Official Luthiers Forum!

What you folks use & why?
Thanks,

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

Hi Chris

I use a Dewalt ROS and love it, my shop Vac fits it and takes all the dust away, it has a variable speed which I love for those delicate jobs, and I have a great dewalt Dealer Locally.

I've got the Porter Cable 7334 - 5 inch pad, single speed. It seems to be pretty aggresive but still gives you a smooth finish. But, this is the only RO sander I've used - maybe they all do that.

I've been very happy with it, and I've used it hard for years. Among other things, it's been through a few kayaks - sanding the epoxied surfaces of the decks and hulls - and it's held up well.

Finally, last year, the pad disintegrated, but I got a replacement (OEM) at Amazon.com for a few bucks.

It used adhesive discs - not velcro - so you can't really reuse a disk if you have to change it, but that hasn't been a problem for me, especially on big jobs.
I generally buy the discs at Klingspoor - good price and quality.

Phil

I use a 5" Dewalt, I love it too, my (ONLY) complaint is the on/off swith is a little hard to use because it has a rubber cover over it, but I suspect is will last longer that way.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Yep, DeWalt 5" here as well, can be used either with it's own bag or connected to the vac. Only better one I've seen is the Festool.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

I have the Festool-I love it.
Has the least vibration of any sander I have used.
Brad Goodman38819.3777199074

I forgot to mention that all the Festool tolls have the best dust collection systems of any company-not just hype,they deliver on their claims!!

I have heard the same about Festool. I think it was Don W that told me he tried bogg one down and as hard as he pressed still couldn't do it...that's pretty impressive! I am getting one after taxseason...a well deserved gift that even the wife can't complain about!

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Sounds like my next ROS will have to be a Festool.

I have been happy with my DeWalt ROS's, but I've never had another kind. One thing to be aware of with these is there's a plastic ring (I forget what they call it) that goes under the pad that prevents the pad from starting to spin rapidly when the sander is lifted from the work. It's a big help in avoiding accidental gouging when you touch back down. This ring wears out and needs to be replaced regularly. I don't know if the Festool works the same way.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

I currrently have a Bosch 5", but when it dies it's Festool all the way! Best tools I have ever seen.
As Dave said, I tried like anything to bog one down and could not do it. As Brad also mentioned, the have virtually no vibration to the things, yet the amount of torque is far more than ample. They also leave the finish very smooth, with less swirl than I get from anything else I've used. The only hitch is that they are very very expensive.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

i have the p-c 5" variable speed, 333vs is the model number i think. it just had a better feel in the hand and offered a smaller orbit. the dust collection is excellent, uses h&l discs and does a very good job.

i think my next one will be a dynabrade. i want to try the air powered route.

Variable speed is a must. When electric variable speed first came out I thought why bother, if I need speed control I will use my pneumatic. Now I would not give for my variable speed electric.

Having never used a variable speed ROS, I'm uncertain as to what the advantage is. Enlighten us, please.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Quick stock removal and (almost) swirl free finish. If you have used a palm sander these things work way better. The Porter Cable 5" is reasonably priced and pretty durable but can't be used for wet sanding. Don't ask me how I know!

Kurt

Also if you use your ROS with micomesh as I do the varriable speed really helps prolong the life of micromesh. If you run micromesh to fast the bonding polymer heats up to much even a little or no pressure. I run micro mesh at mid speed and it last much much longer that if I ran it on my old ROS without speed control. I also like to varry my speed based on grit of paper of any type.

I have the 5" festool with two modes ROS and what they call rotex. Rotex is more aggressive. ROS is much closer to a babys bottom . The dust collection,well lets just say that I don't understand how a sander can remove stock yet it doesn't make dust. Its some sort of magic. It will pull small shavings up off my work bench an inch or so away from the sander as I lift it off the work.
Mike

Can a guy use a router speed controller (like with a heating blanket) to slow a ROS down, or will that damage the tool or wreck the "random" orbit?

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

[QUOTE=MichaelP] Also if you use your ROS with micomesh as I do [/QUOTE]

Michael, I assume you're using the MicroMesh meant for ROS, right?

Wet or dry?

How long do you find the Mircomesh lasts used like that?

Thanks,
PetePete Licis38819.4850578704

Hey Kurt! you need a pneumatic ROS badly They are great for wet sanding with micromesh and light grit wet dry. Oh and they don't bit back

I have a few.

The DeWalt is pretty decent. It vibrates a fair amount, and the rubber ring does wear out and require replacement from time to time.

I have a Ridgid 6" sander that I bought when they were promoting it with a lifetime warranty that included coverage for normal wear & tear. It's a much better sander than the DeWalt --- less vibration, cleaner finish, and a joy to use. But it is quite a bit heavier.

I have a couple of air sanders, including a Dynabrade. The Dynabrade is incredible. Virtually no vibration, and it doesn't weigh anything. You can cut up regular sheets of sandpaper, which is cheaper than the pads. And it hardly makes any noise at all. The best part about the Dynabrade is that you can wet-sand with it on finishes with mineral spirits and not worry about damaging the motor or starting a fire.

Can you wet sand with the Festool? I suppose for the price they get, it must be pretty well insulated...I'd like to try air too, but to buy the ROS then a compressor big enough to handle it would be cost-prohibitive!

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I got my 5hp 20gal compressor for $220 and my PU ROS for $75 not that bad.

[QUOTE=MichaelP] I got my 5hp 20gal compressor for $220 and my PU ROS for $75 not that bad.[/QUOTE]

Wow! I thought you needed a big 'ol standup compressor for air sanding! And a "PU" sander? Is that a "stinky" one or do you mean "PC"?

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http://www.presnallguitars.com