I'm confused about palm sanders...

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8

8-Ball

I've got a Makita palm sander. I bought the adhesive rolls and the pad for it years ago and have been very happy with it. However, it is starting to show signs of giving out...

What are you kids using these days...?

Should I just plan on a new Makita... or is the Porter Cable better...?

Hook and look seems expensive to keep in paper... or is the move towards these mice triangular shaped gizmos...?

I've been happy with the Makita palm sander, just not sure if I missed the boat on something far better...

Thanks in advance for your thoughts...
 

Joe Scharle

New User
Joe
Hook & loop for me. I can go through 3 grits in the same time I can peel the adhesive off for 1 change. Really handy on my 12" disk.
 

Henry W

Henry
Corporate Member
I haven't used my palm sander since ROS

The day I received a Ridgid Random Orbit sander (maybe my best birthday present ever?) is the day my still functioning pad sander got dusty. I am not sure I have used it in the last 4 or 5 years. I keep it around in case I need to get closer to a corner on a project, but I guess it hasn't happened yet.

I'm like Joe. In my use I runs though several grits on a project (i.e. 100, 120, 150, sometimes through 180 220 320) in a single session; so although the per piece costs are more for sandpaper, I get more use use out of each piece of paper. Hook and loop makes sense when I change grits so often - I change grits long before I wear out the piece.

I have the 6" Ridgid version of ROS; this is is bigger, heavier and more aggressive than a pad sander and it has fairly effective dust collection. It also has a "speed control" (1-6) for times when I want to work less aggressively. For my uses, all of those things are pluses.

IF I had to sand something in place overhead (hard to imagine what that might be, but it's possible) I might reach for my pad sander (once my arms got too tired with my ROS). Since the ROS is so much faster, it would be trade-off of weight vs time.

So in your case I not buy another pad sander. I would recommend you consider either a 5" or 6" ROS. You may have reasons to want a 1/4 sheet pad sander, but I can't imagine going back to one myself.

Henry W
hwynands@ieee.org
 

sushinutnc

New User
Mike
I needed a detail sander a couple years ago and bought a mouse (B&D), thinking I'd get the advantages of a palm and detail sander in one. I already had a small random orbital sander. I actually broke the first one I had after attaching a detail attachment to the tip. I returned it, assuming it was a defect... it literally broke within 3 minutes of using it. After looking over the replacement a little more closely (and then reading numerous reviews on Amazon), I realized it's just typical Black & Decker quality problems. That being said, I actually do like the sander. I'm just very careful with the detail tips (which I rarely use). Without the tips, it works great. I usually buy the cheapest hook and loop pads and cut them to size.
 
T

toolferone

I agree the ROS is a better choice, but if you have one and you still use and want to replace the 1/4 sheet sander then the top of the line is the Porter Cable 330 speed bloc.
 

jhreed

New User
james
I bought the Porter Cable 390, about $100.00 but worth it. Low profile Enduratek brushless motor. Motor brake reduces spin down time 73%, 42% faster material removal. Super quiet and good dust control. This is a random orbit sander. I now have sanders that I do not use (belt sander, 1/4 sheet finish sander, & makita ros) The PC is also variable speed.
James
 

Glennbear

Moderator
Glenn
A few years ago I received my first H&L ROS as part of a DeWalt Planer promotion. It has become my go to sander for most jobs and I now own a couple similar. I still use my Makita pad sander with paper clamps for final finish sanding because I can use very fine grits all the way up to 600 and it beats final hand sanding. :wsmile:
 

gator

George
Corporate Member
I don't know if they still do or not, but when I got my Ridgid 5" ROS, it came with both a H&L pad and a PSA pad. The sander is great and if it still comes with both pads you can have it both ways.

George

PS: I forgot, I had, a long time ago, a Makita 5" ROS Palm Sander. It had no handle, just a palm grip. It finally bit the dust and I couldn't get it fixed and Makita had stopped making that model. I cried.

George
 
8

8-Ball

Wow... thanks for all the thoughtful responses...

All of the ROS sanders you speak of have round pads.... how do you sand inside a drawer box or inside a cabinet box...? I might be able to use a round pad as a secondary sander, but I do too much in the way of cabinets not to be able to sand an inside corner...

I've never owned Rigid anything... I'll have to check into the round sander as an option... There are times when a belt sander is too aggressive and the pad sander is too soft...

PS: I forgot, I had, a long time ago, a Makita 5" ROS Palm Sander. It had no handle, just a palm grip. It finally bit the dust and I couldn't get it fixed and Makita had stopped making that model. I cried.

George

I've been using my Makita 1/4 sheet pad sander for over 25 years... I don't know, maybe I just got a good one... and I've used the heck out of it. Just when I think its gone, I'll open it up and dump whatever internal parts have ground themselves off and it quiets down and runs for a couple more years...

I dread the day it actually dies... I too will most likely cry like a baby...

Right now it sounds like the Power Bloc PC 330... I have been guilty of coveting it in the past... please forgive me...
 

sawman101

Bruce Swanson
Corporate Member
I have a shelf full of sanders, but I use only the ROS anymore. Klingspors often has the 5" H&L discs on sale in boxes of 5o for $5.00. Also grits from 80 to 360 in 5 and 8 hole. Can't beat that with a stick! Watch for their sale and stock up.:saw:
 

Greavous

New User
Chris
how do you sand inside a drawer box or inside a cabinet box...? I might be able to use a round pad as a secondary sander, but I do too much in the way of cabinets not to be able to sand an inside corner...

You have to change your approach to some degree when you go ROS. They cover a lot of ground very well but dont do corners. I find it not to be an issue by sanding those areas prior to assembling the parts. Pre-sanding those areas lets you come back with a fast hand sand or block sand and its all done.

I have two random orbitals and keep several grits of paper on hand. The thing about hook and loop is you can reuse them after you have removed them. I toss the still living paper in a box and go back to them until they are plugged up or worn out. All that said I also have a square palm sander just in case I forget to pre-sand, lol!
 

Jim M.

Woody
Corporate Member
+1 for the Porter Cable 390 ROS. James said it best, lots of great features, my favorite sander. Jim
 

ehpoole

Administrator
Ethan
My primary sanders are (in order of frequency):

1) DeWalt 5" ROS (Hook & Loop)
2) DeWalt 1/4-sheet Orbital Sander (PSA or cut-sheet)
3) Fein Multimaster (with the triangular sanding pad) for the tight spots (Hook & Loop)
4) Porter Cable 6" ROS (PSA)
5) Ridgid Oscillating Spindle Sander (4x24 belt and drums)

The first thee offer excellent dust collection. Options 1, 3 and 4 offer variable speed. I tend to prefer hook & loop or cut-sheet over PSA when I have a choice in the matter -- a hook & loop sheet, as well as a cut-sheet, can be used many times over wherease a PSA sheet can only be used a handful of times before the adhesive gives out -- especially when using Norton 3X paper.

If it isn't one of the above then I'm almost certainly hand-sanding with whatever gets the job done (sanding blocks, sponges, etc.).
 

JimmyC

New User
Jimmy
Last year I bought a few of the Klingspor ROS's (made for them by Bosch) when they were on sale, and I love them. No more changing grits for me :eusa_danc. But I use these along with my Makita 1/4 sheet sander, for reasons that you mention such as going into corners, it also breaks edges better. You'll be able to use both kinds.

Good luck,
 

Howard Acheson

New User
Howard
I liked my Makita Palm Sander purchased in the 1970's so much that I purchased a replacement last year. I never used self adhesive or hook and loop on the original and won't on the new one. It's my favorite finishing sander.
 

JimD

Jim
Senior User
I mainly use a Milwaukee 5 inch ROS. It has dust collection and sands quickly, both of which are nice. I also use my old Rockwell speed block. Porter Cable now sells this sander. It sands almost as quickly and can go into corners and is better on curved surfaces. But where it works, I usually use the Milwaukee. I also use an old Ryobi 3x21 belt sander some. The Milwaukee is about as fast but I still like the belt sometimes. Fine Woodworking reviewed the smaller ROS awhile ago. They picked the newest PC as best tool, if I remember right, but picked the Milwaukee as best value.

Jim
 

gdoebs

New User
Geoff
I have the PC 390k and actually don't really like it. I have a hard time controlling it even when I turn the speed down to 1. I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong. Maybe it doesn't like being connected to my Fein vac, or the Abranet sandpaper I use.

Anyway, it'll be for sale in March when Festool releases their new RO 90X:gar-Bi.
 
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