What sander for home use?

[Pat "5mph"]

This feels like an appropriate thread to remind folk that old paint can contain asbestos, which would not be a good thing to turn into dust!

I've no idea how prevalent it is/was. Test kits were about £20 last time i looked, at diy shop websites.

I will wear a mask, but the paint is not that old, maybe 20 years max.
Thanks for the warning.

 

[Jameshow]

I'd look at getting these abranet mesh sanding pads. As the mesh allows the dust to go through into the dust extractor.

https://www.axminstertools.com/mirk...rpV22qy3UNgR-Y0J-mpkB4erVrcj5lrAaAmJ6EALw_wcB

If your doing larger areas of skirting then a random orbital sander would be a better idea and save alot of time and frustration.

https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Corded-Random-Orbital-Sander---300W/p/223741?gclsrc=aw.ds&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PMAX Shopping||Power Tools&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20927228384&gbraid=0AAAAADs4IsZfVbq_Wr-oU6jf44Mvf-I0v

 

[screenman]

It will only need scratching up a bit, I would do it by hand using 120 grit and maybe a sponge sanding block for the dodgy bits, I do sell a Random Orbital sander here in the UK but I would not use it on that job. Jameshow gives some good advice if you do go down the machine route.

 

[oxoman]

If you're using a mains corded one, don't use a metal hose pipe or tube. I did that and got a nasty shock. Don't know if it was electric jumping out from the brushes, or a short somewhere. But plastic pipe only. May also have been static build up but it was a constant shock rather than a quick zap

It's static build up and can be quite unpleasant. Use vacuum hoses a lot at work and occasionally they give you a good tickle. Personally having watched a lot of painters over the yrs I'd hand sand unless lots of flat surfaces. The detail / mouse sanders can be good for panelled doors etc.

 

[oxoman]

This feels like an appropriate thread to remind folk that old paint can contain asbestos, which would not be a good thing to turn into dust!

I've no idea how prevalent it is/was. Test kits were about £20 last time i looked, at diy shop websites.

Most pre 2000 artex contained some asbestos. Paint however from around pre 1992 uk contained lead, yanks banned it in the 70s. Just put a mask on regardless.

 

[classic33]

As for keeping yourself clean, howabout one of these!

If it's dust in your hair, the hairnets worn at work will stop some of the dust. Use more than one at the same time.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

It will only need scratching up a bit, I would do it by hand using 120 grit and maybe a sponge sanding block for the dodgy bits,

I already did 2 door frames by hand: it works fine but I lost the will to live.
Remember, I've got another 8 to do, plus skirtings.
10 internal doors really is excessive in a 2 bedroom flat!

As for keeping yourself clean, howabout one of these!

Lololol I'd scare my cats!

 

[Psamathe]

Do you have to completely remove the old paint or just smooth out bits/key for repainting.

One problem with a lot of power sanders eg ⅓ sheet sanders is that they don't sand well into cornets and door frames have a lot (not just top but lengths of all the stop strips, What about mouldings.

I wonder if even with a power sanders you'll still be hand sanding along all 90° bits.

Ian

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Do you have to completely remove the old paint or just smooth out bits/key for repainting.

Just key for repainting

I wonder if even with a power sanders you'll still be hand sanding along all 90° bits.

I don't wonder, I know I will have to do this
There is also some sort of plastic seal embedded in the frames, for making the doors fit I think.
I'll not worry about them just now, because the joiner that will fit the new doors might remove them.

 

[Psamathe]

Just key for repainting

I don't wonder, I know I will have to do this
There is also some sort of plastic seal embedded in the frames, for making the doors fit I think.
I'll not worry about them just now, because the joiner that will fit the new doors might remove them.

Although I don't appreciate the detail of the task, situation, if just a key I'd probably be doing it by hand.

I'm late 60's and just finished painting all house windows and exterior doors, mist of which also needed some repair and filling and a key and I did it all by hand even though I already have a ⅓ sheet sander (actually 2, one new still in its box) and a power detail sander and a big belt sander, didn't bother with them.

Edit: If hand sanding make sure you use the right type of sandpaper (not only right grit). I find the yellow rolls from Brewers best for existing paint but anything will clog if you have leaking knots (used "knotting"). Brewers highly recommend for good quality stuff and excellent service.

Ian

 

[lazybloke]

Asbestos and lead are small fry compared to the horrifying sludge that collects in the salad tray of my fridge. Fortunately I have a crack team who can deal with it.

 

[Profpointy]

I have a rather excessive number of sanders, even though it's just for home use, but there are two I would not want to do without

Fein Multimaster - this is an oscillating tool, since copied by Bosch and others, presumably after the patents ran out. It is smoother running and much faster working than the orbital type of delta sander. I also use the saw blades fairly regularly too for fiddly jobs like cutting out rotten bits of wood or cutting a floorboard in situ. It's (arguably) not silly money even for the proper Fein version given how useful it is. Mine is mains powered and I am skeptical of battery sanders given they tend to get used continuously compared to a drill or saw. They also do an (even) more pro oriented model called the Supercut but I've never found the mulimaster in any way lacking and the Supercut is a lot dearer. There's also an even more expensive Festool branded version of the Supercut but even with its extra features even a festool fanboy like me couldn't bring myself to pay the money

I also have two Festool "rotex" random orbital sanders. This has a round pad which is driven in an orbital motion but is able to rotate freely which minimises swirl marks. The "rotex" setting drives the disc revolve as medium speed as well as the orbit proper for heavier sanding supposedly close to the aggressiveness of a belt sander. For things like woodwork the small 90mm model is really handy. It also has the ability to fit a delta pad (without the revolving) in a third mode of working. I tend to use this mode less because I also have the Fein. I also have the 125mm model, which I bought first. It does get used but the smaller one is more handy for windows or kitchen cupboards and such. If I'd got the 90mm first (it wasn't made when I bought the bigger one) I'd likely have stuck with that, and not gone for the 125 as well. That said I have managed to sand an entire floor with it, and that really would have been big job with the 90mm model, even if the 125 isn't really ideal size wise, so maybe having both is a worthwhile thing, though a 150 or a 4" belt sander would have been better still Sadly Fein kit is now even more brutally expensive than when I got mine, but it is good gear. The "rotex" patent, like the Fein patent, has now expired so the likes of Bosch and Makita are now available at a more accessible price. If it got pinched I would probably still buy the Festool on but there's no getting away from £500 being a hell of a lot of money. Bosch or Makita likely less than half that

Something to bear in mind with sanders is you do tent to use them for many hours at a stretch, even just for DIY so it is an area where it's arguably worth paying for pro equipment (even if you can't bring yourself to pay for the Festool) both for standing up to the usage, and that they are likely to be more comfortable and vibrate less than a cheapy

Both tools plug into the hoover for dust extraction, in my case a Festool tradesman's model which in fairness wasn't as stupidly expensive as most of their stuff

I also have an older 2 inch Bosch mini belt sander which I bought years ago. I bought it for doing windows and the like but it's not as useful as I'd hoped but is handy for shaping wood. In fixed-to-a-bench mode it's quite good for reshaping very worn knives, but I now have a better tool for that. I don't think they make these anymore.

Another I bought was a Festool "linear" sander. It looks like an orbital but goes fore-and-aft. Again I thought it would be good for windows and skirting board mouldings which are otherwise right pain to sand as you can fit rounded and shaped pads. Whilst I do use it, unlike the Fein and one-or-other Rotex, I'm not sure I really use it enough to be worth the money, and it vibrates more than the others due to its mechanism. That said it is the only thing that can do the job for some things.

 

[si_c]

No sanders have good dust extraction by default, you need a vacuum of some kind to pull the dust out. This also means that the sandpaper is effective for much longer as well. If you're doing a lot of sanding it's best to spend a bit more on a sander than you might think - vibration is a huge factor over a period of time, the mouse type sanders are really bad for this unfortunately as @Profpointy notes.

Realistically for a lot of surface area you need a random orbital sander - they tend to be a bit more aggressive than the 1/4 sheet sanders and will cut down the amount of time you spend. Given you already have the Bosch 18v batteries, you could look at the Bosch GEX185 which you can get for around £100 without the battery - ITS have them around that price. An alternative might be the M9204 Makita - it's corded so a little cheaper than the battery powered ones about £50. They're all the 125mm ones so sandpaper is cheap to come by.

The downside of a random orbital is they are a round pad, so for detail work you'll be back to sandpaper and a block.

For dust extraction you can use a regular hoover, but it'll get clogged up really quickly and can be a complete pain to clean after, a better option would be something designed for the job, but at that point unless you have other jobs that would be likely to use it then you're talking about cost escalation, but screwfix do a range of wet and dry vacs which would do the job. The upside is that if you do use proper dust extraction you won't need to worry about dust getting everywhere although using a mask is still a good idea.

 

[classic33]

No sanders have good dust extraction by default, you need a vacuum of some kind to pull the dust out. This also means that the sandpaper is effective for much longer as well. If you're doing a lot of sanding it's best to spend a bit more on a sander than you might think - vibration is a huge factor over a period of time, the mouse type sanders are really bad for this unfortunately as @Profpointy notes.

Realistically for a lot of surface area you need a random orbital sander - they tend to be a bit more aggressive than the 1/4 sheet sanders and will cut down the amount of time you spend. Given you already have the Bosch 18v batteries, you could look at the Bosch GEX185 which you can get for around £100 without the battery - ITS have them around that price. An alternative might be the M9204 Makita - it's corded so a little cheaper than the battery powered ones about £50. They're all the 125mm ones so sandpaper is cheap to come by.

The downside of a random orbital is they are a round pad, so for detail work you'll be back to sandpaper and a block.

For dust extraction you can use a regular hoover, but it'll get clogged up really quickly and can be a complete pain to clean after, a better option would be something designed for the job, but at that point unless you have other jobs that would be likely to use it then you're talking about cost escalation, but screwfix do a range of wet and dry vacs which would do the job. The upside is that if you do use proper dust extraction you won't need to worry about dust getting everywhere although using a mask is still a good idea.

That's something most don't think about until afterwards. By then it's too late.

 

[dicko]

My wife gave me a Black & Decker Mouse ten years ago. I use it constantly for every sanding job it’s so easy to use and very reliable.