Please help me decide which orbital sander

[wxm]

First let me clarify that I am not a heavy user for an orbital sander at all. ( I see myself of using it once or twice a year probably). But last time I was repaint the top of a cabinet, I really wish I had one. So here it goes...

I picked up a 6" Husky Palm Orbital Sander (on sale at HomedDepot for $50). It has (sorry no link found): 12000rpm, 4 CFM @ 90 PSI and has an air regulator. It doesn't seem to have "random" (or dual action) feature, but still pretty nicely built.

Now I am trying to decide whether to keep it given the fact that I may be able to pick up a 6" Dual Action Air Sander at one third of the price from HarborFreight. (
http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=90288). 10000rpm, 8 CFM @ 90 PSI (air hunger machine!)

Shall I go with the HF or keep the husky? Which is more important Palm Orbital vs Dual Action?

Thanks in advance for any suggestion.

 

[-Spike-]

If you can spin the pad on the Husky, it is also random orbital, AKA dual action.

I have no experience with either one. My mantra is 'you get what you pay for'. The Husky sounds like a good price for a random-orbital sander. You could spend a lot more, and get something designed for production work. The Husky is probably designed for occasional use. The Harbor Freight is probably made as cheaply as possible, will probably work fine for one or two projects, and may or may not work the next time you pull it out a few years from now. It will obviously tax your compressor more, so if you have a small compressor that would be a big factor as sanders tend to suck up air pretty fast.

 

[wxm]

If you can spin the pad on the Husky, it is also random orbital, AKA dual action.

Sorry for my ignorance. Are all the orbital sanders also known as "random"?

Thanks again for the suggestion, I am thinking of keep the Husky. But still don't want to open the package yet before I get my mind set.

 

[-Spike-]

No, not all sanders are random. Some move in an orbital motion, but have fixed pads so the action is not random. If the pad spins freely while also moving in an orbital motion, it's called random.

Both Harbor Freight and Home Depot will take the tools back if you try them and don't like them.

 

[wxm]

Just reporting back -

Took the Husky sander out of package and tried it out today. It does have the eccentric rotary motion. (I guess that's what known as random orbital). Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised how quiet it is comparing to the other air tools that I own. Very nicely made too. I guess I will keep it...

Many thanks Spike for the helps.