BT

"Buck Turgidson"

10/04/2004 10:57 PM

Help Choosing Electric Sander

I want to buy a sander for various projects around the house, and maybe to
sand down some oak table tops that the kids have damaged.

What is the difference between a DeWalt 1/4 sheet palm sander for about $50,
and their random orbital palm sander, which appears to use round disks, and
costs $20 more?

I have no problem spending another $20, I am just wondering if one is better
suited to a particular use.

Thanks for any replies.


This topic has 9 replies

BT

"Buck Turgidson"

in reply to "Buck Turgidson" on 10/04/2004 10:57 PM

11/04/2004 6:47 AM

> The 1/4 sheet is for light work. It vibrates the pad to sand. Since it is
> square, it gets into corners better than a round sander. You must also be
> sure to sand in the direction of the wood grain. Fairly easy to change
> paper and all you do is tear a sheet of the grit you want into four
pieces.
>
> The ROS rotates the grit in a random pattern so the scratches it makes are
> not in a pattern and thus, look smoother. It will cut about 50% faster.
> Grit changes are simply a matter of peeling off one, placing on the next.
> Since the pad is rotating you don' thave to worry about following the
grain.
>
> When my 1/4 sheet sander died, I replaced it with an ROS and never looked
> back.


ROS it is, then. Thanks for the info.

Gg

"George"

in reply to "Buck Turgidson" on 10/04/2004 10:57 PM

11/04/2004 8:38 AM

Doubtful. My kid swears by the PC I got him, whereas I still use my Bosch.
Of course I have a couple of "D" handled Bosch sanders too, and they're
great on larger surfaces .

With the skirt and a vac, they're as close to dustless as I get.

"C & S" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Is there a consensus on on " best of breed" for 5" H&L palm-style (not
> D-handle) ROS's
>

MG

"Mike G"

in reply to "Buck Turgidson" on 10/04/2004 10:57 PM

12/04/2004 10:00 AM

In non specific terms

On one end of the scale I can really hog off material when needed, in the
middle I can do a credible job of sanding between coats of finish and pick a
speed that works well with that particular finish, and, at the other end, I
can use the machine in most of the rubbing out process.


--
Mike G.
[email protected]
Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
"jev" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sun, 11 Apr 2004 09:51:00 -0400, "Mike G"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I added a Boch ROS too complement the DeWalt. The Boch is a variable
speed
> >unit. What ever brand you buy I highly recommend the variable speed
option
> >for the versatility it gives.
>
>
> Where does the variable speed come in handy i.e., under what
> circumstance is it helpful to slow a ROS down?

MG

"Mike G"

in reply to "Buck Turgidson" on 10/04/2004 10:57 PM

11/04/2004 9:51 AM

I added a Boch ROS too complement the DeWalt. The Boch is a variable speed
unit. What ever brand you buy I highly recommend the variable speed option
for the versatility it gives.

--
Mike G.
[email protected]
Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
"C & S" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> As long as we're on the topic. My 10 year old Makita 5" ROS is going on
the
> fritz. I will have to replace it soon.
>
> Although I have been pleased with the makita, I would consider other
models.
> I like the palm-grip stype and I want to stay with hook & loop.
>
> Is there a consensus on on " best of breed" for 5" H&L palm-style (not
> D-handle) ROS's
>
> Thanks,
>
> Steve
>
>
>
> "Buck Turgidson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:3n9ec.6917$VE5.1021@lakeread01...
> > > The 1/4 sheet is for light work. It vibrates the pad to sand. Since
it
> is
> > > square, it gets into corners better than a round sander. You must also
> be
> > > sure to sand in the direction of the wood grain. Fairly easy to
change
> > > paper and all you do is tear a sheet of the grit you want into four
> > pieces.
> > >
> > > The ROS rotates the grit in a random pattern so the scratches it makes
> are
> > > not in a pattern and thus, look smoother. It will cut about 50%
faster.
> > > Grit changes are simply a matter of peeling off one, placing on the
> next.
> > > Since the pad is rotating you don' thave to worry about following the
> > grain.
> > >
> > > When my 1/4 sheet sander died, I replaced it with an ROS and never
> looked
> > > back.
> >
> >
> > ROS it is, then. Thanks for the info.
> >
> >
>
>

CS

"C & S"

in reply to "Buck Turgidson" on 10/04/2004 10:57 PM

11/04/2004 7:31 AM

As long as we're on the topic. My 10 year old Makita 5" ROS is going on the
fritz. I will have to replace it soon.

Although I have been pleased with the makita, I would consider other models.
I like the palm-grip stype and I want to stay with hook & loop.

Is there a consensus on on " best of breed" for 5" H&L palm-style (not
D-handle) ROS's

Thanks,

Steve



"Buck Turgidson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:3n9ec.6917$VE5.1021@lakeread01...
> > The 1/4 sheet is for light work. It vibrates the pad to sand. Since it
is
> > square, it gets into corners better than a round sander. You must also
be
> > sure to sand in the direction of the wood grain. Fairly easy to change
> > paper and all you do is tear a sheet of the grit you want into four
> pieces.
> >
> > The ROS rotates the grit in a random pattern so the scratches it makes
are
> > not in a pattern and thus, look smoother. It will cut about 50% faster.
> > Grit changes are simply a matter of peeling off one, placing on the
next.
> > Since the pad is rotating you don' thave to worry about following the
> grain.
> >
> > When my 1/4 sheet sander died, I replaced it with an ROS and never
looked
> > back.
>
>
> ROS it is, then. Thanks for the info.
>
>

LB

Larry Blanchard

in reply to "Buck Turgidson" on 10/04/2004 10:57 PM

11/04/2004 9:23 AM

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> Where does the variable speed come in handy i.e., under what
> circumstance is it helpful to slow a ROS down?
>
Larger grit ( <100 ) = lower speed.
Smaller grit ( >180 ) = higher speed.
In between = in between :-).

--
Where ARE those Iraqi WMDs?

nn

in reply to "Buck Turgidson" on 10/04/2004 10:57 PM

11/04/2004 11:49 AM

AAnd some use slower speeds for finishing pads.

On Sun, 11 Apr 2004 09:23:35 -0700, Larry Blanchard
<[email protected]> wrote:

>In article <[email protected]>,
>[email protected] says...
>> Where does the variable speed come in handy i.e., under what
>> circumstance is it helpful to slow a ROS down?
>>
>Larger grit ( <100 ) = lower speed.
>Smaller grit ( >180 ) = higher speed.
>In between = in between :-).

jj

jev

in reply to "Buck Turgidson" on 10/04/2004 10:57 PM

11/04/2004 10:34 AM

On Sun, 11 Apr 2004 09:51:00 -0400, "Mike G"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I added a Boch ROS too complement the DeWalt. The Boch is a variable speed
>unit. What ever brand you buy I highly recommend the variable speed option
>for the versatility it gives.


Where does the variable speed come in handy i.e., under what
circumstance is it helpful to slow a ROS down?

EP

"Edwin Pawlowski"

in reply to "Buck Turgidson" on 10/04/2004 10:57 PM

11/04/2004 3:22 AM


"Buck Turgidson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:nu2ec.6317$VE5.4577@lakeread01...
> I want to buy a sander for various projects around the house, and maybe to
> sand down some oak table tops that the kids have damaged.
>
> What is the difference between a DeWalt 1/4 sheet palm sander for about
$50,
> and their random orbital palm sander, which appears to use round disks,
and
> costs $20 more?

The 1/4 sheet is for light work. It vibrates the pad to sand. Since it is
square, it gets into corners better than a round sander. You must also be
sure to sand in the direction of the wood grain. Fairly easy to change
paper and all you do is tear a sheet of the grit you want into four pieces.

The ROS rotates the grit in a random pattern so the scratches it makes are
not in a pattern and thus, look smoother. It will cut about 50% faster.
Grit changes are simply a matter of peeling off one, placing on the next.
Since the pad is rotating you don' thave to worry about following the grain.

When my 1/4 sheet sander died, I replaced it with an ROS and never looked
back.
Ed
[email protected]
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome


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