Random Orbit Sander help required

[jasbeanie]

Hi All, I am new to the site and wanted to ask some advice about using my metabo sxe 450 (I bought it after reading this thread!)

I am a novice DIYer who is doing up her house. I am aiming to strip back some doorframes and skirting boards to wood (about 20 layers on paint on there!) but after purchasing the metabo, I am finding it really hard to control it when I am trying to do the intricate bits or the slightly curved parts of the wood on the doorframe. I use the turbo boost button quite a bit to try and get the job done quicker, but not making much progress. I can get sections of the paint off, but larges parts are untouched as can't seem to get the sanding disc directly on some of the areas. Can anyone help? Am I using it in the wrong way? Or is the machine better to do flatter more straightforward sanding like doors, floors etc?

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks

 

[JJ1]

The sander is probably a little too large for the areas that you're trying to sand. I also have the SXE 450 and find it superb but for intricate shapes and smaller surfaces such as door frames I think I'd prefer to use a smaller sander, a delta one (I think they're called) with the triangular base or the even smaller triangular based detail sander. Another option and one I would probably favour, is softening the paint with a heat gun and scraping it off and then sanding.

 

[jasbeanie]

Thanks for the advice JJ1. I have a black and decker mouse sander, but I can tell it won't be powerful enough to remove the paint completely (which is what I would like to do). I'm not familiar with delta sanders - will they remove the paint altogether? Also, can you recommend one. I would prefer a recommendation if possible!
Thanks

 

[JJ1]

I just use an inexpensive delta sander purchased from Lidl for about £15. It only gets used infrequently, hence the desire not to spend too much on one. I don't do too much decorating (if I can help it but I would imagine removing all of the paint with any sander would be a slow and tedious process, better to use a heat gun in my limited experience.

 

[DiscoStu]

Going back to the original post. I've got one of these:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/bosch-pex-40 ... bit-sander

And I've found it to be most excellent so far. I read a few reviews and one said it should be blue not green. However I've not tried the more expensive options mentioned so can't compare.

 

[morfa]

Blimey this thread is old. jasbeanie - always best to start a new thread, rather than opening new ones.

Mod Edit;- Posts moved to new thread

Edit - good call mods, thanks!

 

[morfa]

Can anyone help? Am I using it in the wrong way? Or is the machine better to do flatter more straightforward sanding like doors, floors etc?

Yes, for paint stripping use a heat gun. I did my house in that way, it's much better than trying to sand it all off. Make sure you wear a good quality mask when doing it as paint often gives of nasty fumes, especially if it's old. Then you'll need to sand the bare wood before painting. But not loads. The Metabo will be excellent for doing the large flat areas, but either do the intricate stuff by hand or get a detail sander.