Sanders?

[RedMist]

Having some confusion in regards to sanding a hardwood.

Initally used a Mouse style sander which is 55W

but the swirling was horrible, so i grabbed a rotary sander

this is a 430W and a beast to handle. Really poor control and it goes where it wants. Doing straight lines with the grain was impossible. And that's when I am using both hands.

So I think I need something inbetween. I'm looking at the Bosch PEX 220

which is a 220w. Is this what I need?

The pieces of wood I am sanding are about 30cm by 50cm. I really can't waste any (more) money on this. All advice appreciated!

 

[skipdiver]

I bought one of these for £40, though they are now dearer on that site, you could probably get one at the same price i paid if you shop around. I bought it to do smallish pieces of birch ply and it has done a great job. Whatever you buy, it needs to be a random orbit type so you don't get the swirl marks. The cheap Titan one from Screwfix gets some good reports for the money.

https://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product/Met ... isc-Sander

 

[RedMist]

So it seems around 240W is actually controllable by one hand?

And in use, I just move with the grain, slooooowly ?

 

[deema]

Not sure what your doing with sanding, but for hardwood, a hand held scraper is in my opinion a better option. If you buy an old saw from eBay, (not hard point ) for a couple of pounds you can easily make a lot of scrapers, each if which will last forever.

I have the PEX 220, I've used one for many years, I'm on number 2. Used it for hardwood and softwood. OK for light sanding but not real wood removal.

Scrapers don't work on softwood.

 

[MrDavidRoberts]

that cheap Metabo someone suggested previously isn't Random Orbital Sander... shame really.
I would not suggest that bosch pex only because it has almost non-existing dust extraction port and it's SQUARE (wtf?) and it has a very small orbit(won't be able to take off stock rapidly) so really good for almost nothing.

The £70+ makitas are a bit better(only slightly), but again...nothing that you would be impressed about.
Something very decent starts at about £125 ( metabo SXE450 turbotec). If you can up your budget to that, please do!
There's not a single sander that I would recommend under that budget..

and after that metabo the next best thing is Mirka Deros (£330) but... please don't try to use it if you don't have the money to buy it, if you even test it out/take it in hands you will immediately want to shoot yourself after you try to use any lesser brand tools (even the sxe450)
That bosch pex quality/power/finish wise compares to Deros like a Bently to a Cheap Poundland matchbox car.


perhaps check your Local Lidl's from time to time? I saw that Bosch PEX 220 EXACT clone for just £13 in Lidl once ( and it was 1:1 exact clone) , kinda wanted to buy it but I knew I wouldn't really be using it anyway.

 

[Alexfn]

that cheap Metabo someone suggested previously isn't Random Orbital Sander... shame really.
I would not suggest that bosch pex only because it has almost non-existing dust extraction port and it's SQUARE (wtf?) and it has a very small orbit(won't be able to take off stock rapidly) so really good for almost nothing.

The £70+ makitas are a bit better(only slightly), but again...nothing that you would be impressed about.
Something very decent starts at about £125 ( metabo SXE450 turbotec). If you can up your budget to that, please do!
There's not a single sander that I would recommend under that budget..

and after that metabo the next best thing is Mirka Deros (£330) but... please don't try to use it if you don't have the money to buy it, if you even test it out/take it in hands you will immediately want to shoot yourself after you try to use any lesser brand tools (even the sxe450)
That bosch pex quality/power/finish wise compares to Deros like a Bently to a Cheap Poundland matchbox car.


perhaps check your Local Lidl's from time to time? I saw that Bosch PEX 220 EXACT clone for just £13 in Lidl once ( and it was 1:1 exact clone) , kinda wanted to buy it but I knew I wouldn't really be using it anyway.

you sure that metabo isnt a random orbital sander? i just watched a youtube video and it looks very much like one to me

also you missed out the Makita BO6050J/2 at £240 its a rotex beater, dewalt also do a very nice 125mm sander.

 

[MrDavidRoberts]

that cheap Metabo someone suggested previously isn't Random Orbital Sander... shame really.
I would not suggest that bosch pex only because it has almost non-existing dust extraction port and it's SQUARE (wtf?) and it has a very small orbit(won't be able to take off stock rapidly) so really good for almost nothing.

The £70+ makitas are a bit better(only slightly), but again...nothing that you would be impressed about.
Something very decent starts at about £125 ( metabo SXE450 turbotec). If you can up your budget to that, please do!
There's not a single sander that I would recommend under that budget..

and after that metabo the next best thing is Mirka Deros (£330) but... please don't try to use it if you don't have the money to buy it, if you even test it out/take it in hands you will immediately want to shoot yourself after you try to use any lesser brand tools (even the sxe450)
That bosch pex quality/power/finish wise compares to Deros like a Bently to a Cheap Poundland matchbox car.


perhaps check your Local Lidl's from time to time? I saw that Bosch PEX 220 EXACT clone for just £13 in Lidl once ( and it was 1:1 exact clone) , kinda wanted to buy it but I knew I wouldn't really be using it anyway.

you sure that metabo isnt a random orbital sander? i just watched a youtube video and it looks very much like one to me

also you missed out the Makita BO6050J/2 at £240 its a rotex beater, dewalt also do a very nice 125mm sander.

It does looks like one, it fooled me also at first as well, but check the specs, It's not

the Makita BO6050J has a weight of 2.6kg!!! and seems like it's more designed to be used in a car body-shop not for woodworking, so it's not a rotex beater for sure
The dewalt sander isn't very nice as well.. ( very expensive for what it is and unreliable)

 

[n0legs]

It does looks like one, it fooled me also at first as well, but check the specs, It's not

Well it's specs say it has orbit diameter of 2.7mm. That makes it a random orbital sander.
https://www.metabo.com/com/index.php?cl ... ls&stoken=

 

[Alexfn]

that cheap Metabo someone suggested previously isn't Random Orbital Sander... shame really.
I would not suggest that bosch pex only because it has almost non-existing dust extraction port and it's SQUARE (wtf?) and it has a very small orbit(won't be able to take off stock rapidly) so really good for almost nothing.

The £70+ makitas are a bit better(only slightly), but again...nothing that you would be impressed about.
Something very decent starts at about £125 ( metabo SXE450 turbotec). If you can up your budget to that, please do!
There's not a single sander that I would recommend under that budget..

and after that metabo the next best thing is Mirka Deros (£330) but... please don't try to use it if you don't have the money to buy it, if you even test it out/take it in hands you will immediately want to shoot yourself after you try to use any lesser brand tools (even the sxe450)
That bosch pex quality/power/finish wise compares to Deros like a Bently to a Cheap Poundland matchbox car.


perhaps check your Local Lidl's from time to time? I saw that Bosch PEX 220 EXACT clone for just £13 in Lidl once ( and it was 1:1 exact clone) , kinda wanted to buy it but I knew I wouldn't really be using it anyway.

you sure that metabo isnt a random orbital sander? i just watched a youtube video and it looks very much like one to me

also you missed out the Makita BO6050J/2 at £240 its a rotex beater, dewalt also do a very nice 125mm sander.

It does looks like one, it fooled me also at first as well, but check the specs, It's not

the Makita BO6050J has a weight of 2.6kg!!! and seems like it's more designed to be used in a car body-shop not for woodworking, so it's not a rotex beater for sure
The dewalt sander isn't very nice as well.. ( very expensive for what it is and unreliable)

I think if you wanted to do car body work you would buy the mirka. Its a finish sander terrible for stock removal.

Im guessing youve not owned both the rotex and makita.. I have. The makita is far better in both fixed orbit and random. Its got better dust extraction and far less vibration.

Turns out the metabo is a random orbital sander.

 

[rafezetter]

a bit late to the party but another +1 fpor that bosch PEX 220, hand mine a few years pretty reasonable use out of it, I wouldn't rate it for trade but for an avid DIYer / hobbyist I'd say of was a good buy.

One thing to be aware of it it seems to lose adhesion of the velcro after a while - a year or so - but you can buy replacement self adhesive circles in the correct size from ebay for just a few quid, just make sure it's the micro velcro not the normal sized hooks or they won't grab the disks.

You can also buy a whole new rubber base pad at a cost of between £20 - 40!!

 

[skipdiver]

I linked to the Metabo and it is a random orbit. I use it most days and for £40 it great.

 

[MrDavidRoberts]

I think if you wanted to do car body work you would buy the mirka. Its a finish sander terrible for stock removal.

Im guessing youve not owned both the rotex and makita.. I have. The makita is far better in both fixed orbit and random. Its got better dust extraction and far less vibration.

Turns out the metabo is a random orbital sander.

Sir, Its confirmed now -you are talking out of your a$$ and probably haven't even seen either of the units,let alone touched one
I currently have Mirka , along with few other older sanders, I have used the Festool sanders as well in past.
Mirka is a finishing sander? #-o If you get the 2.5 orbit, maybe.... but still my 5orbit is as fast as a belt sander when needed.
I know it's internet.. but Don't spit out stuff like that!

 

[MrDavidRoberts]

OP, Metabo also has these new 3125/3150 units with 125/150mm sanding disc,
They seem to be a shrinked down versions of the sxe450 in a much lighter/smaller body.
I have not used them but from the pictures/videos they seem to have great quality + normal round dust extraction port + metal main components.

for £78 Nothing comes close to them I believe in terms of actual finish/power/quality.
https://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-436498/met ... An7S8P8HAQ

 

[MrDavidRoberts]

Check this video and find some video about the bosch pex, seems like the metabo is in way different league..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG54rL5jmiI

Don't skimp few pennies if you plan to use that machine for more than a couple of times, also remember you can always sell good tools for more or less the same price you buy them new if you take care of them,When buying tools I also look at resale values

 

[Alexfn]

I think if you wanted to do car body work you would buy the mirka. Its a finish sander terrible for stock removal.

Im guessing youve not owned both the rotex and makita.. I have. The makita is far better in both fixed orbit and random. Its got better dust extraction and far less vibration.

Turns out the metabo is a random orbital sander.

Sir, Its confirmed now -you are talking out of your a$$ and probably haven't even seen either of the units,let alone touched one
I currently have Mirka , along with few other older sanders, I have used the Festool sanders as well in past.
Mirka is a finishing sander? #-o If you get the 2.5 orbit, maybe.... but still my 5orbit is as fast as a belt sander when needed.
I know it's internet.. but Don't spit out stuff like that!

yes i dont any of these machines i just own a time machine and go around the internet writing reviews on machines i dont own, as apposed to you offering advice on machines you clearly know nothing about

please note the name and date
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Makita-BO6050J ... B01AMK0NL8

i tried to be gentle when you said that metabo wasnt a random orbital sander but na.. now you are asking for it..
.. the metabo you have since linked to is nothing like the metabo sxe450 its just a 125mm sander with 3mm orbit the 450 stands out for for its famous ability to select orbits of 2.8 or 6.2mm

the stand out feature of the rotex and the makita BO6050J is that they are 2 of maybe only 6 ros sanders on the market that have a fixed orbit mode, its far more aggressive than any ros

you cant compare the mirka and the rotex or makita you are comparing apples to oranges, the equivalent festool to the mirka would be the ets

 

[skipdiver]

So it seems around 240W is actually controllable by one hand?

And in use, I just move with the grain, slooooowly ?

Yes, easily controllable by one hand, which is why i bought it as i can swap from one hand to the other and save my arthritic hands getting locked up. It's not just the small size that makes it controllable, it's also how well made and balanced they are. It's not my only sander but it's the one i now use the most as i have many small pieces to do regularly. On bigger jobs, i get out my bigger two handed sander. I can recommend this one but the Bosch one you mentioned seems popular, although i have no knowledge of it.

Alternatively, you could take the advice of Mr Roberts, the forum sander expert and spend twice as much money as you need to. :wink:

 

[RedMist]

I went for a Bosch PEX 300 AE Random Orbit Sander in the end. I'm not in the trade but a learning amateur.

 

[skipdiver]

I went for a Bosch PEX 300 AE Random Orbit Sander in the end. I'm not in the trade but a learning amateur.

Then you did the right thing. If you are not using stuff every day, then the Bosch green range is as good as anything.