Which dual acton sander?

[Tireguy87]

I'm looking to buy a dual action sander today and was wondering what y'all would recommend for a good one. I don't need top of the line. I've got a 26 gallon Porter Cable compressor. Everything I've read online says that they use around 90 psi which I can handle.

So what are some suggestions?

 

[-Spike-]

Ingersol Rand is my brand of choice for D/A sanders. It's been a few years since I used/bought them professionally, so not up on the models.

 

[Tools R Us]

... I've got a 26 gallon Porter Cable compressor. Everything I've read online says that they use around 90 psi which I can handle. ...

PSI is pretty much irrelevant, horse power, CFM rating? Sanders require lots of air volume, doesn't sound like your pump is up to the job?

 

[Tireguy87]

My compressor does 5.1 scfm at 90 psi. I'm not going to be running a body shop or anything. Mainly just sanding some small stuff for short periods of time.

 

[Tools R Us]

... Mainly just sanding some small stuff for short periods of time.

This is going to be key to your success, happiness.

For home shop use, the IR 311A is a good unit and can be had for ~$40-50. The commonly advertised rating is 4 cfm "average consumption". This is "funny math" betting that you are going to have the power turned down, only run it in brief bursts, etc, if that is how you intend to use it, maybe happy? The less advertised rating is 17 cfm "at load", this is a more honest rating of the air supply needed to continually run the tool.

 

[Blue77FJ40]

I've heard good things about National Detroit.

 

[Trollhole]

This is going to be key to your success, happiness.

For home shop use, the IR 311A is a good unit and can be had for ~$40-50. The commonly advertised rating is 4 cfm "average consumption". This is "funny math" betting that you are going to have the power turned down, only run it in brief bursts, etc, if that is how you intend to use it, maybe happy? The less advertised rating is 17 cfm "at load", this is a more honest rating of the air supply needed to continually run the tool.

I have this one and like it a lot. That being said they all use a lot of air. Get ready to sand for a 30 seconds and wait. They don't like low air pressure or a small diameter air hose.

I did a search on amazon on this sander. This review cracks me up.

"Recently purchased this tool. Don't get me wrong, it a heavy, well built tool. I'm having trouble supplying enough air to operate it. My compressor is a 5 hp, 26 gallon Campbell Hausfeld "extreme duty" capable of delivering 6.8 scfm at 90 psi. I figured this would be enough compressor to operate any air tool sold through your local home center. Guess I was wrong. "


Very wrong.

 

[Tireguy87]

So in a round about way you fellas are telling me to buy a new compressor.

 

[-Spike-]

Nah, just buy a quality tool (more efficient) and be prepared to upgrade the compressor if you can't handle the pace.

I also have a Porter-Cable electric D/A that performs well. Much heavier and bulkier than an air tool though.

 

[Tools R Us]

I've heard good things about National Detroit.

True, National Detroit, Hutchins, Dynabrade (my fav), etc, are great tools, but much more tool ($$$) than what I would suggest for home use.

 

[Tools R Us]

So in a round about way you fellas are telling me to buy a new compressor.

Yep, maybe?

The deal is run time, an impact may use as much or more air when running, but is used differently. A bolt is removed, pause, put on the next fastener, run, repeat, the run time is short, seconds, so average consumption is relatively low. With a sander, paint gun, sandblaster, etc, the goal is to do a whole panel or more, so the run time is more continuous, much higher average air consumption.

Obviously the best would be to buy a killer pump, but there are other ways to skin the cat. If this is something that you don't intend to do often and can beg/barrow/steal another pump, hooking/running them together can get the job done. As long as the max psi is close and you have the electric power, this works well for a temporary solution.

 

[45Kevin]

I have a CH 6" DA sander, and a 60gal tank under a 240V 2-3 HP compressor. It claims to make 13cfm at 90psi.

The sander keeps the compressor running almost continuously. More so than my small siphon feed sand blaster.

 

[misterpepper]

I've got a Porter Cable electric DA sander as well and I really like it. Instantly ready, all the time. Lots of power, adjustable speed, and it converts to a random orbital polisher as well. It looks like a 4.5" angle grinder converted to sander, to give you an idea of the power/size of the unit. Lowe's for ~$120.

link

 

[Tireguy87]

I've got a Porter Cable electric DA sander as well and I really like it. Instantly ready, all the time. Lots of power, adjustable speed, and it converts to a random orbital polisher as well. It looks like a 4.5" angle grinder converted to sander, to give you an idea of the power/size of the unit. Lowe's for ~$120.

link

That's not a bad option there. Have you done much body work with it? Is it powerful enough get through paint and stuff quickly?

 

[Tools R Us]

That's not a bad option there. Have you done much body work with it? Is it powerful enough get through paint and stuff quickly?

IMHO they have plenty of power, maybe too much. For finish sanding, I find them difficult to control, heavy, don't balance/fit well in the hand, so find it hard to make smooth contours, surfaces. My favorite type is a palm sander and often use a DA that way, hold onto the head instead of the handle. Like this:

6" Self-Vacuuming Air Palm Sander

Among my sanders, this one is my favorite. Very light, well balanced and smooth, but much more than is needed for a home shop.

Amazon.com: Dynabrade 59025 6" Non-Vacuum Dynorbital-Spirit Random Orbital Sander - 0.25HP, 12000RPM: Home Improvement

 

[llih]

Go electric and save yourself some money. Like most everyone above has stated, DA sanders take a lot of air. You need volume. Plus with an electric you can work where you may not want or have the compressor. They are heavier, but in someways that is an advantage if your removing paint from body work.