Detail sander

[Chippygeoff]

I need to buy a detail sander and was wondering if I need to be careful of any particular models. The Black and Decker mouse seems to be quite popular and the Bosch one looks nice. I have never had one before so I am a bit in the dark. Also are the pads all the same size or do the different makes have different size sanding sheets. Many thanks in advance.

 

[Myfordman]

I've had a Bosch one for years and been very pleased with it. Like most velcro based sanders, the backing pad eventually loses the will to grip but can easily be replaced.
I've not studied a mouse type but the corners wear first on delta sanders and it is useful to be able to rotate the abrasive twice to get fresh grit. Check that the same is true of mouse sanders.
There are at least two sizes of sanding triangles as I found to my cost when I bought a pack in ALDI a year or so ago. Not only are they bigger than the Bosch ones but the holes don't line up so can't easily be cut to size.

hth

 

[marcros]

i was in homebase, returning my broken lawnmower when the person in front of me returned a black nd decker mouse. From what i over heard it had worn very fast with moderate DIY use. I am not saying that it is typical of the model, they may have abused it or may have had a bad one.

 

[Chippygeoff]

Many thanks guys. I think I will get the Bosch one, never was happy using black and decker stuff.

 

[Eric The Viking]

+1 for the Bosch. Got a GOP (cordless) - dunno how I managed without it previously.

E.

 

[JakeS]

I've not studied a mouse type but the corners wear first on delta sanders and it is useful to be able to rotate the abrasive twice to get fresh grit. Check that the same is true of mouse sanders.

For what it's worth - I've had a mouse sander for... probably about eight years; it's not fantastic but it's not terrible. The pads are teardrop shaped, and the point of the teardrop is a detachable diamond; each pad comes with two spare diamonds so you can switch out just that part as it wears. (There's also a variety of attachments you can replace the diamond part of the base with, but I think I've used any of them... once?)

 

[Aden30mm]

I've bought a few over the years, however, the one I always use is a cheap one bought from ALDI three or four years ago. However, it is my go to sander now and many of the others (including Bosch & B&D) live under the workbench still in their boxes. I am not saying they are in any way inferior, but I prefer the way the ALDI sits in my hand, and it came with the best length power cable, performance wise I believe there is no difference. Where the big difference was in the VFM (value for money) department.