Air orbital sander serviceable?

[Whiskeymike]

In a garage sale, I picked up two air sanders and two die grinders for $20. Got home, oiled everything up and all worked great except the orbital sander. When I press the paddle, air goes through it making an air swooshing sound, but it doesn’t move. I can spin the sanding pad and the orbiting piece and it doesn’t feel bound up.

Are these things typically serviceable? Should I try breaking it down? I don’t want to risk my $5 investment, but maybe I should throw caution to the wind...

 

[gungatim]

I've never had much luck fixing air tools, and I've tried many times. air chisels are the simplest, but anything that spins is going to have little micarta impellar blades that seal the body and slide in and out of slits in the main shaft.

I find they get stuck and don't centrifically spin out to seal, thus the air whoosh and no movement. I've tried sanding them lightly, cleaning them out, even using a brake hone on the main body to remove scratches from dirty air and gummy oils people use.

sometimes you can get them to work, but if the impellar blades need replacing, it cost more than a new tool does usually...

 

[sberry]

There is a regulator knob on most of them, they get turned down and often don't start.

 

[emeraldcoupe]

In a garage sale, I picked up two air sanders and two die grinders for $20. Got home, oiled everything up and all worked great except the orbital sander. When I press the paddle, air goes through it making an air swooshing sound, but it doesn’t move. I can spin the sanding pad and the orbiting piece and it doesn’t feel bound up.

Are these things typically serviceable? Should I try breaking it down? I don’t want to risk my $5 investment, but maybe I should throw caution to the wind...

yes, just take it apart and clean it good. the veins are most likely stuck as dirt and body filler dust usually works it's way into the body. those sanders are one of the easiest tools to take apart and clean / repair.

 

[Whiskeymike]

Sounds like a good tinkering project for this weekend. Thanks guys.