Finishing Sanders

My trusty 1993 vintage Makita quarter-sheet finishing sander appears to have died. I would buy the same again but paper changing is kind of tedious and according to one review the current updated model (BO 4552) is even worse.

The Bosch 1297DK looks promising as far as paper changes are concerned and the price is about the same as the Makita.

Is anyone here using the Bosch or have any other recommendations (in the same $50 price range)?

Anything but B&D!

Reply to
Malcolm Hoar
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I have that Bosch and the paper changing is inded a snap. The dust collection is superb when you use the adaptor, (and that is the only reason I did not buy the PC SpeedBloc.) You have to buy the adaptor. The punch die they give you for making the holes in the paper is useless, so I make up a batch from a pack of paper using a proper hole punch and a hammer. For a quick job, using the supplied dust filter is adequate and easily cleaned. I think I paid $ 49.00 at Lowe's in Port Huron MI for it. I like it MUCH better than any of the half dozen Makitas I have worn out over the years.

Reply to
Robatoy

A thing about paper changing. If your sander does not enable you to change paper in 5 or 6 seconds you need a better sander/method of attaching paper. If you are using a paper that clamps on chances are you are sanding inefficiently. Years ago in automotive trades the PSA and Velcro Style papers were increasing production in the shops because of the efficiency of the sanding. These type papers always attach correctly and make the most of your sander. Clamp on papers simply have more wiggle and tend to loosen causing the sander pad to vibrate behind the paper as the paper simply sticks to the surface you are trying to sand. A good part of the sander motion/energy is wasted. With the direct connection of the papers to the sander using PSA or Velcro, the sander motion is close to 100% efficient.

With that in mind, just about any sander that utilizes the PSA or Velcro style attachment paper will probably be better than a sander that uses clamps to hold the paper. I personally have used the PC SpeedBloc, the one that is bell shaped, since 1989. It too pooped out about 2 years ago and I replaced it with the same. It will clamp paper as the design of this sander has been around for a very long time relatively speaking but it also uses PSA paper.

If you are looking for a design that will last and is comfortable to use for long periods of time the PC SpeedBloc works well. If I replace this sander in the future I'll probably go with a Festool because of the superior dust collection.

Reply to
Leon

All true. PSA can be bothersome when the paper gets overheated and leaves glue and stuff on the sander's pad. Hook & Loop (Velcro) is, for me, THE way to go. Finding that in sheets can be a PITA and then, to convert the Bosch to a hookey pad wouldn't be a big deal if one could find a pad. I don't use it enough to bother. I mentioned that I paid 50 bucks for the Bosch and for that little money, the dust collection with the vacuum adaptor (mind you, hooked up to a Fein Turbo II) is every bit as good as anything Festool could devise....and you know I am a avid Festool user. I just don't sand inside corners that often. I always sand before assembly.

r
Reply to
Robatoy

I was working on a project this week when my trusty, old black and decker gave up the ghost. This was a good sander that lasted over thiry years of use. It was of a generation when B&D actually made good tools. It was a half sheet sander. I went out to try and replace it.

No can do. Apparently half sheet sanders have gone the way of the dodo bird. There are plenty of quarter sheet sanders. But almost no half sheet sanders. Creaftsman has a half sheet and a third sheet sander in their lineup. I couldn't find anything else.

I talked to an old tool guy at one shop and he said that the tool companies got tired of selling products that they couldn't sell consumables for them. They make more money off the velcro sanding disks than they ever would off the tool itself.

Somebody at Lowes said that they got so tired of the esculating sanding discs cost that they went out and found an independent supplier. They weren't going to sell the brand name sander consumables any more. Can we say corporate greed?

I haven't replaced the sander yet. I have a Bosch rotary disc sander. I bought some more sandpaper for it. I still miss the half sheet sander. For certain projects, they worked just fine.

Like I told my wife when I got home. I went out to buy a sander and found out that the world changed the rules around without consulting me, AGAIN!! :(

Reply to
Lee Michaels

"Lee Michaels" wrote

Whaddaya want expect in a world where you can get the important things, like breast augmentation through the belly button??

Reply to
Swingman

Oddly, I have absolutely no problems with PC PSA paper and 3M PSA paper. I absolutely hate and have 100% problems with Klingspor PSA paper. Had I used Klingspor PSA paper the first time 19 years ago I would have never used PSA paper again. Fortunately I had been using PC and 3M PSA paper for the first

16 years. Again, oddly, I tend to melt the Hook and Loop style pads if I am not careful.
Reply to
Leon

Excellent.

Gentlemen, perhaps we can observe a minute of silence out of respect for my old Makita and the years of service (and abuse) it provided without complaint.

Then I'll head off to Lowes to get the Bosch ;-)

Agreed on the Velcro-style paper. However price and availability are an issue and it doesn't work too well if you don't have any (or don't have the right grit for the job).

Reply to
Malcolm Hoar

Porter Cable still makes a half sheet sander.

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if it does not use PSA or Hoof and Loop paper I would say that this sander

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very well keep up or work faster and like the 1/2 sheet sander it will sand into square corners. This one will raise a cloud of dust quickly.

While PSA paper appears more expensive than regular sheet paper it typically runs about $12 for a common PC 30' x 4.5" roll and that roll yields about 80 paper changes. So that runs you about 15 cents per paper change. Is your premium paper costing you less than 60 cents a sheet?

Something to consider.

Reply to
Leon

"Leon" wrote

Hoof and Loop paper??

It must be a Texas thing.

Reply to
Lee Michaels

I too often depend on the spell checker if it is even working at all. LOL

Too bad it does not read my mind. Make that Hook. LOL

Reply to
Leon

It is hard to remember, but at one time they did indeed. they had an industrial line that was pretty damn good. I was never much on the homeowners line, though. I think that was more like 40 years ago.

I have this sander, and it is almost as good as my half sheet Milwaukee.

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the smaller Bosch sander, you can almost vacuum with due to the fact that the dust collection is so good. It cuts really well, leaves a good surface, but like Rob said earlier, plan on punching your own holes. Their punch pad works OK on finer grits, but get to the heavy stuff and it just makes a mess.

I also use a Milwaukee that is heavier (older!) at 7 lbs. but you can use it all day long with no fatigue. However, being a little older design it doesn't have great dust collection system. OK, but not great. I caught it on ebay a few years back for $125 or so with the steel case. Not a mark on it, and no sanding dust in the internals. Worth every nickel at twice the price. Check at the size and accessibility of the holding clamps.

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Leon pointed out, PC still makes the venerated 505. It used to be the industry standard 1/2 sheet, but I don't know about it now. I used one for years, but now here we are in the new century and they haven't done anything of significance for dust collection. I don't always work out in a parking lot or messy jobsite.

I used the Bosch to sand down a fireplace mantle that I was refinishing in an occupied house. With the dust collection set up (the shop vac outside the house) and my portable dust collector on the room I was able to sand down the 7 - 8' mantle with my 5" Bosch and finish with the Bosch 1/2 sheet with no problems. A quick dusting and we were out of there.

Then of coure there are other brands, but the point is that there are still high quality hard working 1/2 sheeters out there.

Unless Craftsman has a new line of sanders, I wouldn't even look at them.

Robert

Reply to
nailshooter41

SFWIW, Have a Bosch 3727, 6" ROS, and a Fein Multi, detail sander, that both use H&L paper.

Use Klingspor as a supplier.

If you are willing to buy 100 pieces per grit (50 for the Fein) and meet a $50.00 minimum order, the cost of sanding discs is no longer much of an issue, IMHO.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

I have a Black and Decker Pro, since 1985. Although I bought a refurbished unit it is still going strong but I wouldn't trust B&D today. You should be ok with Bosch, Festool or maybe Klingspor. Sadly, Porter-Cable's quality is not what it used to be.

Reply to
Phisherman

Leon was just horsing around... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . oh come ON!!!!! A typo like that is like 'Shave & A Haircut' to Roger Rabbit fur crying out loud...

Reply to
Robatoy

I have one of these that is still going strong after at least ten years.

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Reply to
Max

It's hard to steer him back on topic.

Reply to
B A R R Y

It's what happens when you trot too far off the mane topic.

Reply to
Swingman

Try Festool. All consumables are non standard at an exorbinant price.

******

eat the samoosa to reply

Reply to
Phil Hansen

Yeah but he just canter resist...

Reply to
Malcolm Hoar

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