unfortunately beavertools just raised all their prices
i bought enought backup conversion pads to convert all my 5" sanders including my Festools rotex 150 which I now hook up directly to the vortex can connected to my 16 gal shopvac. i really like the rigid RO with the Mirka conversion pad connected to the vac setup. sands and cuts through poly and epoxy like butter with little if no pressure or build up or heat.if you do get any build uo you just pull off and suck out ot bloe out thr sanding screen. ordered some of the lower grit HD aggressive screens,
BTW thats a 10’ surftech softop I sanded all the foam off of last sunday to discover that it was a Doug Haut design under all that soft foam deck
with the dust buddy and vortex setup there was little if no dust everything went into the vortex bucket (i like)
and that’s a new PAPR halfmask I got for my bro along with a 100’ of hose and an inline HEPA filter.I have a full tyvek hook I shove into a tyvek suit that blows fresh air over the front of my face down into my suit to keep me cool and dust free. I also bought and inline coil air cooler you stick ice into to cool the incoming air too.
got about 6 boards to sand down to reglass but we’re on flood watch right not spent all day battening down the hatches for the coming storm.
I really liked that Mirka abranet… I got woodcraft hawaii to bring some in … also the really fine abranet works unbeleivable to spin eps rails without tearing… I Also tried Abranet with my vestool random orbiter attached to vaccum great to keep airborn dust down and shop a lot cleaner…Nice to see others thinking outside the box, Petey
I really liked that Mirka abranet… I got woodcraft hawaii to bring some in … also the really fine abranet works unbeleivable to spin eps rails without tearing… I Also tried Abranet with my vestool random orbiter attached to vaccum great to keep airborn dust down and shop a lot cleaner…Nice to see others thinking outside the box, Petey
I just ordered some 6" abranet discs in 220 and 320 grit and a soft hook/loop ferro sanding pad to match. I have always noticed that I seem to waste my higher grit PSA discs since they are used just to remove scratch marks and if the adhesive didn’t get messed up I would re-use them on multiple boards. So anyway, I’m gonna try this abranet stuff so I can pull it off the velcro disc and re-use it on multiple boards. Anyone do this now?
Also on the phone with Ferro they said that they actually make a special soft disc for surfboard sanders where they put the soft foam closer to the backing plate and a thin layer of firmer foam near the surface. Provides a more rubust sanding surface I guess but still contours well around rails and curves. So I got me one of those for $25 to use with the abranet.
i found that the abranet works best when you don’t apply allot of pressure andf let it ride just barely touching the surface and I really like that as you have much more control feathering when you are barely touching the surface. Also it really cuts down on the heat build up allowing you to work on a spot longer. Works perfect with a good ventilated random orbital the more holes the better and no brainer for my rotex or any other well ventilated festool sander as well. Cuts through UV poly like butter and epoxy way better than standard “paper”.
I saw a “tools I use” video from Stretch and it seems like he is sold on 8" abranet screen pads for finishing his rails versus dragonskin or the typical screens used for that purpose. I agree as it cuts and breathes with very little pressure.
leave it to those norwegians to make great sandpaper and sanding screens.
Abranet also seems to be what Foam EZ uses on their “Shaping Pads”.
I don’t have any type of vacuum-tool sander (just a regular Milwaukee 5540) but I am attracted to the abranet because I can hopefully get alot more life out of each disc, especially the higher grits since they don’t get the abuse of the 100 and 150 grits.
Hey oneula, how well does your dust deputy separator handle hotcoat sanding dust? Pretty sure about the effectiveness separating large particles, but does it do a good job with keeping the fine white powder from clogging the shop vac filter?
i recently saw a comparison review on some woodcraft show and the dust deputy came out on top but i got a 10 gal wheeled rockler version as well after i broke my bucket. never realized i got two buckets with the vortex.
there’s still some powder that ends up getting through
I think if you spray the vortex and bucket insides with antistatic it may help plus I’m gonna run the vortex thru the rockler before the vacuum or vice versa as another accumulation point. I think some kind of flow thru foam filter at the hose opening to the shopvac on the vortex might help with this resin powder. Can’t even imgine carbon fiber dust. Kind of like changing a xerox machine toner cartirdge.
It funny cause when I run my thickness planer thinning down rough cut boards for my wood skins i usually fill up 2-3 33 gallon garbage cans of cedar/paulownia/poplar wood chips for the garden or trash, My mini-lathe does the same thing when I am making acrylic or wood pens.I have one of those clear lathe hoods with a 4" hose to capture the flying chips.and sanding dust.
Be nice to have some kind of a giant down draft box you could work over (like a laminating catch bin) with a couple industrial fans above blowing everything down into the grated boxes below you that would gather all the dust/chip/bubble particles. Cleaning up your accumulated mess is the worse and most waste of time part of making these things. Much better spending your time cleaning and taking care of your tools like our parents did.
Anythiung that gets all this crap directly to the trash is what I am looking for. So you don’t have to breathe it, sweep it and clean up after it when you are done making a pass witrh your tool what ever it may be.
you should see what my arms legs and the tops of my feet looked like after i sanded that softtop without my tyvek outfit.
i looked like a leper with painful and itchy infected swollen red rash lumps everywhere i had to where long sleeves for weeks cause walking into a boardroom full of highly manicured execs brings on looks and questions about whether you should be in the same room and occupation as them.
its even worse when your hands are all stained brown from PU glue.
setting up the compressor, air cooler and all the hoses is a pain especially working connected to an umbilical airline but without it i suffer for weeks afterwards. I use the full tyvek with built in socks these days and nitrile gloves to stay isolated from the glass dust.
makes one really wonder whether its all worth it afterwards
but then you realize
you’re hopelessly addicted to process of making these things
no matter how much it hurts
no matter how much you have to go thru just to keep doing it
This is the greatest info thread I’ve stumbled on in ages… Not that I was looking for something, but DANG!!! I just imagined customizing black composite fins with out chared black dust everywhere… Ha!
I love the idea of the down draft, although; I have seen some pretty good side drafts… The suit is hard core, but it sounds totally functional.
Looks Like something I should try. Just started a repair and reshape on a SUP that delaminated top and bottom. Found the Arbarnet disc on amazon. if it last longer then 3m sand paper the cost isn’t all that out of line.
