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Anonymous

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I have an old bosch 1/2 sheet sander ( no dust collection) and being its a bit tired now am thinking on updating.

Now, normally I go for Bosch or makita when I can afford it but are sanders in the bracket where cheap is 'not so bad'

I'm thinking of a small palm sander and perhaps a bigger more powerful random orbit sander.

Any ideas or recommendations :)
 
BillZee

With sanders you really do get what you pay for, sadly. If you are in the market for a new 1/2 sheet sander, why not have a look at the random orbit sanders? They are much, much better than any orbital.

Scrit
 
I agree, random orbit sanders...

You can pick up some nice little palm ones for around £100 - Makita, and DeWALT do these. :shock: :D

If your willing to spend around £200 - You can get a bigger one. I've been suffering with my rubbish Draper £25 for too long now. That means i've got something else to buy at Tools 2003 :roll:
 
James

Does that mean you'll be splashing-out on a Festool (the best!)? :wink:

Scrit
 
'Nother vote for the ROS here (got the Porter Cable one, can't remember why now.). Although obviously the standard of planing is so good I rarely need it. :?

And if you believe that... :lol:

Cheers, Alf
 
I'm looking to get a belt sander and have noticed the MAKITA 9911 in the Axminster review book which has a 75mm belt. Seems good value at £69.95, but what are the obvious advantages of a 100mm model over the smaller apart from removing more material at once :wink:

Like all the tools I seem to buy it's not until after I've got them that I find the in's and out's of them. Just as well we've got boards like this eh :D

By the way, I've got a B&D Mouse sander, brilliant bit of kit!
 
Foxprint,

Can't comment on any of the Makita models but I use the Bosch blue 75mm model (can't recall model number) and very happy with it. I've always found the 100 mm models to offer less control due to the added weight, wider width on account of the transverse motor mounting and in some instances greater power. Good sanding floors tho'.
The 75mm sanders are lighter (especially when using vertically or overhead) and quite adequate powerwise.

Rgds

Noel

PS If you do get a belter sander make sure to get a belt cleaner.
 
Anyone looking for a belt sander to level large areas might like to give particular consideration to those with a sanding frame. More expensive, but...

Yours

Gill
 
Foxprint

Oddly I find the extra weight of the 4in sander gives you greater control than a 3in (tried the Makita 3in and I own a 4in), especially on large flat surfaces like worktops. The weight makes it a pain on vertical surfaces, but for those I tend to resort to a combination of an Festo ROS and a Fein detail sander (with a bit of hand sanding for good measure). A 4in works a lot faster than a 3in (see, size is important). As Gill says go for one with a frame if you are going to be doing a lot of flat panel work, but it you are sanding mainly frames, etc (i.e. pieces narrower than 4in or so), then the brush frame is just an expensive extra that you just won't use. Given a single sander to buy, though, I'd still plump for an ROS as they can sand into corners which a belt sander can't do

Scrit
 
billzee":1t2hzitd said:
Basically a £100+ exercise :(
Aren't they always? :(

Still, a money-saving tip to off-set this encouragement to spend, spend, spend: If you don't want to stump up for a belt cleaner as advised by Noel for the budding belt sander owner, apparently old garden hose works. Chop off a length at an angle, and use the end. Too bad I didn't hear about this until after I bought a belt cleaner... Not to worry; the belt cleaner can then be used as a jumbo pencil eraser, thus leaving your eraser free to clean your diamond stones. So with your diamond stone cleaner you can now water the garden... Hmm, I think I may have gone wrong there somewhere... :?

Cheers, Alf
 
Yes, I saw that tip on "Johns Workshop" So, being me I tried it - to be honest it was rubbish. No way near as good as the belt-cleaner does.
 
These Belt Cleaners

abrtrade.jpg


What are they made from?

Are they worth buying?

To me they look like the bars of soap that Fanny use to rub in
Johnnys shirt collars or Iam I showing my age here
 
Sawdust Producer":3fwwir5p said:
What are they made from?

Are they worth buying?

To me they look like the bars of soap that Fanny use to rub in
Johnnys shirt collars or Iam I showing my age here

Cor, someone else who remembers them - I am not alone.......

Actually they are like the soft crepe rubber soles you used to get on desert boots (if you can remember Johnny and Fanny, surely you'll remember desert boots... ;-)) I think they are worth buying as they are a bit more effective than garden hose, but if you don't do a lot of sanding, they aren't really worth it. Remember that belts are made from aluminium oxide, a friable abrasive. So when you load up a belt you also wear down the abrasives on that belt. Ergo if you clean a 120 grit belt what you have when you are finished is more like a 150 or 180 grit belt. The cleaner bars are also incapable of shifting glazed areas on the belt - for that you need a proper blade and belt cleaner.

Scrit
 
Talking about belt cleaners, I clean my abrasives with an old suede( soft wire) brush. Seems to do the trick

Elvis forgive me? :shock:

Back to hand-held sanders.

There is an offer on @dmtools for a dewalt palm sander(1/4 sheet) £44.99 which seems pretty good price wise and am wondering whether the skil 666 ROS in axminsters catalogue @ £93 is worthwhile ( should be devilishly good :lol: ) or save a little more and get a bosch.

Opinions please
 
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