Orbital sanders

[Alan_H]

Looking ahead a bit, after I have bought my MiG from weldequip I will need to flatten primer and top coat etc.

Does anybody have any recommendations for makes of orbital sanders? I won't need a professional one, rather something that will take a bit of a beating but isn't too pricey.

Bosch and B&D come to mind, are there any preferred models or alternatively does anybody have any better suggestions?

 

[peterd51]

Hi

I've got a B&D dual action sander and it has velcro backing.

Sounds good, and for a while it's a piece of cake to change disks but I found it soon flattened off the velcro and now it's next to useless!

Disks only hold for a few revs and then spin off.

I've bought some cheap stick on velcro for now and I stick strips on each time I need to use it but it'll need a new backing plate to restore it and knowing what B&D charge for parts it's probably a scrap job!

Regards
Peter

 

[JimM]

Not sure what you are intending to paint and what sort of finish you're aiming for but if this is for car bodywork etc then you really want to be looking at the true dual action (DA) rotary sanders. These are normally air tools but you can get them in electric versions albeit they seem to be few and far between.

I'll be looking into this at some time in the future and I think I may well go for something from America. They seem to cater more for the home 'paintshop' guy and companies like PorterCable etc offer a huge range of products. Exchange rate is very tempting at the moment and even if you factor in shipping and custom duties it still seems to work out cheaper. Just need to get a 110V transformer and you are good to go.

HTH

Jim

 

[Hitch]

I have a cheapish draper one. Its about 5/6 years old now and taken quite a bit of stick tbh.
The base runs out of true slightly after i dropped it about 6foot, but apart from that, is still fine, even the velcro base.
Never had trouble with discs spinning off!

Metabo ones are excellent, they do a 5" one in a palm grip model, buts its 3times the price or that draper. Which to be honest, is reasonable to use one handed.

Id be tempted at looking at airtools though, easier and cheaper to add more tools to it, and a bit better for paintshop work anyway.

 

[Drains]

The velcro dies if you push too hard. Doing that also slows down the machine and doesn't let the abrasive work or clean itself properly. As Drainetta likes to remind me, use a light touch!

 

[rtbcomp]

I'm slowly moving over to air tools, you can use them in the wet, they don't burn out and don't need PAT testing.

 

[Alan_H]

Not sure what you are intending to paint and what sort of finish you're aiming for but if this is for car bodywork etc then you really want to be looking at the true dual action (DA) rotary sanders. These are normally air tools but you can get them in electric versions albeit they seem to be few and far between.

Yep, it is for car body work.

I've been reading the web site stuff of Malcom's (really very good - I didn't know anybody could be - or would be so knowledgeable on Renault 4s).

1200 wet and dry followed by T-Cut and polish seems to be the best finishing...I'm just looking at cutting back high build primer etc.

Tell me more about dual action :-s

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

it rotates around the spindle like a standard motor but then the spindle also rotates slightly around a small circle.

It gives the effect of a repeating 'spiral' so it's not always rotating in exactly the same place, especially as you move the sander around in a random arc and circles, etc.

Regards
Peter

 

[dodgy welds]

check out carsprays.co.uk plenty info on painting cars there

 

[Alan_H]

check out carsprays.co.uk plenty info on painting cars there

Ta muchly.

Let me guess...you have a mint condition P5, no?

 

[dodgy welds]

no but i want a p5b coupe, i have a 418 td and cabrio

 

[Alan_H]

no but i want a p5b coupe, i have a 418 td and cabrio

Back in 1978 I worked with a chap who had a mint P5 3.5 litre that still had CD (diplomatic) plates on it... He used to take us down the pub in it at lunch times. We sat in the back and lapped it up.

I bet Maggie would have been envious, she loved her P5s.

I have always fancied one. I bet they are pricey now though.

 

[dodgy welds]

seen them go for around 2000 but i tryed to buy one which is mint the old boy wanted 7000 for it only done 47.000 u can get a complete resto project for around 500. good excuse to get your mig practice lol!

 

[Weldingartisan]

Sealey do a 240volt DA sander for 150mm stick-on discs. I've had one for a few years, doesn't get that much use - does the job OK.
Windies are cheaper and a lot lighter if you've got a good air supply. Wouldn't fancy sanding vertical panels all day with an electric DA. W/A

 

[irondarren]

I always found air ones are much better, as you have more control over them by regulating the pressure flow, but do they eat air. where the hell they get 4 or 6cfm air requirement ill never know, more like 18 cfm delivery

 

[storm monkey]

The mutts nuts electric sander is the American "Porter Cable" 1014 (I think!). It is a true "random" orbit sander/polisher, and is about as good as you'll get. I have one as a polisher, so It will never go near any sand paper, for fear of contaminating it, and destroying paintwork. It has adjustable speed, is counterweighted, for ease of use, and runs any attachment with a threaded spindle (foam pads, sanding pads, wire brush etc), and very well pout together.

I imported mine for about $200, 2 years ago, but that included $70 worth of polishing pad and polish. With current exchange rates, its a good time to buy. You will need a 110V transformer and plug, but these aren't too expensive.

Phil

 

[JimM]

and runs any attachment with a threaded spindle (foam pads, sanding pads, wire brush etc), and very well pout together.

Hi Phil

Does the PC have a standard M14 thread, for some reason I thought they used a different spindle size

Cheers

Jim

 

[storm monkey]

Nah, its a 5/16-24, and female, which I'd forgotten.

Phil

 

[superfly]

Hi guys,

I need to get an electric da sander, I have a air one but I doubt seriously of the 3 CFM as I used it last night as a try and not even 5 min before it started to drop the pressure.

So I thought about this one, but I don't know if it is any good ?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sealey-DAS151-Random-Orbital-Variable-Speed-DA-Sander-/350394693345?pt=UK_Body_Shop_Supplies_Paint&hash=item519526b6e1#ht_816wt_905

I don't know if it any good.

Do you have anything to recommend me? I have seen some festool tool but it looks dear to me...

 

[sprayerDrew]

Hi , I had this da and sold it as it was much slower than my 3m air da . Pretty dissapointed with it.