Thanks for the tips…Since I’m going to be doing so few boards (for now) I’m going to make this Makita work for me. If I decide to shape alot more, I’ll purchase a Miluwakee…
Having used one for some boat work ( one day I had to do some grinding I didn’t expect and hadn’t brought along any of mine) … watch out, it’s a skittery little b@$t@rd . I’ve got decades in with disc sanders and grinders and I had to be d@mned careful with it… and even then it surprised me once or twice.
Should you make a pad for it, don’t be tempted to go above 5", 6" max, as the thing doesn’t have the oomph to push a big wheel - ‘industrial’ is whatthey claim, but… Also, the softer foam setup suggested would be a good idea, as the way your hands are close to the axis the disc turns on every small motion you make translates into a greater change of the disc angle than it would with one of the bigger sander-grinders. The softer pad should help with that, as it won’t be so easy to suddenly hit an edge and cut into the hotcoat or cloth or into the foam.
It’s high RPM - use a finer grit disc than you would for a larger, slower-turning tool. Change discs whenever they start to clog, or clean 'em out, as the speed and a clogged disc will make for rapid heat buildup ( bad thing, trust me on this and please don’t ask how I found out ) . 5" paper discs are cheap.
I’d set my sanding stands low, so that you’ve got both hands comfortably and firmly on the thing all the time and in control of it. As it weighs half what, say, a Porter Cable industrial grade random orbit sander does ( and indeed less than a Porter Cable #330 1/4 sheet finishing sander ) it hasn’t got a lot of inertia and it can jump around on ya .
hope that’s of use
doc…
YO this old thread has a few links that no longer work. Anyone care to help with the “make your own powerpad” info? The old info is no longer here…
baie dankie
Hi Dave,
see if these work for you:
http://www.swaylocks.com/forum/gforum.cgi?post=130521;search_string=make%20power%20pads;#130521
http://www.swaylocks.com/forum/gforum.cgi?post=171793;search_string=power%20pads%20making;#171793
and there’s more, do a ‘power pads make’ search in the Archives.
hope that’s of use
doc…
I agree. I didn’t read every post, but IMO the HF sanders are solid enough for production work. The soft start does take a little getting used to (it helps the motor last longer), but for the money, it’s the most bang for the buck out there – that I know of. I have two in service, and two as backups still in the boxes.
No matter what kind you get, you’re looking for a 5/8 x 11 shaft. That’s what all the power pads, high dollar buffing disks, etc., fit.
Thanks Doc, you rock!
whoa that rhymes
I bought a HP after my 5" Porter Cable was ripped off. Probably my technique, but I spent a lot of time sanding out the scratches from my HP. Ended up buying another Porter Cable. It’s a nice machine and I can hold it in one hand and tip the board with the other. Or, sip my beer. Kidding. I always wear my mask. Well, almost always. Tenover, I’d be willing to give you my HP if you were not 500 miles away. Mike
We picked up one of the 6" Bosch random orbital/orbital w/ rotation sanders, model 1250 DEVS. What can I say? Instead of a Fein or Festool, you can get one of these for half the price. Hook it up to a shop vac with a hepa filter and you’re cutting down on a lot of dust, reducing burns by removing the abrasive dusts and not having to blow out your garage after every sand job. Look up the threads on the Festools and you’ll get an idea of the benefits but in this case, without the cost. I still like the initial course grit on a blue or pink pad to get it level, but after that I really like the bosch to finish it out. Throw a dust muzzle on your big sander and you’re still keeping things really clean. The pads are interchangeable with most of the other 6" randoms out there and you can get the paper at most hardware stores.
Heres a link…