reikimaster

Ok, you guys have helped me out a ton already and I'm back for more!

I don't have a sander. I currently do all sanding by hand. I'm getting old, have a lot of nerve and muscle damage in my neck and shoulder, and sanding really takes a heavy toll on me. So I am looking for a sander.

My current thinking is that I should be looking at a variable speed random orbital, but I am wondering if I should get one of those AND a 1/4 sheet finishing sander.

Then it comes down to which one? I have looked at tons of them over the last few days and gone in search of reviews. Not a single one that I looked at had all positive reviews. And they each seemed to have the same proportion of negative ones. For a random orbital (not pneumatic... electric) I am looking in the $70-$90 range. If I end up getting a 1/4 sheet sander those are all over the place and it looks like there are some decent ones as low as $40.

So I come here, to the folks I trust, and say, "What do y'all have?"

What do you use, what do you like, what do you think you'd get NOW if you were getting a sander?

Thanks

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challagan

I think you got the right idea. I use a pad sander on small items such as boxes etc. I also have several random orbit sanders ( just ended up that way) and I like my dewalt the best but I also have a pc. I like both to have dust collection on them. My little black and decker pad sander with the dust chute is great, I just wish I had a half sheet pad sander.

Corey

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Bob

Like Corey, I like my Dewalt ROS the best. It does a great job and I have been happy with it after 3 years of use. For the 1/4 sheet pad sander, I picked up aRyobi at the borg and it seems to do a good job for the small $ I invested in it. And yes...... a 1/2 sheet sander would really get my blood flowing

BTW.... do you have a benchtop belt sander? I find mine very useful with 220 grit sandpaper on many applications.

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Drugstore Cowboy

One of the first power tools I ever bought was a Craftsman 1/2 sheet sander (switchable from orbital to straight stroke). It weighed a ton but I loved it and used it for everything - including refinishing a bedroom floor - which probably hastened its death.

By the time it died - I had a belt sander and a quarter sheet pad --- so I never got around to replacing it. Y'all make me think maybe I should.

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stutsmd

Reikimaster - I have and still use a PC Speedblock 1/4 sheet pad sander. It is just over 15 yeays old and going strong. I've replaced the pad twice but other than that it is flawless. Seems a little heavy at first but that seems to help you resist the urge to 'honk' down on the machine and let the sander do the work.

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BrianS

I've got a PC 1/4 sheet, a 3x18 belt sander, and the latest purchase was a variable speed orbital sander. The orbital sander is fast becoming my favourite. The only complaint I have is that I can't hook up my shop vac or dust collector to it. It's a Mastercraft, which is a Canadian brand, and I didn't think it thru far enough to realize that it doesn't have the standard round connector on it for a vacuum.

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challagan

Brian, it's just not a Canadian thing... far to many do not have a dc connection or for a shop vac hose. So many have a square chute to a bag or container.

Corey

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reikimaster

Ok.... so starting out now I have purchased the Dewalt 5" variable speed ROS. I haven't picked up a pad sander as I want to see how the ROS does. My thought was that with finer grits and lower speeds I might get a decent surface. I tested this out on a piece of rough 4x4 that I had. I used 80 grit and then 120. Holy cow! Haven't hit it with 220 grit yet and it's awesome already. I didn't try the 50 grit that I have and I probably won't hit it with the super fine pad, but man this is cool as heck. I should have done this a long time ago. Would have saved me a ton on deep-heat rub for the sore muscles after sanding by hand for long periods of time. This thing does in a couple minutes what took me hours by hand.

Hamlin

IMHO I don't think one can go wrong with a ROS. I believe they are way better than the 1/4 sheet sanders. But, I guess this also all depends upon the job too.
I currently own a Makita ROS, Sears 1/4 sander and a Makita belt sander. I use the belt sander for the "rougher" jobs, then use the ROS for the finer sandings.

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harrysin

It really does depend on the type of projects that you're engaged in. These days I'm mainly into boxes and clocks. The one sander that I wouldn't like to be without is the disc/belt sander. I also often use my Makita 1/4 sheet ROS which has an attached dust bag. My various detail sanders get very little use.

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