Replies

1. 
   saschafer | Jan 01, 2008 01:58am | #1

   Do you have a vacuum hooked up to the sander? In my experience, that's the best way to keep the disks clean. I think it also pays to use a stearated paper--I like Mirka disks myself.

   I don't know of anything better than those crepe rubber blocks for cleaning a clogged pad.

   -Steve

2. 
   Don01 | Jan 01, 2008 08:47pm | #2

   I use the Klingspor disks and hook the sander dust port to my dust collector. I also have what is called a Sander Sitter which I don't use as a place to put my sander as it is powering down, but it has a crepe pad which cleans up the disk fairly well.
   I use my sander mostly on unfinished hardwood so do not experience much resin or finish build up. Even without the vacuum hooked up the Klingspor disks do not build up - they are stearate coated which you have to be careful of for subsequent finishing. Clean you work well.

   Don

3. 
   forestgirl | Jan 01, 2008 08:56pm | #3

   "Is there a better way?"  Yes, buy some Abranet discs and try them out.  They last a very, very long time, produce a great finish, and stay clean if you keep a vacuum hooked up to your sander.

   Forgive me if someone else has already recommended them, I didn't read the thread, but here's a link to Homestead Finishing for them.  I'm sure there are other sources also:
   http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/Mirkaabrasives2.htm (scroll down about 3/4 of the way)

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   
1. 
   Woodman41 | Jan 02, 2008 05:56am | #4

   I thought I read that when the Abranet line first came out that you had to have vacuum attached to the sander in order for the discs to work properly, is that the case?

1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 02, 2008 08:54am | #5

   I don't think Abranet would work well at all without a vacuum.  That's kinda the whole point, anyway -- the dust goes through the mesh and the ROS holes and into the vacuum, leaving the abrasive clean, uncaked and lasting a very long time.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   Woodman41 | Jan 02, 2008 05:41pm | #6

   yeah, but every ROS sander sold today has some kind of dust collection by default... which is how I should have asked the question to begin with, does Abranet work okay without plugging some external vacuum source?

1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 02, 2008 08:39pm | #9

   "...without plugging some external vacuum source?"  I'm extra-dense this morning, because I'm still not getting it.  Ouch.  So, I'll answer the two questions I can speculate you're asking <grin>.  Does it plug up the vacuum?  No.  Does one need to plug in a vacuum and use it? Yes.

   The stuff seems expensive, until you've used it (e.g., used one sheet 5x or 10xlonger than other discs).  I tried it by buying the "sample pack" at a WWing show, said pack having several different grits.  Probably cost me $20, don't remember.  It was recommended to me by one of our members who lives in Seattle.  He uses it almost exclusively, and he's a very productive and experienced woodworker.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

2. 
   saschafer | Jan 02, 2008 09:15pm | #10

   I think what the woodman is saying is that most sanders come with a little dust collection bag, and have a sort of half-a$$ed built-in vacuum system that manages to suck up about 0.1% of the dust and deposit it in said bag. So that would be the "internal" vacuum source, as opposed to an "external" vacuum source that you attach in place of the bag.

   -Steve

    

3. 
   forestgirl | Jan 02, 2008 10:56pm | #11

   Ahhhh, thank you Steve.  It's been so long since I used that little bag, I didn't even think of it.  Can't see it working very well with any sandpaper, certainly not with Abranet.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

4. 
   saschafer | Jan 02, 2008 11:00pm | #12

   At least a little bit of the dust does end up in the bag. On the other hand, the ones that are attached to miter saws are a complete joke. I tried the one that came with mine once; the outside of the bag had more sawdust on it than the inside.

   -Steve

    

4. 
   xmike | Jan 02, 2008 06:07pm | #7

   Abranet works great with a vacuum attached, but you have to be careful not to snag the sheet on corners or edges as you sand as they will catch and tear.

   I ruined several sheets that way during my learning phase - you just have to avoid inside edges and corners particularly carefully.

   Not everyone that I've talked to experiences this problem to the extent that I have.  I have an older Porter Cable random orbit sander which may have a more aggressive pattern than others.

   Mike D

1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 02, 2008 08:34pm | #8

   Mike, I wonder too if the pad might be slightly smaller.  Don't know how consistent the pads are across brands and models.  That may be one reason they sell an "auxiliary pad" (my term), so that the fit is just-so. Speculation on my part, but just occurred to me.  As you might remember, I had trouble with my first disc, but managed to avoid it after that.  Sander is a relatively new DeWalt.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

5. 
   kathy456 | Mar 29, 2018 12:21am | #13

   Professional Air Random Orbital Palm Sander is a very reasonably priced sander, that is also very high quality. its a great price. and all of that money is going into the construction of this tool. You will not be disappointed at all with this tool.