In you have been waiting to pull the trigger on Festool

[RicodJour]

I just ran across another Festool, the AP85 (older model or overseas model, perhaps), that has a 3.35" depth of cut.

R

[Leon]

Then again, looking at the owners manual I caonnot see the advantage to the changed indexing system. It appears that possibly you would have to purchase the cross stop accessory if you want to index farther in from the edge of the board than what the Domino will do by itself. With the original version you could use the Domino index pins in previousely cut mortises, I am not sure that is possible with the new indexing tabs. It may be a kind of similar situation with the PC 557 plate joiner. Type 1 was OK, Type 2 was implemented because of a patent infringement and basically sucked, Type

3 fixed Type 2 problems. All specualtuon bit sometimes changes are not always for the good of the consumer.

[Scott Lurndal]

How may production shops do _any_ hand sanding at all?

Sanding blocks are aimed at hobby folks, for whom the above exercise won't cost anywhere near USD150.

It sounds like you're a slow reader, too, or you charge obscene hourly charges :-)

No kids corkboards around? You can't pick it up next time you're at the home center/lumberyard/junkyard?

A specious argument, of course, since it costs you the same amount of "dollars" to watch TV, wash the dishes or wash the car.

scott

[Scott Lurndal]

15 or 20 minutes to make several (mill a single 3' 2x4, glue the cork to it, cross cut to desired length, presto 9 or 10 blocks; enough for one per grit. Takes longer to let the glue dry.

scott

[Robatoy]

Hell, might as well throw sleep in there too. I divide my day in 3 chunks of 8 hours... give or take. Sleep 8 Family, my time, hobby time. 8 Productive work 8 hours.

Making sanding blocks is not hobby time or sleep time...it is actual productivity time..... lost. Every hour of shop time is accounted for at different rates, depending what it is we're doing.

So, I get 40 hours per week during which time I need to generate all the money I need.... and I'd be nuts to spend any of my free time making sanding blocks that will never be as good as those I can buy from Festool. That $ 100.00 I can make cutting out some letters for a sign company on my CNC..WHILE I mount a vanity sink.

[Leon]

Probably more than you realize, I am not production "most of the time, some times I am", but have 9 different electric sanders of various types and still pull ot the sponge sanding pads for easing sharp corners.

[Robatoy]

You mentioned, IIRC, that you use sanding sponges. There is a noticeable difference between brands. We use them a LOT. They're perfect for what we do.. the edges of solid surface countertops. But, they're not all created equal. The best I have found are Dynamic brand sponges. The sponge is firmer than others and stays together much better during hard use. But if I can slap some PSA on the Festool sponges...I mill be a happy, happy guy.... and how could anyone turn down such a cool green box?

[Leon]

You mentioned, IIRC, that you use sanding sponges. There is a noticeable difference between brands. We use them a LOT. They're perfect for what we do.. the edges of solid surface countertops. But, they're not all created equal. The best I have found are Dynamic brand sponges. The sponge is firmer than others and stays together much better during hard use. But if I can slap some PSA on the Festool sponges...I mill be a happy, happy guy.... and how could anyone turn down such a cool green box?

Dynamic brand? Any particular source? My main complaint is the pointed corner of a board tearing a hole in the sponge but for easing corners with out a rounded over edge they are perfect.

I don't know about the GREEN box, I think it would mess up my fungshway.

[Robatoy]

The Dynamic brand sponges will also tear when you go at a corner the wrong way, just not as easily as the cheaper brands. I just sand towards the corner... it takes a few more swipes, but nothing as annoying as having the %&%^% sponge ripped out of your hands and ending up with a palm full of hurt. It looks like DYNAMIC might be a local/Canuckistani thing...mmmm.. I will investigate further.

At the Toronto Woodworking Machinery show, a couple of weeks back, there was an abrasive guy SIA(who also SOLD abrasives..snort, guffaw, chortle) who had some nice-feeling firm sponges. Those had one grit all around as opposed to the DYNAMIC ones which have a combo..medium/ fine or course/medium. I have his card..and I will see what I can find out. It would be no bother to send you a box of them.

*investigating* *investigating* *investigating* *investigating* *investigating* . . . well... would you look at this.. these guys have the exact same line- up as DYNAMIC. A safe bet they use the same source. Based in NC.

[Leon]

Sneup! . . . well... would you look at this.. these guys have the exact same line- up as DYNAMIC. A safe bet they use the same source. Based in NC.

I'll look in to that.

BTY my son bought me a sample pack of the Mirca Abranet disks for my birthday a few weeks ago. I finally used them and was impressed. They seem to last but I have not use them that much. The sample pack and "one" of every grit. Needless to say I'll be getting a single grit pack in the future. My only reluctance is using them in areas that could damage one prematurely. In my latest project, the towers the was a lot of sanding on surfaces smaller than the disk. How do these things hold up against the occasional snag that usually tears paper up immediately? I can see using them on large flat surfaces but am a bit shy about the edges of the surfaces.

[charlieb]

Re: MirKa's Abranet

Cuts faster than sandpaper for each grit. Don't bear down on them or they'll heat up quicker than sand paper and that heat can cause a lot of small surface checks in the wood.

Excellent air flow for dust collection - over the entire disk rather than just 5 or

8 holes.

Don't load up as quick as sandpaper

- AND - they can be washed with soap and water and reused.

Like paper disks, ovehanging edges can tear and snag.

At three times the price of sandpaper disks, it's about a wash since the Abranet will last about three times longer.

[Leon]

Good to know

No doubt, but the 8 holes seem to be plenty, I did not notice an improvement.

This seems to be a distinct advantage.

OK, that was what I was fearfull of.

Only 3 times more? I need to look somewhere else for my refills. LOL. IIRC my gut was telling me 5 times more expensive than Festool. IIRC this sample pack was $20 for about 7-8 disks. Festool disks $23 for 50.

CHANGING the subject, have you noticed the new design indexing levers on the new Domino's? If so do you know any thing about it?

Leon

[Jerome Meekings]

There is a lot on the FOG "

" the general impression is that it is because of a law suit by Maffel. Some like them the majority preffer the old style. Also the old style are being sold at a discount now so if you want one get it now.

I have the old style and would not want the new version.

[Leon]

Well how bout that! I was indicating to another poster that this was a spossibly a situation similar to the PC 557 Type 2 from Type 1 because of a patent problem on design concerning DeWalt. From what I can see, the indexing tabs would perhaps not fit the mortises very well.

[Jerome Meekings]

Festool suggest that the indexing tabs are too close to be used to space mortises by dropping them into an existing mortice, they should only index from the edge of the workpiece. The Cross Stops still have indexing pins and can be used for spacing 100mm to 205mm

[Robatoy]

On Oct 11, 2:39=A0pm, "Leon" wrote: [snip]

*coughs* David Eisan, the wRECker from way back, now carries Festool. That is becoming a very dangerous stretch of road he's on. Federated Tool now selling General, MiniMax, Festool....., then further down the road Gorilla CNC, then the BMW motorcycle dealer, then Lee Valley...all within a couple of miles. Danger, danger..lock up your credit cards and cheque books....

[jo4hn]

Har. Gonna trade SWMBO for the sander... Ouch! Dang it sweetie pie. Didn't see you standing therrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Oooh that's gonna leave a mark. Just kiddinggggggg! Honest!! Erggg.

[Leon]

I can see that, I dont think I have ever used the Domino indexing pins for spacing from existing mortises.