The Plastic Classic Forum

This is by far the tool that pleases me the most. Above and beyond detail sanding, it has come in so handy and is such a time saver.

Last weekend I had a job to do where the sanding attachment that allows you to sand in a straight narrow line seemed appropriate. It's the one with the clip and the rubber inserts and the precut paper. I set it up and started sanding but the rubber insert would come loose. The paper seems to be the only thing holding it in place. In short order it loosens up.

I will try it again sometime by cutting my own paper, a little bit longer. Last weekend I just went back to old fashioned hand sanding so as not to waste more time only to have it come loose again. Has anyone else had this experience?

I have one of the earlier models that I have found to be very useful for cutting fiberglass tabbing, but I have been consistently frustrated with any of the sanding applications. The tool is so powerful that the hook and loop sanding pads melt as do the alternative stick-on versions. The detail sander I found absolutly useless for the reasons that you describe....for cutting its a great tool but for sanding I always end up using some other tool.

Pete

Which model do you have?

I've been on the fence about one of these, $400 hurts right now.

I love mine too. Variable speed. Detail sanding is marginal. Cutting and scraping is great!!

Yes, the pointy, narrow sanding attachment and papers is prone to melting and coming apart if you're being 'normally' pushy. Yes, even the triangular attachment will suffer the same failure. Yes, the papers will be flung off the hook-and-eyes, particularly if you're shifting from one grit to another w/o throwing a used piece away (and at the price, who would before it's bald??). Yes, the tool will become disuasively warm if you don't give it a break. Yes, the allen socket screw for the older model tends to round out prematurely.

It's still my tool of choice over a palm sander, unless the subject surface is flat and several times larger than the palm sander.

I had an idea a couple weeks ago...if one were to punch a hole in the center of the triangular papers, one would not have to peel the paper off to access the screw when changing from triangular to pointy or some other attachment. It's the peeling and reattaching that more often leads to 'flinging'.

I'm happy with the sanding in general. What is not working for me is the orange clip that takes the rubber insert (maybe 6 differendt sizes) over which you put sanding paper and is held on only by the clip part. I'm too lazy to come up with a picture. This would be used for sanding a narrow area, no more than an inch or as small as a quarter of an inch, like the space between the wood on deck once you've removed the caulking.

I've noticed that it gets hot after a while but I have not had that heat affect performance of the tool or the material. This quirk I'm talking about happens in the first minute. Since the paper is the only thing holding the rubber insert onto the clip, that is the problemo. Just have to cut my own paper a little longer and see how that goes.

The metal triangular grinder is excellent. Today many other attachments are going to be explored!

I have the newer one, not the one needing the allen wrench.

I have a new Multimaster that I have not yet used. I own an Ariel and there is a stainless steel strip on the edge of the hull at the bow looks pretty shabby. I am wondering if I can use the MM to polish that piece and make it shine, rather than sending it out for rechroming? Has anyone tried anything like that, with or without the MM? thanks, jon

Stainless steel is treated with acid to make what amounts to a layer of rust. The rust is what protects the metal. So first off, you do not want to chrome it. Second, sanding it may clean it up but it will only turn ugly again unless it is re-passivated.

Before you try anything else, try buying a product called Wichinox by Wichart that makes many of the stainless shackles and other small stainless hardware for boats. Use per the directions and I will emphasize the part that says wear gloves. It works much like chrome polish but after you are done, you may be surprised at how well it comes out.

http://www.wichard.com/fiche-A|WICHARD| ... 00-UK.html

Thank you Dennis. I appreciate your direction and I'll give it a shot. Jon

I found the clip and rubber shape with sandpaper over it wasn't working well for me - the clip actually started to melt because it was getting so hot and the paper wouldn't stay attached. I was going to complain to Fein until I discovered that it says you can use it only up to a maximum of 2/3rds speed on the tool (can't remember the scale - 1-6, maybe, and 4 is the max for the rubber-clippy-sandy-thingy?). After that it worked fine for me, stopped flinging paper and sanded along the hull-deck joint of my Cygnus just fine.

Not sure if I've completely gotten my $400 worth out of the tool yet, but it sure has been appreciated when I've needed it.

Jonk,

Take a 4.5 inch grinder, and thread a spiral stitched buffing wheel on to it. Put a layer or two of masking tape on each side of the rail.

Use some rouge, or polishing compound that comes in a cardboard tube and walk down it. Acetone wipe between compounds... and swap buffing wheels. If the screw heads aren't to buggered up, the buffing pads last a while.

Thats how I make stainless rub rails... Drill out the holes, and sand with 80 grit, 120, 220... and 320 if I really care. That goes from mill finish to mirror polished... after you've buffed them. If they aren't mirror smooth from the beginning polishing them out only takes off the rust haze. Put a mirror polish on them, and even though it'll come back if its low grade stainless its a lot easier to get back to shiny.

Zach

P.S. I like my multimaster, but it is slow for cutting out tabbing. I use a 4.5 inch grinder and a thin metal cut off wheel. I like my multimaster best as a power scraper.

Chris,

I couldn't agree with you more. Every time I use it I am closer to $400, and I would not give up my FMM for the world but, we are not at $400.....yet