In my quest for a “new” sander I’ve happened upon several of the air powered type and wondered if anyone has experience with them.
What, you couldn’t post this in your sander thread? j/k
I use an angle dye grinder for my laps, works great, just be careful to stay off the foam!
I am working on my points Mahana - I think I read if you post enough Mike “Mr. Sway” P. will buy me the sander of my choice… Ha!
Is that an “air” tool?
In that case I’ll reply for the points. Yes, it is an air tool but I think I miss-spelled it, I believe it is actually spelled die grinder. It is totally light weight and slightly smaller than the average flashlight. You want to be sure and get a rear exaust (lessens the chances of getting oil on your blank). You can find them at harbor freight: Harbor Frieght Die Grinder
The most important comment by Mahana is about the potential of oil contamination. Really be cautious. Some guys use a gauze ‘‘diaper’’ over the exhaust area, as a precaution.
You’ll need a compressor with some balls. Check the required CFM for the sander before you buy it and compare it against what your compressor can put out at 90+ psi.
There is also a trend for many professional shapers to use 7" pnematic sanders in place of an elecletric. I will do the same. I already use die grinders when applicable.
Right on everyone…
Now, if I only had a compressor (He writes… thinking, “They’ll all say, “What? He doesn’t even have a compressor, then what is he asking for?”” Ha!)
Nah, I figured the next question is “What kind/size compressor should I get?”
If you like to build thing you need a compressor. I have 2 at my house and at my shop both have 80 gallon tanks with a 7 1/2 hp motors that provide 18 CFM’s. Great for spraying Automotive finishes as well.
You can go smaller. Stay away from oil less compressor.
…fella, for sanding boards (not laps) with pneumatic angle grinders you have 2 choices:
be a seasoned pro sander or do not use one.
you know, you can sand a board with whatever tool or wood block and sandpaper, but no one can beat heavyness, smoothness and “room” that an electric angle sander/polisher has to provide a pro finish in good time with “normal” effort
with an air tool you can t “triggering” in a proper way
essential technique for sanding surfboards if you dont have a multi speed polisher
the inertia is not good like the electric ones
the weight is not good
the air is “pushed”/“pulled” in in a “brute” way
etc
…I replied to Taylor O but dunno why say to Surfthis…
I have an oil less porte cable pancake compressor that works great for airbrush and paint applications and a blowgun.It is also large enough to run my harbor freight venturi vac valve,and I often run a framing gun with it on small projects around the house.Its a great little compressor,it will never of course run sanders or impacts…but my 60 galon 13.5 hp gas compressor will.Air sanders might be good for wetsanding…hmmm.
Nice sander by the way,for a fair price too!
Electric Sanders for Sanding (post hotcoat) - Pnematic sanders can work well for Shaping - Sanding laps as well. I use a mix of tools - Pnematic and Electric.
I guess I wasn’t clear on the question?
Hey Taylor!
I’ve been using my HF Sander/Polisher (electric) for the past 6 years. Last year it began to labor and lurch so I started looking for another. I read on Sway’s somewhere that a pnumatic was better so I got a nice palm one (HF again). I have a 5 gal. compressor that works just fine but I had to pump the pressure up to 80 to get ANY revolutions going with the sander… and that was with very little pressure.
For anyone that uses pnumatic sanders am I doing something wrong? IT slips!
When it went around with the pressure I was applying it worked fine.
Les
Les, some air-rotary sanders have a clutch so they don’t jam if the pad locks into something. This may be faulty on yours. The problem in general with air sanders is that unless you have a 20 gal or bigger compressor tank, your compressor will be going on/off all the time. This changes the rpms at the sander, so you get uneven results. They can take more abuse than electric sanders though. Also, you have to oil these tools, and the oil mists out like Bill said. I never oil my little HF die grinder, and it’s been around for 4 years. But at $10, I’d rather replace it than deal with oil mist on a lam.
i personally think that grinding laps and air sanders are for hacks
do a cutlap its fast and neat
i personally think that grinding laps and air sanders are for hacks
Since everyone in the surf industry is a hack that must make you the head guru of the board world.
Just about every factory uses a pnematic sander on laps on clear boards. Cuts are normally done only on Color work.
To call someone a Hack is pretty cruel?
You should write a book on the subject.
Maybe you can tour Hawaiian and call all the board builders hacks on the North shore then go out in 15 foot Pipe and see how many waves they give you?
In Southern California we have some of the best custom car and boat builders that use all pnematic tools. I know Master Shapers (Don’t want to drop names) who only have pnematic tools in there shaping bays. I use a mix of tools including some electric. Since I use pnematic tools according to you I’m a hack?
Your a pretty nice guy?
The body work on this ride was done with pnematic sanders including the polish. You can tell the Homies that rebuilt this ride that they are hacks! Made in California.
It’s not the tools used that makes for nice work it’s the method in how they are used and the result obtained!
yes i think grinding laps is “brocolage”
i honestly cant see why you need to grind anything when a cut 4 oz lap does not even need touching
you can glass right over it. so if the industry standard is a 4 oz bottom and they need to grind the laps down then yes they must be hacks that cant glass. IM a backyarder with very little experience and a good cutlap can be be glassed right over without touching it with anything
do what you want its just an opinion .
btw i would be embarrased driving a car like that with half the world starving