Sanding Gizmo Advice

Brent Dowell

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
16,540
Location
Reno NV
Here's another request for a recommendation.

Looking for recomendations for a way to sand my Bowls and such.

I've seen the sanding pads on an angled handle for ~40$. Are those any good?

Vaughn, I saw you had a pneumatic RO little guy? Would that be a better choice? (I do have an enormous compressor 80gal IR 2 stage).

Or, is there something else?

Thanks!
 
I use these:



Premium green hook & loop (H&L) wavy sanding discs are designed to sand without gouging on curved or contoured surfaces:


Wavy edge hangs over holder approximately 1/4" and flexes against contours for more edge sanding control when repairing or touching up.
2" and 3" for smaller areas or turnings; 5" for larger surfaces or turnings.
Lubricant resists loading.
USA.
I have a small Bosch drill driver with a cone-shaped "thing" (I don't know what to call it) and put the disc on and turn on the Bosch--does a great job.
 
Brent, I have the "sander on a stick" (sanding pad on an angled handle), and it's handy for reaching into the insides of hollow forms (if the opening is big enough). I don't find it as effective as other sanding tools on other pieces, though.

I also have a Harbor Freight "close quarters" drill with a 2" sanding pad that's handy for more aggressive material removal. Unfortunately, it's a Harbor Freight tool, so its a roll of the dice whether it'll last or not. Stu and I got the same drill as the same time (from the same store), and although mine has worked for over a year, Stu's self-destructed in less than a month. There are other, higher-quality angled drills available, though. Any of them have the potential for leaving swirl marks due to the orbital sanding action.

My favorite, especially for finish sanding, is the little Grex ROS. Since it uses random orbits, the swirl marks are a lot less likely to happen.

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=20343

It's not quiet, but it sure works nicely. You do need a serious compressor to power it, though. I used mine for over a year with a little Auto Zone buzz-bomb compressor, and I spent more time waiting for the compressor to catch up than I did sanding. Now that I have a real compressor, that's not a problem. Sounds like you have ample air to power one.

There's also this Metabo electric ROS that I know at least one production bowl turner uses and recommends:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004YBX5

Due to its geometry, it can't reach inside a real deep (or small) bowl, but it's also probably quieter than the Grex pneumatic.

For most of my sanding, I like the wave disks that Nancy mentioned, although I prefer the yellow ones over the green ones. I also use the wave backing pads, too.
 
Well, Tomorrow is my day to go to town, so I might just have to swing by wood craft....

And Dang ole Harbor freight is on the way too.

My wallet is feeling lighter already...
 
Brent I got a 3/8" angle drill from Harbour Freight for I think $29. I have run that thing to death and it just keeps on going. I use the wavy disc's because they don't gouge the wood if you aren't carefully while sanding. Sand lightly and let the paper do the work.
 
Sounds Good. Cheap angle drill at HF and wavy disks at Woodcraft. Shaping up to be a good day tomorrow.

(And Rain on Saturday = Shop Time :thumb: )
 
Don't forget a sanding pad. And I'd recommend against getting one of the real soft ones. (I can't tell from the Woodcraft site, but it looks like the Sorby pad they sell is the soft open cell foam, and not the more firm closed cell foam.)

I think the HF drill will be good for your needs. It sounds like HF is not too far from you, so if you do have problems, it's easy to return it until you get one that works.
 
I've actually had fairly good luck with most Harbor freight purchases.

If it's a power tool or something, I treat them as kits that need work before you use it. I go over them and make sure to lubricate them or whatever. Been lucky so far, but then, what I do buy I treat as disposable, so....

I'll keep an eye on the foam pad and try and make sure I get one that's not quite so soft. If not, I'll at least get the hook and loop pads. I've got bolts, and wood, and old mouse pads around that I could make a little 2" 'thingy' with.
 
I also have a Harbor Freight "close quarters" drill with a 2" sanding pad that's handy for more aggressive material removal. Unfortunately, it's a Harbor Freight tool, so its a roll of the dice whether it'll last or not. Stu and I got the same drill as the same time (from the same store), and although mine has worked for over a year, Stu's self-destructed in less than a month. There are other, higher-quality angled drills available, though. Any of them have the potential for leaving swirl marks due to the orbital sanding action.

Second the quality issue with HF... I have the dust collector from HF.. 2 HP motor and runs like a champ... but within first 8 months I had it, it blew out the switch on the motor, fortunately I was able to replace the switch locally and HF sent me a new motor when I complained that the motor was bad...

I also have bought two 1/2 drills from HF... lots of power, but if you aren't careful, when you reverse the motor, you can twist the chuck right off the drill. I've managed to twist two off like that in the past 18 months... the first I still can't get the chuck back on.. think I boogered the threads somehow... the second one I screwed the chuck back on and it still works, but the retainer screw that holds the chuck onto the motor shaft was twisted off, so can't reverse the drill anymore. Neither drill ever had more than 10 or 20 uses before they broke. Still for $29 you can't complain too much.
 
sanding disc

I get the green new wave disc from Packard tools,they are cheaper than woodcraft.Also I bought that right angle drill and it lasted a whole 15 min,took it back and the 2nd one wouldn't even start up.They were on sale then for 19.00 bucks.So I still use a reg old used B&D drill picked up at a flea market for 3.00 bucks,two yrs ago and is still going strong.I also get the holders the ,I have all three sizes 1" 2"and 3" pads I use the soft pad as it leaves less sanding scratches
Ken
 
Last edited:
Top