Random orbit sander poll and questions

[LarryG]

the square or rectangular pad sanders are orbital ( as opposed to back and forth - reciprocal?)

Either "reciprocal" or "reciprocating" would accurately describe the motion, although it seems like there's another word used for such sanders that I'm unable to bring to mind. I have an old Craftsman 1/3 sheet dual-motion sander that will do either stroke type -- orbital, reciprocating -- at the flip of a switch. (This tool actually died many years ago, after I'd owned it only two years and used it hardly at all. I still have it for some reason, perhaps as a reminder not to buy any more Craftsman power tools.)

BTW I voted for 5" ROS in the poll because I thought the question was intended to be about strictly random-orbit sanders. I also have a B&D 1/4 sheet jitterbug (about 25 years old, from the era when B&D tools were better than they are now), and a recently-bought GMC "mouse" type sander that I've not yet used.

[gsmittle]

I have two 5" ROSs, one old Ryobi--non VS, abysmal dust collection, and a new Craftsman which looks like a PorterCable design. That one's VS and has MUCH better dust collection. Both have 8 holes, which means the C'man might be a Ryobi? I haven't been curious enough to look up the model number.

I also have a new PC 1/4 sheet sander. How I got the two newer ones is I was helping my son & his crew work on his Eagle Scout project, and with only one sander it would have taken forever to sand everything. LOML authorized a Sears purchase, since that was the only CC at the time with room. Sears was out of the Craftsman 1/4 sheet, so they gave me the PC for the Craftsman price.

Needless to say, I need a couple more good ROSs. Hello, Santa?

g.

[crokett]

I have a 5" Dewalt square sheet sander with a wiggy power switch. I have a 5" round Porter Cable that I like better than the DeWalt - seems to sand faster. I also am going to get a 6" pad for my sander/polisher. Sheets in the higher grits for that are easier to find than for my belt sander.

[lrr]

My next sander will be a Festool 6" Rotex. Just saw a demo and a woodworker show, and I'm sold.

The guy took a nice, finished oak board, about a foot wide, and about 4 feet long, and used the regular sander/grinder action with 60 grit paper to really rough up one end of the board. In the next 10 minutes, he progressively put on finer grits, and switched to the random orbit mode. We kept feeling the surface of the wood when he changed paper, just to check progress. It was looking better, and it definitely felt smoother each time. The grits were getting up to 1000 to 1200, which I thought seemed odd -- more than I'd ever used, even hand sanding. I'd certainly never put super fine paper on a sander. But once at that range of grit, I noticed that I would not have been able to tell that he had done anything to the board -- both ends looked the same. He next went to a few polishing pads, and when he was done, it looked like it had been sprayed with a satin varnish -- it truly did not look like bare wood, but it was.

I would not believed it if I had not seen it.

Oh, the sander is only $440 ...

I've looked at other Festool products, and the Germans are fanatics when it comes to ergonomics and quality.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Oh, the sander is only $440 ...

I've looked at other Festool products, and the Germans are fanatics when it comes to ergonomics and quality.

Plus $450 Festool vac, $300 Festool sanding grits 100 - 1200 (note these are different grit standards and 100g Festool does not equal 100g Mirka, Norton, etc). $30 for polishing pads, $50 for Platin disks. Now your $449 sander has become a $1270 sander!

Of course the good news is that once you have the vac, systainers, etc then you have to get the Domino, jigsaw, plunge router, plunge saw, etc. Just go ahead and plan on setting $5000 aside for you Festool collection! LOL!

[LinuxRandal]

I do appreciate everyones input here. It does look like the 5" 8 hole is the standard and way for mom to go (for both me and my father), then I will get a 6" later. I was worried about the 6", due to seeing things like, only 6 holes (on the Bosch), and wondering if it would be too large (project problems).

Now I need to figure out what brands to recommend to her. I figure both the Bosch and the PC variable speed models. Any other good ones? (or have either of these become junk?)


Thanks again for all the help!

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I do appreciate everyones input here. It does look like the 5" 8 hole is the standard and way for mom to go (for both me and my father), then I will get a 6" later. I was worried about the 6", due to seeing things like, only 6 holes (on the Bosch), and wondering if it would be too large (project problems).

Now I need to figure out what brands to recommend to her. I figure both the Bosch and the PC variable speed models. Any other good ones? (or have either of these become junk?)


Thanks again for all the help!

As I stated I have (3) 1295s and really enjoy them and find them to be a great bang for the buck. I personally believe the 6" Bosch current at Amazon for $84 is such a deal that I pulled the trigger on one this week. This means I have 6" 8 hole, 6" 6 hole, 5" 6 hole stardard in my shop. But I am the first to admit that I have a sanding problem that is great than most toolies router addictions.