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Anybody else here own a Mirka Ceros?
- Thread starter Bill R.
- Start date
****! This is the problem with reading this forum. You order a nice bosch random orbital and before you even put it to task, some guy posts something about a mirka something or the other. You bought some mirka discs to go with the bosch, so you do a google search. Half and hour later, you've watched a bunch of promo videos, read a bunch of reviews from seasoned woodworkers, you're wiping the drool off your keyboard and trying to figure out how you can justify, errrr...nevermind, time to log off before I spend more money!
Enjoy...that's a nice machine you got there!
Enjoy...that's a nice machine you got there!
****! This is the problem with reading this forum. You order a nice bosch random orbital and before you even put it to task, some guy posts something about a mirka something or the other. You bought some mirka discs to go with the bosch, so you do a google search. Half and hour later, you've watched a bunch of promo videos, read a bunch of reviews from seasoned woodworkers, you're wiping the drool off your keyboard and trying to figure out how you can justify, errrr...nevermind, time to log off before I spend more money!
Enjoy...that's a nice machine you got there!
Thanks, I currently own just about every random orbit sander made, it took me that long to get to the Mirka.... I even have a 3 inch metabo random orbit. I wanted something electric that was equal to or better than the dynabrade's i've used.. With a alto wap vacum connected to the mirka ceros its finally as good as i wanted.
rlitman
Well-known member
It sounds like there finally is an electric that is equal to a Dynabrade. I've got plenty of compressor so I'm not switching any time soon, but yes, that looks like the first electric sander I've seen that I could be truly happy with.
I do use Mirka pads on my Dynabrades. Mirka is first class, and certainly in the same caliber as Dynabrade, and I'd easily take this sander over even a Festool.
I do use Mirka pads on my Dynabrades. Mirka is first class, and certainly in the same caliber as Dynabrade, and I'd easily take this sander over even a Festool.
rlitman
Well-known member
Now that I think more about it, it really isn't even that crazy expensive.
I have to take into consideration that my only reason for going with a compressor as large as I have, is so that I could run a Dynabrade.
Between the cost of an 80 gallon compressor, the cost of wiring such a beast, the floor space it takes up, the cost of a Dynabrade (hey, those aren't cheap either), and the compressor noise while sanding, I could easily have bought a 60 gallon compressor to run my impact tools, die grinders, and nailers, and still have had plenty of money for one of these (or two, if I used the retail price difference between a 60 and 80 gallon compressor, and don't take into consideration the deal I got on mine).
Well made pneumatic motors have a lifespan (especially in harsh environments) that is legendary, but DC brushless are just as good.
Now, the downsides:
My old Dynabrade is 10000 RPM (same speed as the Ceros). My new one is 12000RPM.
The Ceros voltage is low, so it is probably safe to use to some degree for wet sanding (I guess it would be good for any automotive purpose), but when I use my Dynabrade with diamond pads on granite, I'm showering it with water, and that's more than I'd be comfortable with, with any electric tool.
I have to take into consideration that my only reason for going with a compressor as large as I have, is so that I could run a Dynabrade.
Between the cost of an 80 gallon compressor, the cost of wiring such a beast, the floor space it takes up, the cost of a Dynabrade (hey, those aren't cheap either), and the compressor noise while sanding, I could easily have bought a 60 gallon compressor to run my impact tools, die grinders, and nailers, and still have had plenty of money for one of these (or two, if I used the retail price difference between a 60 and 80 gallon compressor, and don't take into consideration the deal I got on mine).
Well made pneumatic motors have a lifespan (especially in harsh environments) that is legendary, but DC brushless are just as good.
Now, the downsides:
My old Dynabrade is 10000 RPM (same speed as the Ceros). My new one is 12000RPM.
The Ceros voltage is low, so it is probably safe to use to some degree for wet sanding (I guess it would be good for any automotive purpose), but when I use my Dynabrade with diamond pads on granite, I'm showering it with water, and that's more than I'd be comfortable with, with any electric tool.
Yes I just got a 6" 5mm orbit Mirka Ceros with a bunch of boxes of the abranet pads - - my first impressions. I paid like $999 at Beaver Industrial Supply for the Extractor and the sander combination.
First impressions are always the glossiest aren’t they? One is stupid with New Tool Lust and that fresh whiff of factory air is intoxicating. After one has owned a thing for maybe a year you see the flaws the weaknesses and the things you’d have like to have been done better.
I can remember the first happy day with my Triton 3.25 HP router. A year later I was less enthusiastic. Crappy threads on the collet, crappy this, and that. I was upset that Triton made such an unsophisticated machine. So I reviewed it after that year.
Well I digress:
I didn’t get the Extractor yet - Fed Ex still has it somewhere in Fly Over America or maybe it’s having tea with some rich Doctor’s kids in Schenectady NY. Well, wherever it is, it ain’t here.
So that leaves me hooking it up to my Rigid Shop Vac. I used Blue Tape to make the connection between the hoses.
Power:
There’s oodles of power. But you don’t know how much power there is until you lean on it. It doesn’t yank you around, it’s smooth, smooth as silk. When you lean on it is doesn’t slow down.
Speeds:
Speeds go up and down depending on whether the paddle is set to variable mode or the user pushes a speed button. It go from 4 – 10 thousand rpm. I was shocked at how fast it can go.
I’m doing sheet rock compound right now so I’m using some intermediate speed. This seems to send less dust out.
Pads:
They are Velcro people. Velcro. Abranet is the standard that comes with it though I’m sure any Velcro backed pad would work so long as it has holes in it for the vacuum.
In sheetrock mud I started out using 80 grit and switched to 100 The pads seem to last a long time as compared to regular paper.
The pads are not cheap. Compared to sheet paper and my quarter sheet Porter Cable Speed Blok (my older sanders) the stuff is like gritty gold but the Abranet pads stand up pretty well so far as I can tell and I can peel off one and switch grits really fast – really fast - - mere seconds - and not waste the pad I just removed and swap around at leisure, so I’m thinking it’s worth the Money.
Ease of use:
Well it’s got a hose & a power cord so there’s that. But I have never used a hosed tool before and I gotta say, I’m not finding it much of an inconvenience. It seems as though the hose is not there until I’m coming down off a latter or stand, then I gotta watch for it.
It handles - - well - - almost intuitively. PUT THE THING ON THE WORK BEFORE HITTING POWER and it makes less dust. If you don’t - - if you engage power before applying it to the work there’s a puff of dust when it lands. The thing is powerful enough that it doesn’t stall or stutter when it’s sitting on the work before engaging power.
It seems to glide over the work and seems not to be doing anything, but it’s doing plenty. This machine gets the job done fast, fast, fast.
Dust control:
Flawless. Absolutely marvelously perfectly flawless. I’m not using the Dust Extractor that comes with it. I’m using a Rigid shopvac. The sander does a great job of capturing all the dust –
I’m sanding Sheetrock mud Lots and lots of it because the walls are really beat and if you have ever done this you know what the dust is like. It’s horrible. It’s everywhere, it gets in your eyes and hurts, and hair & thick and nasty, and spreads throughout the house and you are eating it for weeks because it creeps into the cabinets and the food - - - and - - - well - - MOMMY~!!!!!
Yah but with the Ceros there is no dust.
I’m sanding without a mask - - and - - well - - I don’t need one. There’s no dust.
A complaint:
The vacuum hose connection to the sander is a little tricky. They used the left hand thread of the hose’s spiral. I thought it was a bit of a cheap out. On the up side; if the hose splits (it is just plastic) from wear at the junction point you can just shorten the hose by a couple inches and be at it all over again. So maybe they did think it through. But it just seems a tad cheap.
Worth it?
Well - - Like I said, I’m just doing sheetrock mud for now so I’ll know more when I’m trying to get a fine finish on some pretty wood. But so far, I’m sold. I ain’t sending it back.
First impressions are always the glossiest aren’t they? One is stupid with New Tool Lust and that fresh whiff of factory air is intoxicating. After one has owned a thing for maybe a year you see the flaws the weaknesses and the things you’d have like to have been done better.
I can remember the first happy day with my Triton 3.25 HP router. A year later I was less enthusiastic. Crappy threads on the collet, crappy this, and that. I was upset that Triton made such an unsophisticated machine. So I reviewed it after that year.
Well I digress:
I didn’t get the Extractor yet - Fed Ex still has it somewhere in Fly Over America or maybe it’s having tea with some rich Doctor’s kids in Schenectady NY. Well, wherever it is, it ain’t here.
So that leaves me hooking it up to my Rigid Shop Vac. I used Blue Tape to make the connection between the hoses.
Power:
There’s oodles of power. But you don’t know how much power there is until you lean on it. It doesn’t yank you around, it’s smooth, smooth as silk. When you lean on it is doesn’t slow down.
Speeds:
Speeds go up and down depending on whether the paddle is set to variable mode or the user pushes a speed button. It go from 4 – 10 thousand rpm. I was shocked at how fast it can go.
I’m doing sheet rock compound right now so I’m using some intermediate speed. This seems to send less dust out.
Pads:
They are Velcro people. Velcro. Abranet is the standard that comes with it though I’m sure any Velcro backed pad would work so long as it has holes in it for the vacuum.
In sheetrock mud I started out using 80 grit and switched to 100 The pads seem to last a long time as compared to regular paper.
The pads are not cheap. Compared to sheet paper and my quarter sheet Porter Cable Speed Blok (my older sanders) the stuff is like gritty gold but the Abranet pads stand up pretty well so far as I can tell and I can peel off one and switch grits really fast – really fast - - mere seconds - and not waste the pad I just removed and swap around at leisure, so I’m thinking it’s worth the Money.
Ease of use:
Well it’s got a hose & a power cord so there’s that. But I have never used a hosed tool before and I gotta say, I’m not finding it much of an inconvenience. It seems as though the hose is not there until I’m coming down off a latter or stand, then I gotta watch for it.
It handles - - well - - almost intuitively. PUT THE THING ON THE WORK BEFORE HITTING POWER and it makes less dust. If you don’t - - if you engage power before applying it to the work there’s a puff of dust when it lands. The thing is powerful enough that it doesn’t stall or stutter when it’s sitting on the work before engaging power.
It seems to glide over the work and seems not to be doing anything, but it’s doing plenty. This machine gets the job done fast, fast, fast.
Dust control:
Flawless. Absolutely marvelously perfectly flawless. I’m not using the Dust Extractor that comes with it. I’m using a Rigid shopvac. The sander does a great job of capturing all the dust –
I’m sanding Sheetrock mud Lots and lots of it because the walls are really beat and if you have ever done this you know what the dust is like. It’s horrible. It’s everywhere, it gets in your eyes and hurts, and hair & thick and nasty, and spreads throughout the house and you are eating it for weeks because it creeps into the cabinets and the food - - - and - - - well - - MOMMY~!!!!!
Yah but with the Ceros there is no dust.
I’m sanding without a mask - - and - - well - - I don’t need one. There’s no dust.
A complaint:
The vacuum hose connection to the sander is a little tricky. They used the left hand thread of the hose’s spiral. I thought it was a bit of a cheap out. On the up side; if the hose splits (it is just plastic) from wear at the junction point you can just shorten the hose by a couple inches and be at it all over again. So maybe they did think it through. But it just seems a tad cheap.
Worth it?
Well - - Like I said, I’m just doing sheetrock mud for now so I’ll know more when I’m trying to get a fine finish on some pretty wood. But so far, I’m sold. I ain’t sending it back.