DA Sander?

[Boomyal]

I have a variety of sanders but I want one that is aggressive and controllable. I need to knock down lumpy epoxy resin before I lay the glass on my floor. Do you think the pneumatic DA sander would be the ticket? I can take a lot of material off with my belt sander but they are hard to control and you can't get it close to obstructions.<br /><br />Also what kind of paper would you use for it. Both grit size and grit type?

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: DA Sander?

The DA is the weapon of choice for auto bodymen.<br /><br />They are usually set to spin and random orbit rather than just spin like a grinder.<br /><br />It doesn't 'gouge' like so many other types. You let them float with little more than their own weight on the surface and they will shape materials down to a good-- flat, smooth, and level surface.<br /><br />Any auto paint store will sell discs for them.<br />36 will shape something pretty fast, but it takes a heck of a lot of air to do it with.<br /><br />80 and 180 are the favorite paper for them.<br /><br />They are a great tool, but you'll need a pretty big compressor to spin one. Most DAs need about 25 cu.ft. a minute at about 100-125 psi to really work right.<br /><br />I use mine with a 6hp on top of a 60 gallon tank, and it is minimal for it to work and not have to stop and wait for the compressor to 'catch up'.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: DA Sander?

Winger nailed it pretty good, the ones that have the palm top, (you can hold them with just one hand), are the best, but also the most expensive. Once you have used one, you will see what I mean. They are a (LOT) smoother.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: DA Sander?

You mean the palm one LubeDude? I went to harbor freight today. They had a DA for $30 and a Palm Orbital for $64. The DA looked like it had a knarlier orbital action than the Palm. I also liked the handle on it. The were both 10K rpm.<br /><br />I have a ROP electric Portercable. I like that for wood work but if the pneumatic Palm is anything like it, it would not be as aggressive as I would hope for.<br /><br />WE, the specs didn't call for that much compressor requirement.<br /><br />Here they both are:<br /><br /> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90288 <br /><br /> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=4196 <br /><br />Whatcha all think? The palm does have a higher CFM requirment.

 

[dolluper]

Re: DA Sander?

That palm at 18 cfm is going to take a big compressor 6hp at least or you be having lots of breaks what's the cfm's at 90 on your compressor

 

[Terry H]

Re: DA Sander?

The palm grip one is much better, but I don't think the harbor freight model will last long with sanding fiberglass. Try it and find out. You will need a lot of compressor to keep up with it. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=3848 <br />This one is less than 13cfm and the sander calls for at least 18cfm. Chief

 

[Boomyal]

Re: DA Sander?

Originally posted by dolluper:<br /> That palm at 18 cfm is going to take a big compressor 6hp at least or you be having lots of breaks what's the cfm's at 90 on your compressor

Not near big enough dolluper, but I have enough to run that $30 DA.<br /><br /><br />That's a good sized compressor Chief. You must need one the size of a small car to run that palm sander.

 

[dolluper]

Re: DA Sander?

I noticed where Chief showed you they had a nice reconed 2 stage 6 1/2 hp for around 399 that's a good deal 60 gallon but it's 14 cfm at 90 You'd be looking at spending 2 Gee's for one to run that palm. An elecric drill with attachment pad and the fiberglass wheels work good in tight spots ,cheap too , different grits might be worth looking at easy to control

 

[Boomyal]

Re: DA Sander?

Dolluper, what are fiberglass wheels?

 

[dolluper]

Re: DA Sander?

They are sanding disc's I call wheels made from fiberglass and very strong 1000 times better than paper We get then in packs of five up here in different grits I use them on autobody for rust to fiberglass to bondo and with a drill easier than turning the compressor on and replacing paper disc's all the time<br />edit: correction they are alluminum oxide disc's not fiberglass 4 1/2 you can use on a grinder also called 'REDOX" GEMTEX up by Toronto Ont makes them got the pack out of the shop They are resin fibre disc's should be albe to get in the states as thier corp owner is there Katy Industries Inc<br />here they are<br /> http://www.gemtexabrasives.com/

 

[Grant S]

Re: DA Sander?

A heatgun and a sharp scraper is pretty effective at removing epoxy, no dust either.

 

[flashback]

Re: DA Sander?

I have used a porter cable 6" electric on many bottom jobs and would say that it works just as good as an air driven DA.. IMHO

 

[Terry H]

Re: DA Sander?

That's fine flash when you don't have enough air, but you can't beat the sanding ability, both quality and speed, of a good da palm air sander. Chief

 

[Boomyal]

Re: DA Sander?

I found a new one that I might get. It only uses 4 cfm at 90psi and my 3.5 hp compressor will deliver 6.8 cfm at 90 psi. It's a name brand too.<br /><br /> http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...d=1,1&item=4553679636&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT

 

[dolluper]

Re: DA Sander?

Looks ok Boom don't go much higher 50us anyday price some more specs on the IR 311A<br />Free Speed (rpm) 10,000 <br />Pad Diameter (in./mm) 6/150 <br />Net Wt. (lbs./kg) 4.2/1.91 <br />Overall Length (in./mm) 10/254 <br />Av. Air Consump. (cfm/l/min.) 4/113 <br />@' Load (cfm/l/min.) 17/481 <br />Sound dB(A) (pressure/power) 85.6/98.6 <br />Air Inlet (in.) 1/4 <br />Min. Hose Size (in./mm) 3/8"/10 <br />Note the load CFM "17" Hummmm a few breaks

 

[Boomyal]

Re: DA Sander?

Just goes to show you can't rely on everything that is printed. After dolluper posted the 17 cfm @ load requirement for the IR311A Ingersol Rand DA sander I got suspicious that the 4 cfm Avg use spec, that several sources were touting, was not valid. So I called Ingersol Rand. Here is what they said:<br /><br />If you have a shop that may have multiple users of the DA sander you need to use AN AVERAGE of 4 cfm per intended tool for purposes of sizing your compressor. Each individual tool does indeed require 17 cfm to operate but in a multiple use scenario they would not all be running at the same time.<br /><br />So I guess the moral is that it is tough to take things at seeming face value. The IMPLICATION had clearly been that this tool will operate at 4 cfm.

 

[Terry H]

Re: DA Sander?

They get tricky with compressors today also. You can go to HD and buy a 6 hp compressor and it has a 2hpmotor with a 3:1 pulley ratio from motor to pump. They multiply the ratio by the motor hp and come up with 6hp. They must thinx we are iggy...Chief

 

[dolluper]

Re: DA Sander?

That's why it's good to ask you can get alot of edumaction around here

 

[Boomyal]

Re: DA Sander?

Originally posted by dolluper:<br /> That's why it's good to ask you can get alot of edumaction around here

I did and I did!

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: DA Sander?

WE, the specs didn't call for that much compressor requirement.<br /><br />I wouldn't totally trust the specs. given on the wrapper. They made be trying to rope ya in a little bit by leading you to believe a smaller air supply will still let them work.<br /><br />My 6hp/60 gallon is real minimal to opperate a common 6" DA. Running it long and continously shaping down the blown foam for the hydro, it wouldn't push more than 60psi after several minutes of running. And 60psi doesn't let it develope any torque for heavy sanding.<br /><br />Now,, working on a car, where you run it a few minutes, put down a few minutes, etc... its fine with that small a compressor as I have.<br /><br />Your deal, but I'd hate to see you be dissapointed in how it ran with a small compressor. You'll probably get about a minute of use, then have to wait for the pump to 'catch up'. DAs are a air driven motor--- they take a lot of air volume at high pressure to really make them perform right.