Dual action, random orbital sander recommendation

[ghost]

Originally Posted by Cleanslate

Who's overhead sanding on a boat?!? And where..on a boat? Headliners don't sand so well. Over head ridged panels ? Take them down on work on them(paint/varnish) or replace them and reinstall.

Sanding a boats bottom...find a sand blaster contractor for that!

Cant agree. Sanding a boats bottom with a high quality vacuum sander is both quick and leaves an ideal consistent surface. It is the go to method for some yards and when used with a quality vacuum sander, it can be done with near zero environmental impact or additional cleanup. I’ve seen a guy sand with a white tyvek suit and come out looking like he didn’t sand anything at all.

Cost efficient, quick and environmentally clean. I’d spend that money again having done it twice now.

[Pat T]

Originally Posted by firstbase

I just purchased one of these for the same use...but $90? Really?

I know, I know. But you will find it is a high quality hand tool. If you have a lot of trimming, as I did, you will be happy. Just sweep up your seams and throw them in a box for disposal. It makes the job quick and effortless. I barely used 2 blades for a 42 ft boat and almost every seam was trimmed.

[Comodave]

Originally Posted by hollywood8118

To a point I agree with your statement above.

But if you actually use a RO sander a lot, or for tough low grit number work the high end sanders are worlds apart from the cheaper smaller lighter units. I purchase the Porter Cable units for our crews that run a bit over

$200 and have a decent vacuum hood. The weight of the unit is a considerable factor in how much material the sander can remove in a given time. I have used plenty of festool units and they are fantastic but just too pricey for the way the lads that work for me treat power tools. For my personal sander I use a 6" RO Porter cable angle head and it it the bomb for teak decks,bottom paint, cabin sides and larger flat surface areas. Most cabinet shops rely on these units so they must be doing something right
HOLLYWOOD

But we aren’t talking about a commercial application. This is for DIY boat work. If you are doing work commercially then the higher price machine may be worth it.

[Northern Spy]

I've gone through 3 pads on my Makita, 2 on my Porter Cable. Tossed the DeWalt before it wore out a pad. But it was abused.

Makita feels best in hand to me. Even if the dust bag is tiny and the vacuum hose only works if I tape it on.

I'd love a Festool, but I'd just ruin it. And then I'd cry.

I prefer Klingspor sandpaper when I can find it. Norton is pretty good too.

[DegoRed]

The two best sanders are FEIN & Festool end of story. I own both and have used both to the extreme. I used my FEIN to sand my entire second floor(4,000 sqft) Harwood Floors, then lent to my buddy who sanded his 3,000 sqft hardwood floors with it, and it still gets used in my shop.


I do however recommend just buying cheapest one sold at Home Depot, use the hell out of it and return it if you have any issues.

[Datenight]

Originally Posted by Northern Spy

I've gone through 3 pads on my Makita, 2 on my Porter Cable. Tossed the DeWalt before it wore out a pad. But it was abused.

Makita feels best in hand to me. Even if the dust bag is tiny and the vacuum hose only works if I tape it on.

I'd love a Festool, but I'd just ruin it. And then I'd cry.

I prefer Klingspor sandpaper when I can find it. Norton is pretty good too.

The photo below is example of when to change paper. While the grit is still good it has begun to load. The accumulated crud will start to leave more scratches than the paper can take out. The ragged edge is from catching a cast iron radiator leg. Was finishing a floor yesterday.

The paper is 100# 3M Regalite. Northern Spy I have probably gone through at least 20 pads on my 5" Porter Cable 7345 over the past 32 years.

Rob

[RonR]

Originally Posted by hollywood8118

To a point I agree with your statement above.

But if you actually use a RO sander a lot, or for tough low grit number work the high end sanders are worlds apart from the cheaper smaller lighter units. I purchase the Porter Cable units for our crews that run a bit over

$200 and have a decent vacuum hood. The weight of the unit is a considerable factor in how much material the sander can remove in a given time. I have used plenty of festool units and they are fantastic but just too pricey for the way the lads that work for me treat power tools. For my personal sander I use a 6" RO Porter cable angle head and it it the bomb for teak decks,bottom paint, cabin sides and larger flat surface areas. Most cabinet shops rely on these units so they must be doing something right
HOLLYWOOD

I would agree if you want the very best its a Festool.
For boat stuff I use a dewalt. For bottom paint removal I use the non-verable speed one. As they last about 3 boats and die. For everything else I use a verable speed dewalt. I even use it to wax the boat with the 5" foam pads from chemical brothers. And the only reason I chose dewalt... Local Ace Hardware always has them in stock, they plug into the vaccume system I have. Speaking of that.. I should go buy another cheap dewalt... bottom paint season starts next month!

[Dougcole]

Another vote for the Porter Cable 6". I bought mine in 2005 and It's my favorite tool I have ever owned. I use it on the boat (a lot) and around the house as well. After 16 years of heavy use it is still going strong. I recently used it to strip all of our home kitchen cabinet doors to bare wood and then strip 20 years of accumulated varnish off of our front door and two sidelights. Last week I used it to strip the old paint and corrosion off of our aluminum cockpit doors prior to refinishing them with awlgrip.



It will also slow down enough for delicate work. I use it with a foam and/or micro fiber bad to follow up after the high speed buffer when I do our gelcoat. It's great for polishing and applying the final wax coat. Not quite fast enough or big enough, IMO, for buffing off medium or heavier oxidation. That's the buffer's job.



I think you can get 5" wheels for it as well, though I have never tried, I always use the 6".


My only complaint is I keep losing the dang wrench that you need to get the wheel off and I can't find any other tool that will get it off. I've ordered four or five of the damn things. The others are somewhere in lost tool land.


Very versatile tool.



Since this is a boating board, here is a pic of our cockpit doors after refinishing.

[Comodave]

I prefer a 5” instead of a 6” for working on the boat. It will fit in tighter places. If I was just sanding the hull side then a 6” would be fine.

[firstbase]

Originally Posted by Dougcole

Another vote for the Porter Cable 6". I bought mine in 2005 and It's my favorite tool I have ever owned. I use it on the boat (a lot) and around the house as well. After 16 years of heavy use it is still going strong. I recently used it to strip all of our home kitchen cabinet doors to bare wood and then strip 20 years of accumulated varnish off of our front door and two sidelights. Last week I used it to strip the old paint and corrosion off of our aluminum cockpit doors prior to refinishing them with awlgrip.



It will also slow down enough for delicate work. I use it with a foam and/or micro fiber bad to follow up after the high speed buffer when I do our gelcoat. It's great for polishing and applying the final wax coat. Not quite fast enough or big enough, IMO, for buffing off medium or heavier oxidation. That's the buffer's job.



I think you can get 5" wheels for it as well, though I have never tried, I always use the 6".


My only complaint is I keep losing the dang wrench that you need to get the wheel off and I can't find any other tool that will get it off. I've ordered four or five of the damn things. The others are somewhere in lost tool land.


Very versatile tool.



Since this is a boating board, here is a pic of our cockpit doors after refinishing.

I happen to be looking for a RA sander right now and I appreciate the comments about your 2005 model. From what I see the same model made today is just not the same quality.