OfArtAndArsenal
Well-Known Member
I'm getting ready to pick one up, but I can't decide between 1/4 sheet or disk.
What do you guys prefer and why?
What do you guys prefer and why?
Obital sander advice
- Thread starter OfArtAndArsenal
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MrMcSick
Derp
I have a I believe a 5" disc with the Velcro/ hook and loop papers go on. Not the easiest or cheapest to find sand paper disc's but it does the job nicely. I think the bigger ones with adhesive papers might be easier to find the papers for but I forget.
OfArtAndArsenal
Well-Known Member
Anyone else have a preference?
UnderTheSign
Well-Known Member
For orbital, I much prefer the disks. Oh Festool Rotex, how I love thee...
AwDeOh
Well-Known Member
Might just be the particular brand my local store stocks, but I've had problems with cheap velcro that renders the disc useless after 15 minutes.
That said, I've got a velcro style (mouse shape) and a spring bar style (square shape), both Ryobi, and I love the shit out of both.
That said, I've got a velcro style (mouse shape) and a spring bar style (square shape), both Ryobi, and I love the shit out of both.
I've gone through several orbitals, hers my advice.
Make sure its Random orbital.
I've bought expensive ones like Makita etc, but I always liked te feel of a cheapie ozito one over the more expensive ones. After a year or so they dies, but then they're only $30 to go buy another one. I'm currently on my third Ozito.
I've got air random orbital sanders and still use the cheapie electric ozito.
Make sure its Random orbital.
I've bought expensive ones like Makita etc, but I always liked te feel of a cheapie ozito one over the more expensive ones. After a year or so they dies, but then they're only $30 to go buy another one. I'm currently on my third Ozito.
I've got air random orbital sanders and still use the cheapie electric ozito.
I just grabbed this pic from google images. It's the sanders I use. Everything from neck, heel, body carve, even in some of the paint stages I use this model sander and they're around $30.00
OfArtAndArsenal
Well-Known Member
For orbital, I much prefer the disks. Oh Festool Rotex, how I love thee...
Ok, speaking of: What's the story with Festool? I'd never heard of them until I walked into Woodcraft, and almost choked on the pricetag. Are they REALLY that good?
UnderTheSign
Well-Known Member
Yeah, the price tag can be a bit of a shocker... If I had the money and my own full on workshop, all non-stationary machinery would be Festool. It's not that they're the Blackmachine among tools or anything like that but they're just very well built and well designed machines. Their latest (already a few years old) cordless drill for example. The ease of switching drill bits, different attachments etc is great. They have accesories for almost everything.
That said, if Festool is out of your price range, Makita is a great choice. I don't really consider them that expensive but they're super solid products. The best brand price/quality wise IMO.
I've got a $100+ Makita random orbital that sits unused and I continue to use the $30 cheapo sanders. They just seem to have more bite and still leave a clean surface with finer grits.
UnderTheSign
Well-Known Member
Hm, I haven't noticed much difference in that myself. Sanding sometimes is a tricky thing, I was sanding some plywood panels this week and used different brands - the Wurth Sahara 180 grit (light yellow/sand-coloured paper) seemed to leave a smoother surface much easier but filled up in a matter of minutes, the other (unknown) brand 180 grit (red paper) took a little more effort to get the same result but also lasted a lot longer.
ECGuitars
Well-Known Member
The best piece of advice I could give you is this, find a budget and then go to a tool supplier in your area and go and just look. Pick them up, find one that feels good in your hand, after all this is going to be a tool you use a lot. Read some reviews online on which ones feel. Ice to you and then make an educated buy. Personally I prefer the dynabraid air sanders, but not everyone has access to a high CFM compressor. Always go with a hook and loop sander as PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive) sand paper is being phased out, and absolutely make sure it is a Random Orbit Sander, not just orbit, or jitter (back and forth). The Radom orbit basically let's you sand in any direction (although you should still follow the grain) without leaving cross grain scratches.
AwDeOh
Well-Known Member
For sandpaper filling up, I keep a piece of carpet next to the work piece, and after 10-15 seconds of sanding I run the sander over the carpet with a bit of pressure.
Works wonders for avoiding those large clumps on the paper that start to gouge out the wood.
Works wonders for avoiding those large clumps on the paper that start to gouge out the wood.
ECGuitars
Well-Known Member
The shop I work in we have blocks of hard rubber that we use for that, use them on all of the large sanders as well. Works wonders, I know them by the name of "crate block" but I couldn't seem to find an example of one online. It's basically just a 2"x2" block of high density rubber you drag lightly across the moving sander and it pulls all the dust or other particles out.
Belt & Disc Cleaners : CARBA-TEC
The above link is to the product you're trying to describe. I use them all the time on my belt sander and drum sander. When I'm using a random orbital I just keep a high pressure air hose close and blow it off occasionally.
On the topic of sand PAPER - best advice is do not buy cheap. I've found our local hardware store paper is utter rubbish. Clogs up faster. The rear of it wears out before the grit is used up. I now buy professional grade paper from a specialized store and it is worlds apart from the cheap shit. Better sand. Last longer (=better value for money) and generally a cleaner finish. If you dont have any specialized stores around then usually 3M, Bosch or Makita branded sandpaper is pretty good also. You might pay an extra couple dollars a packet, but you get well over that back in usability.
The above link is to the product you're trying to describe. I use them all the time on my belt sander and drum sander. When I'm using a random orbital I just keep a high pressure air hose close and blow it off occasionally.
On the topic of sand PAPER - best advice is do not buy cheap. I've found our local hardware store paper is utter rubbish. Clogs up faster. The rear of it wears out before the grit is used up. I now buy professional grade paper from a specialized store and it is worlds apart from the cheap shit. Better sand. Last longer (=better value for money) and generally a cleaner finish. If you dont have any specialized stores around then usually 3M, Bosch or Makita branded sandpaper is pretty good also. You might pay an extra couple dollars a packet, but you get well over that back in usability.
OfArtAndArsenal
Well-Known Member
I've been seeing the Mirka brand alot online. Are they good or overpriced?
Mirka makes good paper, and they're one of the few sandpaper brands that I've used that makes a good paper all the way from 120 to 1500.
EQGuitars
Member
Many woodworking hardware stores actually sell a soft rubber stick that is designed to remove wood dust and other particles from sandpaper, files etc (I picked one up at Rockler.) They work wonders and virtually triple the life of sanding papers and discs. As for the sander, as mentioned above, random orbital is definitely the way to go. They sand quickly and leave a smooth finish but as a tip, resist the urge to apply more pressure than the weight of the sander itself or you'll get coil-shaped sanding marks that are a nuissance to get out.
EQGuitars
Member
Whoops. Didn't see the carba tec already posted. Great product though.
OfArtAndArsenal
Well-Known Member
Just picked up a Porter Cable ROS for $60. Pretty happy with it.
Picked up a mess of paper (50pks of mirka brand for $15 each. 180g through 400g.)
I like how smoothly it sands. Takes all the work out of it. One thing I'm noticing however is since the pad is not rigid, it does a little round-over dance on the edges of the wood, which I'm not fond of. Any tips for eliminating/minimizing that or is that just a necessary evil?
Picked up a mess of paper (50pks of mirka brand for $15 each. 180g through 400g.)
I like how smoothly it sands. Takes all the work out of it. One thing I'm noticing however is since the pad is not rigid, it does a little round-over dance on the edges of the wood, which I'm not fond of. Any tips for eliminating/minimizing that or is that just a necessary evil?
