Told my wife I want a Porter cable ROS for xmas. The bigger one with the side handle. I was assured by another woodworker that it would be “swirl free”. Looks a little awkward though. Comments suggestions feedback please
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If your talking about PC 7335 7336 its a good sander the different model numbers are for the 5 and 6 inch pads respectively. Swirl free depends on how you use it how hard you push and what grit paper your using. I wouldn't recommend it for fine finish work though... It does great on large flat surfaces and you can cover them quickly but it eats alota wood at its higher speeds...
Edited 12/13/2002 12:00:33 AM ET by CAG
Cag
I love my ROS.....PC brand but always wondered why they call it random? Seems pretty consistant to me.
Be random
Namaste
AndyYou don’t complete your inner work before you do your outer work. Nor do you say, "Well, the hell with the inner work: I’ll go do the outer work because it’s so important and pressing." That’s not conscious either. The conscious thing is the simultaneous doing of both. "Ram Dass"http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
We couldn't do a trim job without ROSs. I quess I wouldn't use it for finishing a piano, but it will do quite a fine finish on anything you're putting up in a house. It'll get furniture pretty dang close to where you want it, too. And, they're only as aggressive as the paper you use. I've had real good luck with the DeWalt 5" hook 'n loop babies. Just had one die after five years of daily major abuse. I'd love to know how many miles of wood that thing sanded...that PC does feel nice though... It's okay, I can fix it!
Andy, Which one do you have? I have the "regular" palm type sander and the one that looks more like a grinder. They are both great and have there place but the larger one isnt really for smaller type stuff..
I have had a PC 333 for about 6 yrs now, and it has done a very good job. As someone mentioned, the quality of the finish is definately a factor of the grit and the pressure you apply. My drive belt just popped last week, and now it's dam near useless. I have found a replacement for $1.60 at the local repair shop, but haven't had time to get there. FYI, without the drive belt, it's just a 10,000 rpm sander, and not very good at that. I guess it's not really a drive belt, more like a randomizer or speed control or something. When I turn it on, it goes to full speed, and then when I contact the wood it quickly slows to a managebale speed, but in that 1 sec time frame it boogers the wood.
Until you get it fixed maybe start it out on a piece of scrap and transfer it when its at a lower speed?
CAG
I have the palm sander and the orbital sander as well as my tried and true belt sander. All PC's. I also bought not to long ago a detail sander which I find to be a waste of money unless you spring for the more expensive FEIN brand with all the attachments.Does anyone sand by hand anymore?
Be well
Namaste
AndyYou don’t complete your inner work before you do your outer work. Nor do you say, "Well, the hell with the inner work: I’ll go do the outer work because it’s so important and pressing." That’s not conscious either. The conscious thing is the simultaneous doing of both. "Ram Dass"http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Andy, I also bought the profile sander PC makes and I use the rubber profiles to sand detail work. The sander sucks but the little rubber profiles are great, for hand sanding edge work.
My ROS has almost replaced that belt sander and that block sander of mine. Very cool. Most planed wood.......I put on a 150 grit disk, work it from one end to the other, and I'm ready for finish. The grits go up to 600 + and I highly recommend you get the sanding hood and hook it up to your shop vac.........
You have time to switch to Bosch, truly a line of Cadillacs.
Tim Mooney
I, too, think Bosch is the Cadillac of tools, but I have their ROS 3727 DVS and it's a POS. Bought it for $150 and have spent $135 on three separate repairs, all involving the set screw which holds the sanding pad on - the screw keeps stripping, the pad comes loose, the plastic gear teeth in the pad then grind against the metal teeth of the motor and the pad teeth get all boogered up and they no longer mesh. New pads are $30. When I've used enough of the paper (which BTW is 6 hole and only fits Bosch), I'm giving the sander to my worst enemy and buying something else. Other than that, Bosch is a wonderful manufacturer.
Jim, you want chips? How much, and where do I ship them. All I have to do is hook the chipper/ shredder to the tractor and feed in one the hickory. I've got tons of the stuff already seasoned on the ground.
Dave
I'll keep that in mind, Dave, thanks. I still have a chunk a buddy sent me last summer I've been working on. But at some point I'll need some more. I've never smoked using chips. You? Anyone?
Jim, I have seen chips used in the small "smoker" type grills. I have not used them myself, nor tasted the finished product. I have a friend that owns a barbecue business. His smoker/cooker is about 20x10 ft. block structure, with 6 racks and doors on each side. Each time I take down a hickory tree, he gets as many of the logs and limbs as he can. I get the best ribs and sauce in this area for the trade.
This has nothing to do with RO sanders, and I don't want to hijack this thread.
Dave
I had some trouble keeping mine running too, but when they are running they run off from the competition. Ive got just about all of the random orbit sanders everyone makes. The few I dont , Ive ran them. There is no other sander but Meg in their class. Bosch has the smooth finish sander and the agressive one for hogging off material. Nothing runs with a Bosch ROS. I wouldnt have put up with the expensive repairs if I didnt think so, because mine are costly just like yours. I wish they would work on it .
Tim Mooney
You have time to switch to Bosch, truly a line of Cadillacs.
What do you mean? Are the Bosch models just overpriced junk with leather handles?
Women and men of wit are dangerous tools,And ever fatal to admiring fools.
- John Wilmot second Earl of Rochester
cutawooda,
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Edited 12/14/2002 10:42:38 AM ET by Joe Fusco
I'm with bucksnort billy. I can't imagine not having one, Great tool. If you find an auto body supply house you can get much finer grit paper, too, up past 2,000, up into those wet and dry screens for polishing metals.
I switched my 5" DeWalts from hook&loop to PSA pads a few years ago and have saved a ton of money in sandpaper ever since. Lots of guys say they've had trouble with PSA, but I haven't.
"felt paper/housewrap" "vent/no vent" "hook&loop/PSA"
Ive heard great things about that festo rotex sander. Everyone ive talked to thats used it says its the cat's meow.
from wood to corian they say it rocks. even the regular RO sanders are good theyve said, you can get two different swirlling sizes.
ive thought about picking one up when the time calls for a new one thats for sure
Bill
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I'm curious about the price difference. I'm getting boxes of 50 H&L for around 15 bucks. I've also got some nice hand sanding pads that I can stick the slightly used (of course) discs on...handy for oh so many things. I've some PSA paper for my Fein detail sander, and I'll be danged if I can get the used paper to pull compleatly off the pad...and once I do get it off, I can't use it again. I go back and forth between grits a lot. But savin' some beans would nice too...
Oh yeah, I put some of that alder smoke on a turkey, folks got weak in the knees and had to crawl back for more! Ready for a hickry refill? It's okay, I can fix it!
Yeah, that ability to reuse discs is one advantage of H&L. I stick two used sheets together back to back for handsanding. If I know I'm going to be switching back and forth a lot, I use two sanders, but usually I sand a bunch of stuff at one time, so I'll use maybe 10, or 15 sheets of 100, then 4 or 5 sheets of 120, then a couple 150.
About the pricing - I just checked over at http://www.supergrit.com and they stock a few different 5" round psa papers. But Mikra Gold, which I think is really nice paper, is selling for 18.00 for 100 discs. They also have closeouts of other brands 100 discs for $10.00. I tried to find their pricing on hook&loop but for some reason couldn't find it on their site.
Yeah, I'll be givin' you a holler soon for some more hickry, 'snort. I came across a few more feet of alder in the firewood pile last week, too. You need more? I'll sure be glad when the days start getting longer next week...too danged dark these days for me. Gettin' a little readin' done, but that's about all.
I'm with you on that daylight thing...alder, apparently is a great base for solid body electric guitars. One of my sons is working for a gitar maker, and has been hooking me up with a lot of chunky scraps. The smoked meats are tasty and I have amazing resonance after I eat them (better than the beans in "Blazing Saddles)<G>
Your sandpaper link looks good, I emailed 'em for the hook and loop prices. I've been getting Mirka Gold from Woodworker's Supply (they've got a place right up the road), but I've been paying 15 bucks for 50 sheet boxes, and I've got to buy 5 boxes at a time...but it is good stuff. Now they've got something called Regis Gold. 5 bucks more a box, supposed to be a lot faster. I hate sanding so much, I'm going to have to try it!
I'm trimming a house with hickry right now, I'll save a bunch of 1/4 round scraps for ya... EliphIno!
Joe -
The Festool Rotex you mention - is it hook-n-loop ?
Not sure what they mean by "stickfix".
The pricing is very attractive and I am in the market for a RO
with dust collection capability.
Also, it sounds as though you are comfortable with their claims of
it being a 3-tools-in-one, which makes it even more attractive to me.
Thanks for your help,
Alan