Random Orbit Sander recommendations?

[Doug Miller]

My venerable Porter-Cable 333VS ROS seems to be on its last legs -- not sure if I want to repair or replace it. Recommendations, anyone, for a replacement?

TIA...

[Steve Turner]

If you have a decent air compressor in your shop, I'd seriously consider one of these babies:

have three different good quality electric random orbital sanders, and I haven't touched any of them since I got the Dynabrade. It's like the difference between driving a BMW and Pontiac Aztec.

[Lew Hodgett]

6" dia is a must IMHO. 5" dia is just too small.

It's been around for a while but Bosch 3727 works for me.

Lew

[Larry Jaques]

On Mon, 9 Nov 2009 20:38:49 -0800, the infamous "Lew Hodgett" scrawled the following:

Crikey, man! Learn to scrape and you won't need those costly sanding thingies, 'cept for the edges (where you could actually file.)

---------------------------------------------------- Thesaurus: Ancient reptile with excellent vocabulary ====================================================

[Doug Miller]

Not entirely true IMHO. I have a substantial array of scrapers which I use in preference to the sander most of the time; however, the sander produces a better finish on soft woods such as poplar or sycamore. It's served me well for nearly ten years, but it's on its last legs. At least one bearing is going out, and the hook-and-loop pad doesn't hold sanding discs too well any more. I'm just trying to decide between repairing this one to try to keep it going for a few more years, and just replacing it.

[dpb]

Doug Miller wrote: ...

I've gone thru probably a dozen of these puppies during the barn painting prep; rebuilt several, tossed several carcasses and made up others from leftovers of two or three... :)

My experience has been w/ extremely heavy use they're repairable until the cases start to wear so much the vibration of the dust housing becomes so annoying as to make you pitch them.

Bearings should be available at any local distributorship for next to nothing; to make the bottom one last w/ heavy use (as well as to keep them from getting to hot to hold bare-handed) I take the "brake belt" off (it's just an o-ring around a stud so it's pure friction) but then you have to watch when lift them so if only use for fairly short times can probably live with it.

The pads aren't too expensive, I've replaced them several times during the lifetime of each sander altho I've gone almost exclusively to PSA because the media are so much cheaper. Again, amount of usage would be the factor there.

The one thing that is the "toss it" part is the armature--the replacements are expensive enough I've stopped at that point and the rest becomes spare parts for the others.

For the size, I still don't think there's another on the market that has the overall as good feel/balance and value altho they've gone up quite a bit it seems. It also seems that all new are 8-hole instead of 5? I just ordered a set of replacement pads and the contour pads and that seemed to be what I noticed. If so, I don't like that move much as I hate having more than one style of consumable.

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[Larry Blanchard]

I also like Bosch. Mine is, IIRC, a 3283. It doesn't get constant use, but it's served well for many years.

[DejaVoodoo]

My 2 cents is that I love my PC, I would repair mine. l'd not even consider another brand.

Mark

[tommyboy]

Does Dynabrade use proprietary sanding disks?

[SonomaProducts.com]

[Andrew Barss]

Steve Turner wrote: : Doug Miller wrote: :> My venerable Porter-Cable 333VS ROS seems to be on its last legs -- not sure :> if I want to repair or replace it. Recommendations, anyone, for a replacement? :> :> TIA...

: If you have a decent air compressor in your shop, I'd seriously consider : one of these babies:

:

you do dust collection with a pneumatic sander? I think next time I need a sander I may pop for a Festool.

: I have three different good quality electric random orbital sanders, and : I haven't touched any of them since I got the Dynabrade. It's like the : difference between driving a BMW and Pontiac Aztec.

Yeah, but remember: the Aztec wasn't just a car, it was a tent! And a really ugly car!

-- Andy Barss

[Lew Hodgett]

Something that produces at least 15 SCFM.

Translation:

5 HP, 2 stage compressor with at least an 80 gallon receiver.

These days, about $1,100.00.

Lew

[dpb]

tommyboy wrote: ...

I've a 5hp 60 gal Sanborn compressor and the only air sander I've tried wouldn't spin under load w/o a direct connection w/ 3/8" instead of 1/4" hose. It was a cheaper unit; not sure what it was rated to require but gave it up.

I see links there indicate 14 cfm w/ no pressure; the Dynabrade site require Flash which I don't allow so couldn't see more direct info. Anyway, it'll take a sizable air supply, for sure. You won't get it w/ a little oilless.

I'd assume 5" and all are standard 5/8 hole altho didn't look for confirmation which.

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[dpb]

Andrew Barss wrote: ...

... If they're designed for it, sure.

Dynabrade makes integral or for central vac system models (as do others for the professional market, of course).

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[Max]

Apparently one that's capable of producing a minimum of 14 CFM. Imagine how much power ($$) it would take to run that sander . However, in a commercial shop................

[Steve Turner]

The Spirit models work fine on my 5HP Sanborn single stage (not sure how many CFM it produces; stupid thing doesn't say on the spec label); compressor only runs about 20% of the time. The Supreme models chew up a lot more air. A compressor equivalent to mine runs about $600 at the Borg. Could probably find one for a lot less on Craigslist...

[Steve Turner]

You CAN run a Spirit sander on one of these jobbies:

you don't insist on running the sander balls-out non-stop. I have one of those compressors, and I've used it quite successfully; in fact I just test it. I ran the compressor until it stopped, up to 100 psi. Plugged in the Dynabrade and ran it about 3/4 speed under load. Compressor kicked in after 15 seconds, when pressure dropped to 80lbs, and it held there as long as I ran the sander, and the sander never slowed down. Stopped the sander, and the compressor took about 15 seconds to run back up to 100 PSI and stop. Turned the compressor motor off and ran the sander under load at 3/4 speed. It went about 45 seconds before it started to slow down, at about 60 PSI, and about another 45 seconds before it ran too slow to be usable. Let it run without load until the tank was depleted, and the sander never really stopped running until the air was gone. Stopped it manually several times, and it started back up on its own as long as there was over about

10lbs in the tank. Pretty good if you ask me.

Dynabrade sells different size sanders (3.5", 5", 6"...) and they use standard PSA (stick-on) paper (I think you can get hook and loop attachments for them). You can even use double-sided tape in a pinch to make your own. :-)

[Scott Lurndal]

Is that assuming production work? Would a smaller compressor work for intermittent/weekend warrior/hobbiest?

[Leon]

Pricey but probably your last. Festool Rotex. I have one and it runs circles around my agressive PC right angle ROS that I bought 20 years ago. With a shop vac, there is no dust. 2 spin modes, Agressive and Random Orbit. Oddly Agrressive is easier to control than ROS mode.

Then there is a Festool ROS that you can literally control with your finger on top to guide it. No holding required. Turn it on, set it down, and guide it with the tip of your finger. Really.

[Leon]

My 2 cents is that I love my PC, I would repair mine. l'd not even consider another brand.

I was that way for 20 years with my 3 PC's, then I used a Festool, not the PC seems like entry level stuff.