Model 5460. Will it work for hot coat sanding? It’s variable speed but max RPM’s is 1750. I have soft (gold) and hard (blue) “Power Pads” for the paper. Max reccommended RPM’s for each pad is 3000 and 5000. I’m just wondering if I should get something with higher RPM’s.
BB
well if you end up needing one with higher rpms harbor freight has some real cheap ones with 3000 some rpms i mean there like $30 to $50…but they could also be cheap in more ways than one…do you have any idea about the kind of store i could find a soft power pad in? i mean theve got to be used for sanding things besides surfboards.?
I got my Power Pads at Fiberglass Hawaii in Santa Barbara.
BB
Have,
Auto body supply dealers have or can get soft pads.
It’ll work fine. A little lighter than the 6078 I use, slower - that’s a good thing, especially if you don’t plan on using it daily.
Here’s a suggestion; get some very soft wood, say a big chunk of pine. Practice using the thing. Do things like make pencil marks on the wood and sand to them or just barely sand them off. Make shallow grooves in the wood - then sand the area smooth without any gouges. Glue a couple of pieces of wood to it vertically, sand up to them and make a nice rounded fillet joint. You need to develop a feel for it. It comes, in time, with practice.
'Cos this may be your introduction to the world of Industrial Grade Power Tools. They will do the job fast, they have a lot of power…but a wrong move with it will go through your hotcoat, through your glass and a half inch into your foam in a heartbeat. You need to understand the beast, work with it, and you have a truly lovely piece of equipment. Just charge at it, without practice, and you’ll do a lot of damage before ya know what hit and you’ll hate it ( and some swine like me will offer you $50 for it and you’ll take it) .
Use finer paper than you might want to. It won’t cut as fast ( and be sure you sand and stop, sand and stop, to let things cool down before ya go and make a delam) but you won’t get into trouble quite as fast. Keep it as flat as you can, not angled up on an edge of the disc. That edge is just like a saw, and I have a nice scar on my left upper arm to prove it. Light, long passes with it, don’t be staying in one spot and trying to grind through to Kowloon.
Both hands on the machine at all times. Dust mask and safety glasses or goggles, 'cos that wee bit of dust in your eye or up your nose will distract you and GGGRRRTTT - right through into the foam. Tired? Put Down The Tool. Had a beer or two? Don’t Even THINK about picking up the tool. Close the shop door so nobody comes in and distracts you. Think about where your cord is…and use a good extension cord, not one of those lousy little 16 gauge deals that are worthless for anything with more zap than a reading light… 'cos if your cord hangs up it’s gonna tweak the tool on you.
Me, I have been using heavy duty sanders and grinders for over 30 years and I still do the easy stuff with one first, after a layoff, just to get the feel for it tuned in again. Sanders are the Rodney Dangerfields of surfboard manufacture. They don’t get no respect. But they have to do pretty precise work with a high-powered tool that isn’t innately all that precise when one little slip, one fractional bit of inattention, can totally ruin a board. And do it pretty quick as well, 'cos they’re on piecework rates.
hope that’s of use
doc…
Personally I’d stay away from the variable speed harbor Freight Sander, the single speed one is ok, but if your looking for a tool for the long run the stay with a name brand. It might cost 3x as much but it won’t break unless your wife runs it over with the car. As for pads, go to Harbor Freight and buy the cheapo backing pads for $3.00 and get some old wrestling pad or Swimming Kick Boards (thank’s Herb) and glue them to the backing pad with 90 second epoxy. You can slim them down and round them out by running a heavy grit while it spins at 75,000,000 RPM’s. Just get some 3M adhesive spray and stick your sand paper too the pad…presto fancy Power Pads for $3.00+ Amaze your friends with the different size and softness of your pad collection. You’d be amazed with the different kinds of foam you can find! Kid’s ask your Mom first before you start tearing her favorite love seat apart.
-Jay
Howzit Boondock, If you’re going to buy a real grinder/polisher get a Makita or a Hitachi or the Milwaukee that has variable speed control. I like the makitas (I have 2) but am going for a Hitachi next time. The Milwaukee is about 4 lbs heavier and has issues with their variable speed control (they like to wear out fast) . But whichever tool you buy just blow it out with an air compressor (not while it’s spinning) quite often since sanding dust will wear out the wiring. Aloha, Kokua
Kokua, just wondering of the 1750 rpm’s is enough. I will be making about two boards a month. I haven’t used it yet - if I want to trade up I have to do it soon (Sears).
You live on Oahu? I used to live near the Ala Wai (Foodland) and in Maui (Wailea). Taking my family again this June. Waikiki. Daily breakfast at Dukes! Man, I miss the island water. Surfed today at Refugio (Santa Barbara). Wind swell mush, water STILL cold.
Sidenote - about 8 surf stores in Santa Barbara. Have an Oahu phonebook and there’s at least 150 on Oahu!
BB
Kokua, just wondering of the 1750 rpm’s is enough. I will be making about two boards a month. I haven’t used it yet - if I want to trade up I have to do it soon (Sears).
You live on Oahu? I used to live near the Ala Wai (Foodland) and in Maui (Wailea). Taking my family again this June. Waikiki. Daily breakfast at Dukes! Man, I miss the island water. Surfed today at Refugio (Santa Barbara). Wind swell mush, water STILL cold.
Sidenote - about 8 surf stores in Santa Barbara. Have an Oahu phonebook and there’s at least 150 on Oahu!
BB
I have the Harbour Freight sander and its worked like a charm so far. Does everything the Milwaukee does and much cheaper and lighter also.
When did you live in Waikiki?
You can slim them down and round them out by running a heavy grit while it spins at 75,000,000 RPM's.
Whoa! Which model do you have? Doesn’t running it that fast cause tornados?
Thats the Wizard of Oz model by Boeing. It also produces 80,000,000 pounds of thrust.
Yeah but you should see how shiney it gets my dog with a dab of sureluster.
-Jay
Howzit BoonDock, I’ve lived on Kauai for over 30 years, Oahu for about 3 years before moving to Kauai. I use a Makita variable speed grinder( have 2 ). The low end speed is 1550 RPM’s and the high end is about 2800 RPM’s. I do most sanding at the low speed and as I’m finishing each sanding phase I crank it up to high speed which sort of polishes since the grit is getting worn. When I’m doing rub outs I use about 2000 RPM’s. I’m really impressed with Makita’s durability since one of them is 9 years old and the other is 5 years old. Never had any problems and haven’t even had to put in new brushes. Aloha, Kokua
I’m with Kokua on the Makita. I bought mine after stepping up from a single speed B&Decker polisher. My variable speed Makita was at the pawn shop for $65.00, wish I had two of them. It hasn’t missed a beat, done 50 boards with it since buying it with no repairs. Parts are easy to find locally but I’m still using the same brushes in this one. Great tool and not too bad on the weight factor either.
Tom S.
Back to the power pad question. Ferro Industries has what you are looking for, and maybe a bit cheaper too. try part # 858 or 808. You can reach them at 800 343-3776 or www.ferroind.com
Lived in Waikiki back around 1990 for a couple of years. Moving back soon, I hope. Life is too short to be stuck on the mainland.
BB
Howzit Surfifty, The ferro pads are good for finish sanding because they’re soft, but a little to soft when you need to really get down and power sand like the bottom where you want it to be nice and flat. That’s when you need a Power pad. Aloha, Kokua