Sander Sitter - Do they extend life of ROS sandpaper?

[Jim Hall]

Does anyone use one of these? Wondering if it really extends the life of sandpaper/ provide a good base for the sander when not in use or just another consumer gimmick? Thanks..

[Jim Hall]

Oops.. Forgot to include link.. Here's one..

[Roger Woehl]

An old computer mouse pad works just fine.

[Jim Hall]

I've got an old Porter-cable sander which seems to work just fine for my needs except that its pretty tippy when vac hose is connected and has dropped off the workbench a couple times as a result. Would be nice to have a stable base to set it in that extended the life of the paper between sandings. It sits in a newspaper lined drawer when not being used for extended length of time. Guess I could always turn a base on the lathe..

[Jim Stuyck]

I like mine because it "settles" my ROS quickly, MUCH quicker than waiting for it to stop orbiting. I haven't given "life of sandpaper" any thought.

Jim Stuyck

[dpb]

The "sitters" I've seen would do essentially nothing for the stability problem--that would require something specific to support the hose (that and the bulkiness is why I never bothered w/ trying to use vacuums on sanders). Personally, I don't conceive them having any measurable effect on the longevity of the sandpaper unless you're setting it on something much harder than a workbench top while it's still on. I think they're of a marginal benefit in having a "jiggle-free" platform, but other than that just don't see them as having any real function. (BTW, I remove the "brake" (the internal o-ring around the fixed pin) before I ever start a new one up. They're nothing but a heat-generating mechanism that prematurely burns out lower bearings and adds load to the motor by the wasted worked required to heat the dang thing, not to mention that they get too hot to hold at the base after extended use).

imo, $0.02, ymmv, etc., etc., etc., ...

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[Bonehenge (B A R R Y)]

Mine was useless.

With a vacuum hose attached, the sander won't stay in the sitter.

The Sander Sitter set a new purchase to eBay time record for me.

[mac davis]

No... It's to reduce the time you have to hold on to it after you turn it off..

Now, if you usually sit it down on a steel bench and THEN turn it off, a SS would probably extend the life of your paper, though..

Want a good base for your sander? put a cigar box on your bench with double-sided tape..

mac

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[Jim Hall]

Thanks, everyone for info and advice.. I thought maybe that yellow crepe thing cleaned the sandpaper too. I have one of those yellow (crepe?) things on a stick that works great for cleaning sandpaper on the spindle sander.

I think I'll just set aside the time to build something simple with large enough sides and base to be stable and hold sandpaper discs too. I have plenty of scrape around here to get rid of anyway.. Maybe something like Leon built for his nailers with a handle.. First I have to get through sanding these forty boards for triming out windows in the living room.. Most of which is hand sanding.. Ugh.. Thanks, again..

[else24]

I have the sander sitter and one of those sticks for cleaning the sandpaper and they both look like the same stuff to me. If I recall correctly the box said it was sandpaper cleaner stuff. The stick works good for unclogging the sandpaper on the spindle sander but I've never noticed any difference to the sandpaper on the ROS, probably because with the ROS the sheet gets worn out before it gets clogged. (No, I'm not going to take the pad on the sitter and see if I can clean the spindle sander drum with it.)

I quit using the sitter for a while because the hose made it off balance, and it vibrated off the bench with the sander on it like one of those oldtime football games where the players vibrated all over the board. Then I hung the vac hose from a bungee cord so it was easier to handle which made it more stable when I put it down, and then I got the bright idea to drill a hole in the base so I could put a length of 12 gauge wire in there, bend it, and clamp the wire in a vise. Now it's anchored so it's a safe handy place to put the sander while it's still on or for letting it wind down. So I'm getting some use out of especially when I have a lot of sanding to do. But it's one of those things I don't think I'd buy again.

[tiredofspam]

I'd like to add my comment to this.

Mine never worked. It vibrated around like crazy. Even without a hose.

The crepe is not the same as my stick either. Live and learn.

B> >

[Bonehenge (B A R R Y)]

The crepe stuff works great. I use it all the time on my 12" disc and

22" drum machines.

The Sander Sitter is the crappy part.

[Otoe]

The only benefit I see is not having to wait for the sander to stop turning before putting it down. It could be considered a time saver and impatience remover.

Otoe

[dpb]

I never had any problem in just setting it down...your bench top is inviolate? :)

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[Puckdropper]

dpb wrote in news:fmggkg$o2m$ [e-mail]:

In the time it takes to put down most palm sanders I've used, the palm sander has stopped moving. The belt sander takes a few seconds... but it's time well worth it. The scar on my finger is still there to remind me that those things are mean!

Puckdropper

[Joe]

It could be considered a time saver

You betcha. I'm of the 'work on it' not the 'work into it' school of thought when it comes to my bench.

Joe 'still working on that patience thing' C.

[dpb]

I "work on it" too, but I surely don't worry about the finish... :) Won't _purposely_ put a major gouge in it, but it is, after all, only a tool, not the workpiece...

imo, $0.02, ymmv, etc., etc., etc., ...

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[mac davis]

I don't think it's the finish as much as the sander walking around for a short time..

I find that I'm just not in that big a hurry.. I turn the sander off and put it down when it's not moving anymore..

If I had to be in a hurry, I'd find a different hobby..

mac

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