Makita sander

[BurtEggley]

A couple years ago I bought a Makita palm sander. It came with its own bag. When I used it to sand some areas of paint, it did fine sanding the paint, but I never could figure how to make the bag work correctly. The holes in the paper are in the right place, the path is open, but sanding dust went everywhere except into the bag. This is the first one like that I have owned. All the others are older and designed to send dust everywhere. I did buy an adapter to hook the output up to a hose so a shop vac could pull from it, but it is a headache trying to sand a door frame and drag a hose around. Any suggestions?

 

[The Cobbler]

new? used? sounds like it's plugged up or the fan is not working right

 

[Beerhippie]

No, it sounds like it's working as designed--poorly. Hooking it up to a shop vac/dust collector will help. A proper hose will make all the difference in the world.

Here's what I use:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0849L76XM?tag=atomicindus08-20

The hose is much more flexible--and longer--than the plastic hoses that come with a shop vac. It now lives on my shop vac for just that reason.

When sanding large projects--like tables or doors--I hang the hose over my shoulder to keep it out of the way and keep the weight off the sander.

You'll also want to get a filter bag for your shop vac. Another world of difference thing. Much finer dust collection than the stock filter, and much more capacity before it clogs up. Sander dust is fine stuff. Filter bags can be found at your local hardware store.

A bonus to using the vac is increased sandpaper life and a better finish--sander dust accumulating under the paper leaves marks.

 

[BurtEggley]

thank you. I'll take a look at that hose. Already have filter bags and sometimes use a cyclone with it for the glass bead cabinet.

As to the fan in the sander - don't know what else to do with it. The holes are open, the fan is part of the armature and spins. The slots are open. The fan just doesn't pull a lot of debris from the under and around the paper when sanding.

 

[manwithtools]

Normal operation for a typical palm sander. A sander designed for dust extraction will leave hardly any dust when used with a proper extractor (fancy HEPA vacuum cleaner). This results in a better sanded finish as well. problem is those sanders are expensive. Your best bet is to use a vacuum with your sander as others have suggested and not to expect much dust collection at all when used with the little bag.

 

[Kscardsfan]

I've yet to have a sander with a dust bag do much good on collecting any actual dust.

 

[RTM]

I've yet to have a sander with a dust bag do much good on collecting any actual dust.

Much better at the bag falling off at inopportune moments, spilling what little dust it did collect all over the front of whatever clean surface was nearby.