The Right Tools

[The Froon]

They say having the right tools make all the difference in the outcome of a project.

I have seen a lot of mention of a "DA", and just can not find out exactly what is being referred to here. I have a power buffer / sander (6") that I am using with a soft pad backing and adhesive backed sanding disks, but think there might be a better tool out there. I also have a variable speed palm orbital sander (5") Dewalt.

For the following jobs, can anyone reccommend the tool for a budget-minded grunt?

Removing bottom paint:
Sanding fairing compund:
Sanding expoxied riberglass:
Etc.:

Sorry to take the forum back a few years through such a elementry questions, but I am garnering the wisdom of the forum. I have just finished removing the bottom paint from a SS23, in which I started with a hard-backed pad (5") inserted into my Dewalt power drill. After I dished the haul a few times on compound curves, I went out a purchased a power buffer / sander from Sears. But I think there may be something better for me waiting in the wings.

Thanks,

Brian

[Jason K]

"DA" refers to dual action - referring to the how the tool revolves the head. Porter Cable DA sanders are generally recongnized as being a good tool - I have a couple of them. The model numbers are 7335 and 7336, depending on whether you want a 5" or 6" pad (the 7335R and 7336R have attachments that hook the tool up to a shop vac).

[Rachel]

For the following jobs, can anyone reccommend the tool for a budget-minded grunt?

Removing bottom paint:
Sanding fairing compund:
Sanding expoxied riberglass:
Etc.:

I'm just finishing a minor rudder rebuild, and it just so happens that I've used my Porter Cable 7335R for all three of those tasks within the past week. Whee! It's a great tool that I was "introduced to" on this forum. I couldn't find one locally, so I ordered off the Internet (and I also ordered some of the "fun" sanding discs* from McMaster Carr to go along with it).''

A couple of notes: I did get the sander with vacuum attachment. I'm not sure it would be effective if you were trying to sand in your living room, but it does work, and I would not have been following yard rules if I had not had a vacuum attached to my sander. I did have to punch holes in some of the discs I got (some of the grits came with holes; some didn't because of the particular discs I wanted). I think too, that I could only find the tool with a "hook and loop" type pad, so I ordered a PSA pad when I bought the tool. The PSA discs are much cheaper (Pressure Sensitive Adhesive).

The only slight disadvantage of it for me, is that it's a bit heavy for me to hold up for any length of time (but then I'm not too burly). I found that for serious-ish fiberglass grinding (such as when I dished out the hull when eliminating/moving some through-hulls) it was much easier for me to use a small grinder. Luckily they're relatively cheap.

There have been a couple threads talking about this tool in particular, which you could probably find by searching something like "Porter cable DA" Note that the default "radio button" on the search page is "search any of these terms," which will give you about 5,275 hits, so make sure to change it to "search all of these terms" (better for my usual type of search anyway).

*Sanding disc thread here:
http://plasticclassicforum.com/viewtopi ... s+mcmaster

[The Froon]

Thank you for the suggestions!

Brian

[kendall]

I like the bigger 7 or 8 inch sander/polishers on larger surfaces, the little DA sanders don't seem to work as well except for final work.
I do have a little 4" grinder with a sanding wheel on it that realy works nice, but not for large surfaces.

Did find a couple of stainless 'blades' to fit a 5" DA, that are similar to a couple other disks I've used on larger sanders, if they're as good I've used I'd switch over to a velcro type.
http://www.toolsnob.com/archives/2007/0 ... _san_1.php

Normaly use the fastest tool I have (polisher/sander, or air DA set to sander) to knock things down, then 'tune' it with the porter cable DA, seems to work better that way. I usually enjoy doing the work, but like to see results faster than just using the DA alone.

Ken.

[CharlieJ]

One small point. Although they do the same thing and work the same way, most users of the electric DA's such as the PC 7335 refer to them as ROS machines, for "Random Orbit Sanders" and the air driven ones as DA's, for "Dual Action"

This in the furniture refinishing and cabinet making trades which use FAR more of them than the boat workers ever will.

[kendall]

Very good point Charlie, I personally quit trying to make the distinction a while ago though.
I've found that (even though it realy irritates me because I'm bowing to the stupidification of the universe) using the commonly accepted term was a lot easier than trying to stick with the correct nomenclature. Try argueing with a 'modern' machinist that a live center goes in the headstock, and doesn't mean a dead center with ball bearings! (sorry, not sure how to incorporate smileys into this message)

Ken.

[Tim]

FWIW, I have always found it necessary, when describing these tools to newly-anointed boat project people, to distinguish between the now-common 5" round, random-orbit finishing sanders (vertically-oriented motor) and the 5" random-orbit dual action sander (90° motor).

This is the random-orbit finishing sander.


This is what some would call a random orbit sander, others call, casually and/or incorrectly but ultimately descriptively, a DA.


I think it's easier and more helpful to many to call the 90° version a DA (since at its heart it was designed to emulate, electrically, the common air-powered DA sander seen in body shops everywhere) and thus make the clear distinction, since anyone trying to do a DA's work with a vertical random orbit finishing sander is going to regret not knowing the difference up front.

I hereby decree this to be so for all boat guys out there. ;<)

The PC 7335 is the all-around workhorse for my shop and all fiberglass sanding tasks. Be aware that the switches on this otherwise great tool are rather sensitive to dust--a silly thing indeed, but there you have it.

I also use a 5" random orbit finishing sander, plus the ubiquitous 4" vibrating palm sander. I couldn't live without all three, but each has very specific uses and there's not a lot of crossover.

They're both useful and good tools for any boat project, but calling the 7335/7336 simply a random orbit sander leaves out an important distinction, in my opinion, for people who might not otherwise know the difference between the various types of "random orbit" sanders.

[The Froon]

Tim, and others, thanks for your insight and recommendations.

I believe that I have a version of what you all have described:

Sears Craftsman 6" Power Sander / Polisher Model #11506
Heavy Duty 5" Variable Speed Random Orbit Sander Catatlog #D26453K


I guess I am just missing the 4" ROS....


Tim: Will the forum support uploading pictures in the future? I have been thinking of starting a blog to journal (with pics) my restoration, and so then be able to place pics on the forum posts. But being able to direct upload would allow me to gets pics on the forum quicker.

Thanks all,

Brian

[The Froon]

[quote="The Froon"]
Heavy Duty 5" Variable Speed Random Orbit Sander Catatlog #D26453K
quote]

This is a Dewalt I should note.

Brian