rotary sander

[Daddy3x]

Just got my rotary sander last night...very cool. Used it about an hour or so, can't believe how much better it is than hand sanding that my newbie self was doing. I noticed a bolt on the shaft and was wondering if the head is replaceable down the road, I can imagine the foam getting beat up as time goes on. Also, does anyone have any experience with Sorby's wood handled version? Any need to get both? I am thinking that powersanding may be in my near future, but I am very pleased with what I have seen and used using a rotary sander.

[Bruce Pennell]

You might want to try one of Harbor Freights close quarter right angle drills, on sale now for $20. I buy two plus the 2 year warranty, when one goes out I have a back up and take the broken one back for replacement. Was just out in the shop using it this morning on a small 6" bowl. The Souix brand sander which is very similar sells for $200, HF leave a lot of money to buy sanding discs with. I also own a manual rotary sander it just doesn't get used as often.

[Daddy3x]

I assume you mean a pneumatic? I have a "pancake compressor", from Porter Cable, just one of those small ones used for finish nailing etc. Do you think it might put out enough cfm to run one of those HF sanders?

[Bruce Pennell]

Sorry I called it a sander, its a 110v drill (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92956). Their web site has it at $34 now. Go into their web site and get a catalog sent to you. They put them on sale all the time. If you have a store near you call for the price. HF is strange on pricing, sometimes it on sale at the store and not online, and visa versa. Sorry I mis directed you before. Its listed as 3/8" close quarters drill.:doh:

[Daddy3x]

Thanks. All the sanders I see most people are using are pneumatic, and asking the wifey for yet another 220v outlet in the basement and a 50 gal. compressor would be too much. Bringing a 600lb lathe down there caused enough grief :U I will give one of the HF sanders a try, if it burns up in a year, I think I got my money's worth.

[Bruce Pennell]

Thank God for heavy equipment, made putting my new lathe together a snap. The thing about HF tools is they are so cheap you can toss them and buy another and you really don't feel to bad. I buy their 4 1/2" grinders 10 units at a time($9.99 on sale). I spent $130 on my first dewalt grinder lasted 3 months. I've had 3 out of the 10 I bought go south 2 caught on fire, just toss them and open a new box (that was 4 years ago). :2tsup: