20-30 ish.

Use, sanding paint, preparation and if possible able to polish but I doubt that. Small work, Bikes and stuff in the shed.

So can someone advice one from there list for me please

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/categories/search/air-sanders-polishers

 

[gavuk]

what compressor you running Iain?....they can be quite air hungry....

 

[busastars]

what compressor you running Iain?....they can be quite air hungry....

No problems with Air, got a 3hp compressor. Money and universal is more my thing Gav

Alot of them there say Dual action, what do they mean,,, as in I know they sand but what else?

 

[danelectro]

Got to be honest, Gav is right, they use a lot of air, and I'm guessing you'll run out. AND they can be be bloody noisy too. Personally for hobby stuff (and a relatively small comp) I'd go for an electric.

Dual action means the disc runs both ways, i.e. the main drive runs one way, and then a second (free wheeler) holds the pad still, so you get squigles instead of a sander which only runs one way, and produces lines.....not sure that I explained it that well, but I know what I mean!!!
I think you might have mixed up DUAL ACTION with DUAL PURPOSE.

When you say you want it universal, what exactly do you mean by that??? I mean what job have you got to do that needs one?

 

[ajlelectronics]

Dual action is a random type orbit, rather than plain rotary sand. Dual action is less likely to cause sanding swirls.

 

[danelectro]

Dual action is a random type orbit, rather than plain rotary sand. Dual action is less likely to cause sanding swirls.

Thanks AJL, I was trying to do it in laymens terms!!! I think it's actually RANDOM ORBIT TYPE, but still just as confusing for the newbie as Dual action.

 

[gavuk]

I've got a 6" dual action (cat 80),which i find hungry and a tad too large for most of the work i've chucked at it ,I have a 5" electric d/a which i prefer to use as its quieter and instant,I also have a 2" d/a which is my favourite ,great for tight spots and curves ,is it for your bike ?....I only paid £30 for the 2" off eblag iirc.....I used 2" and 5" on my lads Rs50.....don't let that vat free sway you ,MM aren't that cheap

 

[busastars]

Ahh I get it now, so Duel if used lightly could be used with a polishing mop.

Use will be sanding down plastics, paint, polishing if possible, small work done in the shed nothing as large as a car.

My compressor can run any on there as I got over 13 cfm, 3hp, 100l to play with.

Still there is alot all round similar price so not sure what would be the best.

 

[danelectro]

Ahh I get it now, so Duel if used lightly could be used with a polishing mop.

Use will be sanding down plastics, paint, polishing if possible, small work done in the shed nothing as large as a car.

My compressor can run any on there as I got over 13 cfm, 3hp, 100l to play with.

Still there is alot all round similar price so not sure what would be the best.

I hate to wee on your bonfire busa, but in my home workshop I have a 14 cfm (9cfm FAD) and it will run a da sander, but not for that long. quoted figures are all very well, but to run for any period of time you really need bigger, or x2. Much better off getting an electric.

Personally I wouldn't even attempt to use a air DA for polishing, get a polishing machine designed for the job (that is if you're gonna do lots of work with it) again, only my opinion

 

[brightspark]

i run a da of my 14cfm comp no bother its a sealy. badged name . i have a few bought cheap 9 quid each second hand . spares are readily available for them. there made in japan air consumtion is minimal

 

[ajlelectronics]

A sander will run too fast for polishing. You want a rotary slow speed or you will burn the paint. Angle grinders with polishing attachments are useless, for the same reason. I actually bought a pro polisher from a pro supplier for over £100 which turned out to be a 9" grinder with a mop fixed to its spindle! Sometimes they see me coming!

 

[busastars]

Just been looking, think mine is about 14cfm so around 9-10 fad, its an Airmaster twin piston 3hp compressor that's all I know. Got to go air, only for short use.

I need some odd little bits from Machine Mart and a store near by so will pop in and just see what they have in there.

 

[FranV8]

Don't forget air tool suppliers are well capable of telling porkies about how much air their tools really use.

 

[busastars]

So far its the CAT24B, CAT80. CAT93, CAT121 on my short list. Apart from the last one there all 6cfm with adjustable air flow, I have over 9 fad, or about 14 cfm.

Not sure which one though or what the difference is in all them.

 

[Engineer]

Unless you have a reasonable size compressor using a DA, will mean the compressor is working pretty much all the time, and you will need to keep stopping as reduced pressure means the sander will slow right down.

An electric DA costs more than a cheap MM air type, and anyone who has actually tried to use an air DA with a small compressor will probably be wishing they had opted for an electric one rather than air................I certainly did!

 

[busastars]

Lot's saying don't go for one so I will leave alone. Just noticed MM do an electric one for £22.99, I'll give that one a try.

 

[busastars]

I bought the Electric one after, really happy with it. How did I ever live with out one, great for taking down large spots that would have taken hours by hand with blisters.

In my local MM they are quite good, no bull just to get a sale. I did ask about the DA Air sanders and straight away advised against it for the same reasons everyone said.

 

[andyxxxx]

I bought a couple of electric DAs from B&Q and they didn't last long, now a cheapy clarke air DA and it's much better, just make sure you stick an in-line oiler on, or keep it oiled regularly, but air supply is not so much of a problem since I got my second compressor hooked up, It does get noisy having the DA running and the compressors refilling though.

If I were to buy electric again I'd buy a better known brand as we got the cheapest ones and the bearings went on one and the other one's motor started faulting. They did get a lot of use though, but we're still going to try and return them under warranty as we didn't misuse them, as such.