I need to buy a real sander and have been looking on the various tool sites. Why not one of the Milwaukee 6000 series with 0 to 6000 rpm and only a pound heavier? At $200 it is about the same price. appreciating any advice. thx
The 6000 will work but you’ll wish you had something lighter. If you sand at the higher RPMs, make sure your sandpaper is not clogged or kiss your board goodbye. The good about higher RPMs is that you can start with lighter grit paper and have less swirls. The bad is greater chance at burning through your board. And don’t be cheap on the glue adhesive to your sanding pad. At higher RPMs, that sheet of sandpaper flying off the sand pad is not fun.
[=Blue]Aloha Greg
I have a couple of the variable speed 6000’s and they are fantastic. Since these new machines are variable speed they cover the full range. I rarely use the slower machines anymore.
Most production sanders have always used Milwaukee 5000s which came in a couple of differnet Amp versions. A few polishers used the 6000s but those things are monsters and a handfull to handle. The extra weight and power of these allowed for more work to get done with less fatique. The weight was actually an advantage since you didn’t have to push down on the machine to get the sandpaper to bite. The weight did it for you.
Those less proficient at sanding would be better off with the variable speed 5540 which is a sweet machine but too slow and powerless if one is production sanding.
You will be stoked with the variable speed 6000 and the extra weight is an asset if you learn how to take advantage of it. These new ones are way lighter then the old 5 or 6k Milwaukees. Don’t forget to order the 25’ cord. The ones that come with them are a bit short and if you have sanded alot you will know that extension cords are a big hassle.
Just wanted to bump this one to the top, and see if anyone has any comments. Im in the market for a new sander, and Ive narrowed my choices down to the 5540, the 6078, or maybe the makita 9227. Barnfield’s advice above seems to pretty accurately sum it up…does anyone have anything else to add?
Howzit sbvfive. I had 2 Makita 9227's and they worked great and they are about 4 Lbs lighter so they are easier on the arms if you do a lot of sanding. The only things I wvwe had to do was replace a cord on the 10 year old one and put new brushes in both, the other one was 7 years old. Very dependable grinder but some people like the Milwaukee since they have been in the business forever. Hitachi also makes a nice one. Aloha,Kokua
I’m mostly using my old Harbor Freight which refuses to die. I got the big Milwaukee and like it for the initial sanding with 80 grit. But to be honest, sanding is my weak suit. I really need to get better at it. The only prob I have with either of my sanders is at low speed they don’t hold the rpm’s when under load. I understand that the electronic control on the Makita and others (Harbor Frieght has one now too) solves this problem. But I don’t build enough boards to make it worth buying another one. Although, if someone will give me some feedback on the 6 inch Rigid orbital I may spring for that one so I can hook up my vac. I just need to know whether it will actually sand a board from start to finish.
Barnfield summed it all up perfectly. He knows. You know GT, you can’t expect to get good at sanding without trying, and here you have the best tool but lack the courage to learn how to use it. Any sander worth his salt, has a couple of different speed sanders for specific tasks, 5or6000 for flats, and a 28 or1750 for rails; hasn’t anyone told you that? O yeah when I started sanding they did’t have speed controls or the lighter 7’', but what do I know. Step up and get the smaller rpm Milwaukee, take care of it and it will take care of you. I would like to hear what the other so called experts have to say, at best it will be: “Get the Makita, because its lighter”, sissies. Kokua, don’t take that personally, I just love my Milwaukee’s, that aren’t even close to dying: Blow’em off, and change the brushes, and switches, OK I have burnt out a couple, but a worthy investment.
I’m definitely not a so called expert. I have a Rigid and it did the job. It doesn’t work anymore because I dropped it. I prefered my Porter Cable with six inch disc to the Rigid, anyway. I’ve dropped it a couple of times, too. It still works. I’m going to buy a Milwaukee and use the Porter Cable on the rails. I don’t need much urging to buy a new tool. I’ll look around and try to get a deal of course. I also have a Harbor Freight. I used it once and never used it again. It just felt cheep. It’s available for a six pack of Red Hook or New Castle. Mike
Rooster, that is a great way to do it Milwaukee’s for the big stuff and a DA type sander for the rails. I have the porter-cable 6" variable speed, a great tool. In my opinion, cheap tools do cheap jobs. Buy it once, and use it forever…
Yah, I’d recommend the Porter Cable, too G-rat. Hold it in one hand. Good for ding repair, between the fins, etc. I use it on the flats, but I"m just a guy building stuff for my own amusement in my garage. Sanding the hot coat is my least favorite part of the process. If I can take it down a bit faster and add another nice tool I will! 200-250 bucks is not a lot of money for a nice tool in my opinion.
Are you reading this stuff Greg? I don’t recommend the Rigid. Even though I bought it on Benny’s recommendation. A guy I like and respect. Where is Benny anyway. I miss that guy. Mike
Howzit ghettorat. I have to say that when I went to buy a new grinder in 95' ( old Milwaukee died) the only grinder available on Kauai was the Makita and there were no Milwaukees to be found so I bought the Makita and even though it is lighter it is a good grinder and does the job. I remember BASA coming to my shop and borrowing 1 of the Makitas and he loved it.The reason he had to borrow one was both of his Milwaukees had died on him and one was only 6 months old so he sent it back to get fixed and it died again after 3 months. I used Milwaukees for years and they have been the machine of choice for the industry but they are no longer made in the USA and that may be part of the reason some people have switched brands. How heavy is the Porter Cable,I know a another long time board builder ( Bobby Allen AKA BASA) who owns one after his MIlwaukee died. Another reason I like the weight of the Makita is I would wait till I had 5 or 6 boards to sand and the light weight Makita was nice to my spindally arms,Ha,Ha. They also work nice on those single 4oz bottoms also. Aloha,Kokua
Hey the makita is a bitchen tool, and really light, but the weight and balance of the Milwaukee’s help it do the work for me without pressing (that’s take’s skill) The PC rooster likes is about the size of a small 4’‘angle grinder, but is an eletric Dual Action. Haven’t heard any peeps about those 4’’ yet, which are totally functional for grinding stuff without the forearm burn. Can’t say the Milwaukees never stop working but BASA may or may not know how to do stuff like change the switch or brushes or even take the brushes out and clean the crap that sticks to the sides and causes the brushes to burn or the motor to fail. Man to all the “haters” like GT who think i’m faking it. I got to be the best faker ever to know this stuff. Hey also, PeteC who I disagreed with about the “clicker plate” in the skil 100, took Terry Senate’s misused and broken Milwaukee’s (by Lenny, who is a lot like BASA) and looked terrible and made them look and feel amazing. I may disagree with him, on the clicker, and he got way too easily offended, but the guy is great at repairs. Also, Russ would send stuff like sanders to BASA, so by the time it got their it was probably torn and worn by Luke or Balti or the RIP Joe Wood; new to BASA, but well broken in.
Hi kokua,
I don’t know the weight of the PC. But, you can easily hold it in one hand and work. That’s how I sand the rails. I’m on my second PC. The first was stolen(SOB’s). I went cheep and bought the Harbor Freight, didn’t like it and spent the money on another PC. It came with a 5 inch disc which I switched to a 6 inch. The original set-up included hoses for a vacum.
GT a “hater?” No way.
The magnifying glasses are on my list now, too. Mike
GT said he hates the GR. In some other thread; I don’t hate him, but that is why I use it, I understand there are a few. I’m a lover, not a hater.
This feels like junior high school. But here goes. GH, you have taken some shots at a few of my friends here. And later, it seemed to me, called us all haters because we disagreed with you on something. I couldn’t tell if you were just joking or serious with the hater label so on my next post I sort of mocked what you said and called myself a hater, and as I mostly do, signed off with “…all the best,” and added “I hate you”, just to drive the mocking point home. I got your “funny” PM shortly after.
It seems to me that if people don’t fawn all over you, you dismiss them as haters or whatever, and provoke them. Some just sort of stay away, not needing the hassle. I won’t be one of them, but your confrontational style wears on me. So I’ll just skip your posts.
This is a congenial place. And we all disagree on lots of stuff. And mostly when we disagree we do it with tact. Because like Kokua (the Dean of Swaylocks) says, we are sort of brothers here. I’ve had guys send me stuff for free from across the country because they thought I needed it. I’ve done the same. I’ve loaned and fedex’d boards to guys with no idea if I’d ever see them again. PeteC sent me a planner and said to just pay him when I could. And he ain’t rich.
So I’m just taking it light. Defuse hostility with humor when possible. Disagree politely. Avoid trouble. Get better at building boards. Surf when there is surf.
All the best,
Rooster, what PC are you using for the rails? Can you hook a vac to it? thx
Greg,
Yes I can,but I never have. Model 7335. I’ve used the hose intended for the sander and attached it to my Hitachi planer, though. I use it on the whole board because it’s the best tool I have. Not the best job for the flat, however. Too small. I just bought the Milwaukee at Orchard Supply Hardware. It was 200 bucks. The best price I have seen so far. I don’t know if OSH is national, but they are owned by Sears. Might have the same tool at the same price.
G rat,
The pro’s have been a invaluable resource to what I consider a bunch of amateurs and wanna bees. After awhile you can tell who really knows their stuff and who doesn’t. There really isn’t any reason to tell others “I know my stuff.” It’s obvious. So the wanna bees like me learn who to read and who to take with a grain of salt. Respect and humility open more doors than vinegar and salt. Metal sharpens metal and Man sharpens Man is true when training for combat. When the man is standing in front of you. The sharpening can go both ways. Personally, I value your knowledge and thank you for the knowledge you have donated. The rest is a bunch of shit. Mike
Mike, I don’t think anyone has been so maliciously maligned without reason, other than I am passionate about this.
Mike, very nice equipment. I just looked it up on tools today. I am really tempted to try it. THe vac bonnet and hose would be the way to go for me.
The reason I am so anxious to vac it all it that I got a HEPA filter for my shop vac and now have the cyclone dust collector ahead of it. This would allow me to sand at night instead of just weekends in the driveway.
thx for the tip.
all the best
I just bought this Bosch last week and plan to use it for gloss coat sanding and polishing. It seems as if it might be the sander I've always been looking for. It's very similar to the Festool Rotex RO 150 at half the price. As a non recovering tool junkie I just couldn't stop myself....
Howzir herbonbay, Those are good sanders and if it is the one that is an orbitaland a rotary then it is even better and I have used them before I got my 6 " rigid that has a 1/8 and 1/4 orbits and the 1/4" orbit kicks some butt and even had a few guys tell methey liked it better than a Bosch but everyone has their own idea of what works best for them. Aloha,Kokua