Recommend me the best cordless sander, please!

[Mad Doug Biker]

... As the thread suggests.

Let me explain, I am working on the cosmetic restoration of a train (2 Mk1 coaches at 19 meters long each) and we are currently sanding the paint down for repainting (roof, bodysides and underframe, so quite a job).

Now, it is only a small group of us and typically only one or two of us works on it at any time, so we have a small (but plucky) cordless Black and Decker 'Mouse' and several battery packs.

There is no mains electricity where we are, hence the cordless sander.

We have the umpteen batteries that can be charged up nearby for continuity during the day, but they only typically last about 45 mins or less, so, I am asking, are there any superior systems out there to the Black And Decker?

Thing is, I am considering getting another Black And Decker sander if we kill/wear out the only one we have (it's had some pretty serious use so far!) and the battery packs seems to be fairly interchangable between the different 'systems' (one of ours came from a cordless drill for example) but I am curious as to how people have found other makes in comparison?

Value for money, over all usefulness/toughness and battery life are the two main criteria.

Thanks.

 

[Electric_Andy]

I rate DeWalt very highly. I don't know if it's out of your budget though, as the cordless orbital sander seems quite a lot (£190 in Toolstation), and then you need a battery on top of that. For long periods of use I'd say at least a 5aH. I have a corded cheapo sander and it is very good, so if you can get an unbranded cordless then I would think it would do a decent job, it would just have fewer features and perhaps the dust collector poorly designed (like mine) but will do the job. And batteries for it would be cheaper.

I have an unbranded chinese impact wrench which came with a 4aH battery for £60 - it's every bit as rugged as the Dewalt, but the battery IMO shows it's budget, in that it hasn't quite held it's charge over 4 years whereas the DeWalt still delivers like new. But that might not be an issue for you.

Also IME the mouse sanders are only for detail, they are quite poor at big flat work as it's harder to apply even pressure due to the pointed end. And of course they have less surface area to begin with. The round ones are easier to hold in your palm and much more comfortable and more efficient.

Just looking online - Draper, Einhell, Trend all do cordless ones for 50-70. It would just be a case of which does the biggest battery and the cost trade-off between batteries of the different brands versus the cost of the bare unit. If it were me, I'd go for the best priced largest battery and the bare unit would perform much of a muchness across brands

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I rate DeWalt very highly. I don't know if it's out of your budget though, as the cordless orbital sander seems quite a lot (£190 in Toolstation), and then you need a battery on top of that. For long periods of use I'd say at least a 5aH. I have a corded cheapo sander and it is very good, so if you can get an unbranded cordless then I would think it would do a decent job, it would just have fewer features and perhaps the dust collector poorly designed (like mine) but will do the job. And batteries for it would be cheaper.

I have an unbranded chinese impact wrench which came with a 4aH battery for £60 - it's every bit as rugged as the Dewalt, but the battery IMO shows it's budget, in that it hasn't quite held it's charge over 4 years whereas the DeWalt still delivers like new. But that might not be an issue for you.

Also IME the mouse sanders are only for detail, they are quite poor at big flat work as it's harder to apply even pressure due to the pointed end. And of course they have less surface area to begin with. The round ones are easier to hold in your palm and much more comfortable and more efficient.

Just looking online - Draper, Einhell, Trend all do cordless ones for 50-70. It would just be a case of which does the biggest battery and the cost trade-off between batteries of the different brands versus the cost of the bare unit. If it were me, I'd go for the best priced largest battery and the bare unit would perform much of a muchness across brands

Thanks. Regarding the mouse, it was the first thing we bought as it seemed ok at the time.
As for evenness of pressure what I tend to do is use different areas of the sand paper pad as I go, so I'll press down at say, the top until the paper is done, then I'll do the same at the sides, then the bottom, etc. We have never had the 'finger' on it.
Despite being for detail, it is quite good at getting things back to the bare metal, so it has proved it's worth up until now.

I do realise we are asking a lot of it and it if makes it to the end, well, it's remains will have to be an exhibit in our eventual museum! 😆

Anyway, thanks, lots to think about there!

 

[Threevok]

Dewalt for me. Get XR if your going cordless, as the motors are brushless and last longer.

Look out for bundle deals too. Sometimes you can get a battery, charger and T-Lock case included, and sometimes even another tool

 

[Gwylan]

A vote for Makita.
A trick is to buy Chinese tools and Makita batteries and charger.
Any fool can make the tool, good safe batteries and charger need a bit more care and responsibility

 

[MontyVeda]

The best sander is the one with good quality sandpaper on it... the 3m purple stuff is the dogs. It's not cheap but you'll save money in the long run.

 

[Electric_Andy]

Yes good point, like most tools will do the job but it's the quality of the wearble items/accesories that can make so much of a difference. Drill bits are a fine example!

 

[Gwylan]

*Stupid Question Of The WEEEEEEEEK!*

Now, here's a thing, I know it is generally not good to do this, but with batteries and so on all being so similar, if at the same voltages, could you in theory, charge and use, say, a DeWalt battery on Black and Decker chargers and vice versa, also what about using them on the sanders if they fit?

Ok? Bad? Are they all really a much of a muchness or will it all ruin your equipment and catch fire or something? 🤔

... Asking for a friend...

Erm? The manufacturer's generally have different ways of attaching the battery to the charger.
Part of their dark side marketing is to avoid you thinking all batteries and chargers are inter changeable

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Erm? The manufacturer's generally have different ways of attaching the battery to the charger.
Part of their dark side marketing is to avoid you thinking all batteries and chargers are inter changeable

Yeah they just look similar in the pictures, but just a general (and probably very stupid) question ☺️😆

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

A vote for Makita.
A trick is to buy Chinese tools and Makita batteries and charger.
Any fool can make the tool, good safe batteries and charger need a bit more care and responsibility

Duly noted also 👍

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

A vote for Makita.
A trick is to buy Chinese tools and Makita batteries and charger.
Any fool can make the tool, good safe batteries and charger need a bit more care and responsibility

For fairness, I might end up having the 3 different systems in the end as we do sometimes have work days where 3 or 4 of us work on it all at the same time, so thanks.

It also helps us review it all and help our decisions in the future as we will be doing this again in the future when we change the train's livery once more.

The simple fact is that we are doing this without really knowing what the fcuk we are doing.

 

[Jameshow]

I would look at which system you want to buy into down the line. DeWalt, Busch Makita Ryobi etc.

Ryobi adequate tbh for hobby use. The rest a trade rated.

 

[Gwylan]

Yeah they just look similar in the pictures, but just a general (and probably very stupid) question ☺️😆

Have to agree with you.
On weird chinese websites you can buy adaptors to power usb & things.
As you can see I don't only waste time here.

 

[newts]

Sanders are power hungry & will eat batteries for breakfast. 4 or 5ah batteries would be a minimum to get get a decent run time. Dewalt has been my cordless choice for many years, tools/batteries always been reliable. Personally I wouldn't be sanding old paint without having dust extraction connected to the sander (hepa filters). The absolute dogz nutz would be Festool m class cordless extractor coupled to a rotex cordless sander with abranet abrasive, ££££ but very efficient at removing g paint.