Sanders DC improvment

[niki]

Good day

I don’t like sanding (who does?) but after small improvement to the sanders, it became almost a pleasure.

The problem was to find and buy sanding papers that will fit the holes, and even with those papers, the DC was not something to be admired of.

After the modification, I can use any sanding paper (I cut them myself) and the DC is superb, almost zero dust sanding.

Better dust collection has two effects, the first is of course health and the second, the sanding paper is not blocked or clogged by dust which leads to better cutting and longer life of the paper.

Regards
niki

[niki]

Another 2 pics

[final_t]

Most pad sanders like the ones you show usually have some sort of pad or block with pointy things that line up with the holes to punch holes in the sandpaper. The one time I forgot to do this step I had a big problem with clogging of the paper.

If yours doesn't have such a block, you could make one out of dowels and wood I think.

The skit on the side is interesting and would help to direct and sweep the dust, but I would think that it would scrape and scratch the surface of the work.

[TheRic]

....The skit on the side is interesting and would help to direct and sweep the dust, but I would think that it would scrape and scratch the surface of the work.

I'm still a newbie to woodworking. Would cardboard scratch wood more that 200 grit paper?? Maybe 600 grit, or higher, or on soft wood??

If it would, how about having the cardboard, or something else rigid come down to almost the wood, about 1/8 from wood. Then clue on some cloth to that part, down to the wood (maybe slightly below). This would help when going over an area not as smooth / flat.

[niki]

Thank you Final t
I did not get anything with those sanders but long time ago I drilled the holes while the sand paper was held between two wood blocks clamped on the sand paper and the holes looked like “La kara de mi papu” (the face of my grandfather), so I reverted to this method that I can use any sand paper on any sander, without having to drill the holes to fit the Bosch or the Makita.

The “skirt” is a cardboard of “Marlboro”.

TheRic
You can lift up the cardboard by 1/32” above the surface, it will have the same DC effect.
It never happened to me that the cardboard scratched the wood.

niki