DA Sander Recommendation?

[John in OH]

I've got a couple of old tractors that I'd like to paint this winter and was wondering what the general consensus recommendation would be for a moderately priced (under $100) pneumatic DA sander? Probably 6" size?

Is there any benefit between the self-adhesive discs and the hook-loop type?

 

[rlitman]

Self adhesive is cheaper in bulk, but they can only be re-adhered a couple of times. Velcro type costs more, but can be re-applied many times.

If you sand a lot, or if you can dedicate one sander to one grit, sticky pads save you some money. If you're changing pads several times before a pad is worn out, hood-loop makes more sense.

Sub $100 for a good DA is tight. FWIW, I have 6", but 5" is a more popular size.

 

[Davefr]

I like Sioux but make sure you read the specs carefully. These things consume something like 15 CFM @ 90 PSI and sanding is usually done at high duty cycles. You'll need a decent size compressor to keep up. Sioux might be higher then your budget but they're good quality.

I personally prefer electric because I hate listening to a compressor running continuously I also hate wrestling with a stiff pneumatic hose.

I'd go PSA discs because they're cheaper.

 

[5ktq]

Yeah they are all very thirsty for air, We have a decent size air compressor and it can't really keep up.

Now we need a bigger air compressor.

 

[MountaineerMiner]

There are different styles to consider, 2 handed handle style or 1 handed palm style, I much prefer the palm style. There are also different throws for more or less aggressive sanding, say 5/16 or 3/8 for removing stock, 1/4 and 3/16 for all around, and 3/32 for fine finishing. It depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

Personally I have been running the $50 HF model for years, dont really take care of it and it has been just fine. I have used both the hook and loop and stick on pads. You can purchase new pads, they are a wear item. I put a good 3M pad on the HF unit and it was night and day. I also dont recommend going cheap on the abrasive, the cheap ones that do stick will tear when trying to remove them and leave paper stuck to the disc. Good ones peel right off.

I dont really reuse abrasive, I found my time was worth more than a new disc and running a disc longer than it should wastes time. I dont have any complaints about a hook and loop, I just like the feel of the stick on style more. The interface with the material you are sanding feels more natural to me.

As I said I have been running the better HF model. They have a cheaper vacuum style one that was nowhere near as good that I started with. When I buy a new sander for the metal shop it will likely be a Dynabrade or 3M. You can pick up used ones on ebay for less than $100 and the airmotors can be rebuilt in them. I will probably get a 3/16-1/4" throw.

There are also different horsepower's to consider, but I dont have any advise there. I assume like other air tools, higher the HP, the more CFM and louder, but the more torque available for hogging.

Another thing to consider is non-vacuum, vacuum, and self generated vacuum. I have tried both vacuum and non-vacuum and although the vacuum style was cleaner it was more cumbersome with the hose, louder (vacuum running), and one more step to setup. The abrasive is also generally more expensive. If anyone has an opinion on the self generated style I would like to hear about them, maybe the middle of the road between the two???

Mike

 

[RV8guy]

Dynabrade 3/16 orbit

 

[toplessHO]

If you really value your hands go with a Hutchins

 

[speed bump]

I like my Dyanbrade as it beats me up less than the cheap sanders I had before it, but, it is out of your price range.

The HF vacuum sander I used before was okay for smaller projects and hits your budget though.

 

[dnschmidt]

In my experience AirVantage makes the best random orbit sanders. They also made all of 3M's random orbits until 3M made their deal with Festool. My friend Dennis who owns a MAACO uses them exclusively and beats the living **** out of them and they keep on going.

The latest model Hutchins is garbage. The 4500 and the plastic version of the 4500 were outstanding but the latest lightweight plastic model *****.

Same is true of Dynabrade. The Supreme is great, the Spirit blows.

 

[dogdog]

I have two of these I used for sanding... electric though and works fine...well... around water you have to be a bit careful but it is nothing too scary...

https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-57-amp-heavy-duty-dual-action-variable-speed-polisher-69924.html

 

[ChrisLS8]

Any reason you are using air over corded? I have the ryobi corner cat and the Ridgid DA and both have been great

 

[MountaineerMiner]

I gave away a Porter Cable electric DA very similar to the HF one posted above. It was well made but no where near as smooth as ANY air DA I have ran. It was like running an angle grinder that jumped around a lot more than usual.

The only electric DA I would consider as a replacement for an air DA is a DC brushless from either Mirca or 3M. They start at $500, only reason I don’t own one. If there is a comparable electric DA available from an Asian importer for a fraction of the cost I would try it in a second, I just have not found it yet.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Steve_P]

If you want to strip paint adapt a pad to a (real) variable speed electric buffer.

I have a dynabrade air sander that's awesome. But to strip paint I use my Makita electric 9227c buffer

 

[MountaineerMiner]

If you want to strip paint adapt a pad to a (real) variable speed electric buffer.

I have a dynabrade air sander that's awesome. But to strip paint I use my Makita electric 9227c buffer

I am running the same one with a flap wheel, its a hog. Bit of a different tool, it can gouge the surface real quick.

 

[sberry]

There is a difference if you are a career painter,, sometimes. I don't send a lot, a generic one works fine and I like 6 inch with sticky paper. We removed all the art work on the side of a box truck with one,,, way more sanding than a guy can do on most tractors.
Get about 3 grits, 80/150/220. I have a roll of 320 but use it so little it last forever and wouldn't buy it again for this kind of work.

 

[Alaniho]

Dynabrade is hard to beat for quality, the supreme is built like a tank and I have seen these run in heavy industrial use for years when kept properly. The Spirit built to a price point but is still much better than the others in this price range. In the US the red spirit is not far off the OP's budget and even better value than we get in Europe.

 

[sberry]

Tires hung.

 

[speed bump]

Any reason you are using air over corded? I have the ryobi corner cat and the Ridgid DA and both have been great

The biggest one to me would be lack of power and in some cases RPM/orbit range. My 5" Ridgid cant touch my cheap 5" pneumatic sander.

I will admit I really want to see if the 6+ Amp 6" Bosch is competitive with my Dynabrades for rough work due to the power consumption of my air compressor. The Mirka would be cool to try as well but there is no way I am going to buy a $500 sander without getting a couple hours of use first.

 

[MountaineerMiner]

The Mirka would be cool to try as well but there is no way I am going to buy a $500 sander without getting a couple hours of use first.

This is what has me stuck. That's a lot of money for a sander. I looked into the AirVANTAGE sanders dnschmidt mentioned, and they are a dead ringer for the older 3M sanders. I didn't even know 3M got out of the game!!!

They are selling the brushless DC sanders for $300 with the power supply now. This is closer to screwit territory when bonus season rolls around. One thing I don't like is the cheap looking little gold "Made in Taiwan" sticker they didn't remove for all of there marketing photos. Atleast its not mainland China I guess!

 

[John in OH]

So, since there aren't extensive flat panels on tractors, would a 5" DA be better or more useful and effective than a 6"?

Are there any pros or cons to vacuum vs. non-vacuum types?

 

[toplessHO]

In my experience AirVantage makes the best random orbit sanders. They also made all of 3M's random orbits until 3M made their deal with Festool. My friend Dennis who owns a MAACO uses them exclusively and beats the living **** out of them and they keep on going.

The latest model Hutchins is garbage. The 4500 and the plastic version of the 4500 were outstanding but the latest lightweight plastic model *****.

Same is true of Dynabrade. The Supreme is great, the Spirit blows.

Sad to hear that Hutchins has watered down the quality
my 4500 is about 25 yrs old and only parts are a couple pads,which is considered a consumable.I paid $150 cash for it as a Xmas present to myself.

 

[sberry]

I like a 6, cuts way faster.

 

[rlitman]

...Are there any pros or cons to vacuum vs. non-vacuum types?

I have two Dynabrade Supreme sanders (an older 10kRPM, and a newer 12kRPM), both with self-generating vacuum.

The venturi vacuum reduces your power in theory, but I don't think by an amount you can feel. You can still hook the hose up to a real vacuum for even better suction and less dust in the air (if you're dry sanding), but the venturi does a decent job of inflating and filling the vacuum collection bag.

On my older DA which I dedicate for buffing, I removed the venturi and have a solid pad fitted. I can always put the vacuum back.

If you're sanding, vacuum clears the debris from the grit, making it cut faster without clogging.

 

[txvwnut]

If you really value your hands go with a Hutchins

This right here, one of the da sanders I’ve ever used.