Power Sander?

I like a flex shaft mounted with a fractional HP 1725 motor. It allows me to sand the way some people scrape, by resting the handpiece on the toolrest and allowing the work to come to it. Of course, I can also sand the way others do, with pressure on the work, but there is a limit past which the flex shaft twists and stalls.

Sanding with so little pressure on the piece increases paper life, decreases surface hardening, and virtually prevents "soft" syndrome, where the spalted areas or face grained areas are sanded away, leaving the harder areas high. Each grit starts basically across the direction of rotation to get out the last, then finishes basically with, since I can choose the contact portion of the disc, or I can mix directions for almost a random orbit effect.

I use a Souix with the powerlock pad system and they recommend the higher speed drill. I have the 2" and 3" size pads.

It works very well for me.

Lem

Sioux is a nice sander but......I found that you have to have a discipline to constantly blow it out as it will clog up and burn the bearings. I had to replace the bearings on mine twice, finally gave up and use my dependable Makita angle drill. I might add, I use the sander heavily so that could account for the problem. Again, this is my experience with the sander others may offer a differing opinion. Your choice, good luck......Ralph

Larry, I have a Souix and Milwaukee angle drill. They are made by the same companya nd the parts for the most part are interchagable. The Milwaukee seems to give me less problems. You do have to keep both of them cleaned out. Repalcement of the bearings is not difficult but might be needed if you don;t keep the vents (and bearings particularly the back one) cleaned out. I never use the hight speed of the Souix. Found that slower is bette does not burn the paper and/or melt the velcro pads. The piece should be turning slow and the paper just ouching the wood. Works great. You can get a Milwaukee slcoe quarter drill for about $70 on ebay most of the time. Watch the ads though there are "close quarter drills" for about $29 but they are not Milwaukee even though they are red.

Larry Day wrote:

advice or recommendations. I currently use Sorby's inertia sander that works well on the outside of bowls but it doesn't work to well in the center of the bowl. I'm considering the Souix angle drills and don't know if the slow speed or high speed is the one to use or should I just use a power drill. Any ideas or opinions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I have used several electric drills in the past and have burned them up. For that reason I can't see buying any more expensive drills. I don't have a big air compressor (yet) so I have never purchased a good air sander. Someday, maybe.

I have found that I do most of my finish sanding (180 grit and above) with Sorby's inertia sander like the one you have. But I do some or all of my initial sanding with an electric angle drill. I purchase the cheapest 55 degree close quarter angle drill I could find (I have two right now). They don't last forever but neither do the ones made by Milwalkee and Souix. I have replaced bearings in these drills too. When they finally won't run anymore they get tossed. They only cost about $30 apiece plus shipping. You must clean out any electric drill (expensive or cheap) with an air compressor or something from time to time.

Here is an example of one of the cheaper angle drills:

Hi Larry

Larry you got some good advice here, but what I have done after the usual problems with burnout's, is that I bought a couple real cheap drills, one was a reconditioned one and I bought the 1/2" Milwaukee angle drill, I use the cheap regular drills for sanding and polishing, and the angle drill for those bowls or hollow forms where I cannot use the regular drills, and whenever I hear that my drills not run right I open them up clean out and oil and now they seem to keep on running.

Have fun and take care Leo V

Larry Day wrote:

Thanks for all the input. It looks like no matter which way I go, I need to keep the drill clean. I'll take a look at e-bay and see if I can get a deal on something and give it a try. Thanks Larry "Larry Day" wrote in message news:T8Std.10420$ snipped-for-privacy@twister.socal.rr.com... I'm looking at getting a "power" sander and I'm looking for some advice or recommendations. I currently use Sorby's inertia sander that works well on the outside of bowls but it doesn't work to well in the center of the bowl. I'm considering the Souix angle drills and don't know if the slow speed or high speed is the one to use or should I just use a power drill. Any ideas or opinions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I have one of hte ebay "close quareter drills" and for the $40 I am very pleased and will spend another $40 in a year for a new one - because that is what you get from a Milwaukee, Souix and Makita - so save yourself some bucks and bu the ebay no name on and tehn get good sand paper and a good holder

if you have the space, an air compressor and an air drill will be a lot better solution than an electric drill