corded drill for sanding/'non drilling' tasks?

[cheechi]

Please feel free to correct me. I think I know what I want but I'd rather rely on experience than assumptions.

So I saw this kit
and I kind of thought I want it. And I still do but I don't do detail work.

What I do is sanding of big stuff that generally I use a corded drill for. The problem is the thing is heavy and off balance when you're trying to sand with the disc and keep contact with the work its fighting against you. I haven't yet found a good orientation that I can work for more than a few minutes at a time without readjusting. I don't know if this is exactly the drill I have but it's very similar. no hammer, big fat body, side handle.

So here's what I think I want. Can you recommend me a corded drill that has a side handle (or threading, or even enough on the body as I have some spare handles with the collar) that is either a more compact/balanced (balance-able?) body, or maybe a lighter drill. I don't know how powerful of a drill I really need to run a sanding disc and these but I know it can't be all that much needed since cordless drills are typically used.

I know I could use a cordless. But they typically have their own set of balancing issues. For quick jobs or something like headlight polishing I use the cordless. But I am planning on some of these things potentially taking hours, or coming back to it a little every day type thing. I think corded might be the best option in that case, but I'm basing that on how I have been doing it not really saying it's definitely the best.

What do you suggest?

 

[ZRX61]

A drill doesn't appear to be the correct tool for the work you have, why not buy a sander?

 

[cheechi]

Have several sanders, sometimes I need also to use a drum sander or disc attached to a drill.

 

[JKady]

Any decent brand half inch corded drill would likely do just fine for you. You want some grunt since sanding takes a surprising amount of power.

 

[ZRX61]

Just remember that the bearings in drills aren't designed for side loads

 

[Woodworker99]

I think the RPM on a typical drill is TOO slow to be effective. Also, the shape and location of the handle does not offer enough leverage. What about using a mini grinder with a flap sanding disk?

 

[Zeke]

A perfect tool for this is an air powered right angle, light weight, high speed grinder with a chuck. Used them all the time doing auto fiberglass work with the rolock discs.

 

[cheechi]

well I have an angle grinder just for flap discs and I use that sometimes too. Basically the drill can get within the bucket of a wheelbarrow, for example. RO sanders you can't get into the corners effectively, the drill with the wide sanding pad it can get in there some. The angle grinder is awkward getting in there all the way.

I also have a die grinder. Maybe that was a bad example though, but it's the first that comes to mind for sanding specifically.

Focusing on the drill brushes which are surprisingly effective for anything that really needs to be scrubbed (read lazy wife, if things are really messy it's up to me to scrub it hard) that's where the drill is a better choice than say a grinder, dremel, what have you. I don't want to scrub stains out of carpet at 10k rpms let alone 20k, but a few hundred to 1500 or so is feasible just not as comfortable as it could be. That's my thinking.

And yes before you say it, I have a good supply of Old Fashoned(tm) Elbow Grease.