Axminster "white" range sanders

[Eric The Viking]

My very cheap and very old orbital sander started smelling nasty yesterday, and almost stalling, although I'd just stripped it and cleaned the commutator and lubed the bearings. It's beyond salvage, I think as an inaccessible bearing has broken up.

I note that Axminster have 'white' range sanders on offer, affordably for me.

Has anyone had any particularly good or bad experiences of them - the sanders, I mean?

Thanks,

E.

 

[Ian]

I had an axminster white palm sander and it was bloody terrible - the vibration was so much I wouldn't put it any where near my boxes, it now sits in the corner gathering dust.

Best

Ian

 

[Eric The Viking]

Thanks Ian.

I'd pretty much talked myself into a variable speed Makita - expensive but really well made (by the look of it).

Still pondering, but I need to get an order in tonight so I'll probably go with it.

I thought the white ones looked a little too good to be true...

Cheers,

E.

 

[Chems]

Had the white 125mm for years its been fine I'd get another one.

 

[devonwoody]

I got an Axminster one this year, (125mm square) and it is the old fashioned type where a lever is lifted and sand paper is then trapped (front and back).
I punch extraction holes with a paper punch and have a very varied selection of grade choices. (I think it was around £18)

Also got the Bosch velcro fixing type which I use for 60 or 80 grit cleanup work.

Both work for me, but most probably neither reach the standard of Ian's requirements.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Well, I've gone with the Makita (and a paper punch!).

I looked at some of the cheaper ones in Wickes* and B+Q* yesterday and (without turning one on) was quite unimpressed by the build quality. I know that's not Axminster, but when you see them all side-by-side, you quickly realise there's one little corner of China...

Had an amusing conversation in Wickes:

Me, "Have you got dust hoses for the sanders? I notice they all come with an adaptor and take the same size..."
Staff person, "No mate. Never kept 'em."

So much for elf'n'safety.

E.

(*was chauffeuring the Domestic Controller, so had time to kill - don't normally darken, etc.)