I wish I had heard about Random Orbit Sanders a long time ago. - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

keystonecop · 04-27-2009, 08:46 PM

I have had an old Craftsman 1/2 sheet sander for about 30 years. Never thought about getting a new sander, also, I never really used it much. I have always presanded with the sponge sanding blocks from Harbor Freight. - Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

WoodCraft had a Porter-Cable 5" VS Random Orbit Sander Kit on sale for $60.00 and I had a gift card. Buy Porter-Cable 5" VS Random Orbit Sander Kit, Porter-Cable 5" VS Random Orbit Amazon has it for 53.10, but I would have had to wait. Amazon.com: Porter-Cable 343K 5-Inch Random Orbit Sander Kit - Hook & Loop Pad: Home Improvement

WOW.. This thing really works for me. went from 80 120 220 grits on a piece at high speed before cutting, it made the wood look and feel great.

After cutting I used the 220 grit on the lowest speed and the fuzzes were gone on the back. and the tacky leftover blue tape was gone on the front.

There was hardly and sawdust that was not picked up in the collector.

Just thought I would share this with you.

Jediscroller · 04-27-2009, 09:00 PM

John,
I'd be lost without my ROS. That is by far the single most used piece of equipment in my shop. I have the Dewalt but the PC is also excellent.

KtownScroller · 04-27-2009, 09:03 PM

I bought a random orbit sander about two years ago. It sure saves a lot of hand sanding and leaves an excellent finish. Your going to be happy with your purchase John.

wood-n-things · 04-27-2009, 09:06 PM

I love mine as well and like Kevin said it is the most used tool in my shop. I got the pressure adhesive pad not the hook & loop though.

Okie_Arkie_Wood_Cutter · 04-27-2009, 10:06 PM

ROS sure beats trying to burn the fuzzies off the back with a torch and trying not to burn the piece or the shop down. LOL an't funny......

Plaquerd · 04-27-2009, 10:20 PM

John
Good for you. Been using them for years, burned the first one up, got the single speed PC hook & loop and don't know what I'd do without it.

If you have a big enough compressor, pneumatic is the way to go. Use them in work and they won't quit, they are variable speed and are easy to maintain. They are noisy, just got to wear ear plugs.

JohnB · 04-28-2009, 12:55 AM

G'day John, Good buy.
I bought my first one about 3 years ago. Prior to that I had a 1/3 sheet sander and a 1/4sheet palm sander which I thought was the best thing since canned beer, 'till I got a ROS, It was only a Ryobi and it has done good. I replaced the plattern bearing after only a couple of months and it hasn't stopped since. The velcro plate is loosing its grip around the edges now and that gives problems when sanding fretwork as the paper can drop into cut outs. DAMHIKT.
Was seriously thinking about getting the Dewalt variable speed this week or maybe a Milwaukee.

04-27-2009, 08:46 PM	#1
keystonecop Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 148	I wish I had heard about Random Orbit Sanders a long time ago. I have had an old Craftsman 1/2 sheet sander for about 30 years. Never thought about getting a new sander, also, I never really used it much. I have always presanded with the sponge sanding blocks from Harbor Freight. - Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices WoodCraft had a Porter-Cable 5" VS Random Orbit Sander Kit on sale for $60.00 and I had a gift card. Buy Porter-Cable 5" VS Random Orbit Sander Kit, Porter-Cable 5" VS Random Orbit Amazon has it for 53.10, but I would have had to wait. Amazon.com: Porter-Cable 343K 5-Inch Random Orbit Sander Kit - Hook & Loop Pad: Home Improvement WOW.. This thing really works for me. went from 80 120 220 grits on a piece at high speed before cutting, it made the wood look and feel great. After cutting I used the 220 grit on the lowest speed and the fuzzes were gone on the back. and the tacky leftover blue tape was gone on the front. There was hardly and sawdust that was not picked up in the collector. Just thought I would share this with you. __________________ The other John A. Nelson johnsworkshop.com I just follow the lines and make sawdust on a Purple EX-30 and a Yellow DW788

04-27-2009, 09:00 PM	#2
Jediscroller American Crafstman Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Galaxy far, far away Posts: 3,166 Blog Entries: 5	John, I'd be lost without my ROS. That is by far the single most used piece of equipment in my shop. I have the Dewalt but the PC is also excellent. __________________ Kevin Scrollsaw Patterns Online Making holes in wood with an EX-30, Craftsman 16" VS, Dremel 1680 and 1671

04-27-2009, 09:03 PM	#3
KtownScroller Wooden Clockman Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: PA Posts: 2,562	I bought a random orbit sander about two years ago. It sure saves a lot of hand sanding and leaves an excellent finish. Your going to be happy with your purchase John. __________________ - Rick

04-27-2009, 09:06 PM	#4
wood-n-things Behave Yourself..I can't. Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Right here ---silly Posts: 4,294 Blog Entries: 1	I love mine as well and like Kevin said it is the most used tool in my shop. I got the pressure adhesive pad not the hook & loop though. __________________ The Mike One of them anyway. Don't be so open-minded. Your brains will fall out! Remember.......Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car..

04-27-2009, 10:06 PM	#5
Okie_Arkie_Wood_Cutter Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: SouthWest Arkansas Posts: 392	ROS sure beats trying to burn the fuzzies off the back with a torch and trying not to burn the piece or the shop down. LOL an't funny...... __________________ You can take the boy out of the hill country, but you can not take the hill country out of the boy. Okie's Cuttings and Patterns http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/bb24/okiearkie/ darrell, the okiearkie

04-27-2009, 10:20 PM	#6
Plaquerd Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Northwest New Jersey Posts: 1,371	John Good for you. Been using them for years, burned the first one up, got the single speed PC hook & loop and don't know what I'd do without it. If you have a big enough compressor, pneumatic is the way to go. Use them in work and they won't quit, they are variable speed and are easy to maintain. They are noisy, just got to wear ear plugs. __________________ Dave "Tight's tight, too tight's broken" www.lakeviewscrollsawing.com

04-28-2009, 12:55 AM	#7
JohnB 1 Tin Soldier Rides Away Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Kalgoorlie, Western Australia Posts: 4,806	G'day John, Good buy. I bought my first one about 3 years ago. Prior to that I had a 1/3 sheet sander and a 1/4sheet palm sander which I thought was the best thing since canned beer, 'till I got a ROS, It was only a Ryobi and it has done good. I replaced the plattern bearing after only a couple of months and it hasn't stopped since. The velcro plate is loosing its grip around the edges now and that gives problems when sanding fretwork as the paper can drop into cut outs. DAMHIKT. Was seriously thinking about getting the Dewalt variable speed this week or maybe a Milwaukee. __________________ Regards John "The Golden Mile" “God bless America. God save the Queen. God defend New Zealand and thank Christ for Australia.” - Russell Crowe Some of my Stuff Retired Medically Unfit WA Police Officers

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