Replies

1. 
   MatthewSchenker | Aug 09, 2004 07:24pm | #1

   According to Festool, they invented the orbital sander. This is from their Web site (http://www.festool-usa.com):

   "1951

   World premiere! Festo brings the first orbital sander to the market, revolutionizing surface treatment."

   Whether or not they were first, I can vouch for the fact that they are the best!

1. 
   bill_1010 | Aug 13, 2004 03:07pm | #10

   I thought Al Gore invented the random orbit sander....  IM sorry i couldnt resist that remark....

2. 
   HowardAcheson | Aug 14, 2004 06:52pm | #11

   There is a difference between an "orbital sander" and a "Random Orbital Sander(ROS)". The former is just circular motion. It's used on most flat pads 1/3 or 1/2 sheet finishing sanders. The latter is a circular motion with an eccentric motion thrown in. These sanders use round sandpaper disks.

   Festool invented the obital sander, but I don't know who invented the ROS.Howie.........

1. 
   MatthewSchenker | Aug 14, 2004 08:57pm | #12

   Howie,

   I guess I should have known that, since I own both kinds!

2. 
   sawdustmaker | Aug 10, 2004 01:37am | #2

   I don't know, but I just purchased my first one last week. I love it! I had been using an Craftsman 1/2 sheet inline sander to avoid swirls, and this is as good or better. 6" with vac attachment, and very quiet.

1. 
   SCaseria | Aug 10, 2004 03:21pm | #3

   Thank you for your replies. I know it was an odd question, but I was trying to settle a debate. And appearently 3m invented sandpaper around the turn of the century. I would have thought it was much older than that!

1. 
   sawdustmaker | Aug 10, 2004 03:52pm | #4

   I'm with you. I thought I had read that sandpaper in some form had been around for centuries. A quick Google search showed the first patent for sandpaper was in 1834 in Vermont. But I thought it was around in China or Egypt for quite a while.

2. 
   CharlieP | Aug 11, 2004 07:42am | #5

   When I visited 3M HQ quite a few years ago, they claimed that they invented the process of gluing grit to a backing to make sandpaper.  The way they said it implied that rubbing with an abrasive was old stuff, but gluing an even layer of abrasive to a backing, was their deal.  They kept saying, "coat it by the mile, sell it by the inch"________________________Charlie Plesums  Austin, Texashttp://www.plesums.com/wood

1. 
   IanDG | Aug 11, 2004 09:25am | #6

   The process of coating paper with hide glue and sprinkling it with sand [hence sandpaper] has been around long before 3M ever existed.

   IanDG

3. 
   UnisawA100 | Aug 12, 2004 04:57am | #7

   I would question the story about 3M inventing sand paper around the turn of the century.  P.B. Yates was selling drum sanders during the latter part of the 19th. century and I really doubt they worked up a machine that large based on "new" technology.

   Shark skin should technically be considered when the debate begins.  Sharks have been around a couple more decades than 3M.

   Keith Bohn

3. 
   Elcoholic | Aug 12, 2004 04:10pm | #8

   I would guess RO sanders go much farther back than 1951.  Electric RO's for woodworking are realitively new but pneumatic RO's for autobody work have been around much longer.  If Festool claims they invented the RO, I would be surprised if IR or CP didn't predate them with the "Jitterbug".  On the other hand I've heard that Fein was predominantly into autobody tools before woodworking so it's possible Festool was too and maybe they did originate it.

   John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   The more things change ...

   We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized.  I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.

   Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC

1. 
   MatthewSchenker | Aug 13, 2004 12:07am | #9

   It might be worth noting that Festool (Festo) also claims that they invented the first chain saw -- in 1929.