Orbital sander

[Dan Adamson]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the input and advice/ suggestions.

Iv pulled the plug on one of these, https://www.rutlands.com/products/brushless-random-orbital-sander

Purely because of these few features jumped out for me, the low centre of gravity, the paddle button, the 4m detachable cable and it comes with some of those mesh pads peoples recommend along with both 125 & 150 backing pads.

Never experienced the brand before so I will definitely feedback here how it actually works once it arrives.

Thanks all.

 

[Sideways]

Latest chinese rip off of the Mirka Deros...
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007009019104.html

 

[Dan Adamson]

Latest chinese rip off of the Mirka Deros...
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007009019104.html

Wow! Really is, I suppose almost everything is made in China these days though isn’t it, often made in the same factories and just badged up for different companies. Even the automotive industry do it!

It arrived today, and first impressions are it’s decent build quality, we have a couple of Bosch GEX-35-150s at work and I can honestly say the build quality is comparable, the hose it comes with is a bit cheap and crappy though. It’s light and very ergonomic, the paddle button is very responsive and has a good feel to the variable speed rather than just an on/off button. Will most likely put it through its paces over the weekend as I’m building some more MDF wardrobe doors so plenty of sanding to get stuck into so il see what its performs like.

 

[stuart little]

Latest chinese rip off of the Mirka Deros...
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007009019104.html

Same as the Rutlands' one!

 

[JAW911]

I upgraded to a Mirka Deros a couple of years ago - excellent finish and very comfortable to use for long sanding stints. I also bought their sanding block and extraction hose for use with rectangular Abranet mesh ‘pads’. That is truly amazing.

 

[monster]

I upgraded to a Mirka Deros a couple of years ago - excellent finish and very comfortable to use for long sanding stints. I also bought their sanding block and extraction hose for use with rectangular Abranet mesh ‘pads’. That is truly amazing.

I inherited one of the mika sanding blocks with extraction hose a few weeks ago, it’s still in box. I usually use an old solid heavy mirka fiberglass block which I really like, I can’t quite get my head around connecting a manual sanding block to an extractor - I might have to give it a go - can you please elaborate on what makes it so good ? - I guess it’s just that it makes it a dust free operation!

 

[RobNichols]

First I must apologies for posting a "this is what I use and therefore it must be a great solution that everyone else should use too" post.

For a while my main orbital sander was a Makita DBO180Z 18V battery 125mm disc sander. It worked OK and was far better than any sander I'd used before (almost entirely cheap quarter sheet sanders where the main battle - constantly fought - was keeping the paper attached). I used 3M XTRACT sanding disks and they worked well, and everything was OK.

I don't sand a lot. I prefer the finish planing and scraping gives and can go weeks without reaching for a sander .... but I thought I could do better than the DBO180Z.

So I got myself a 2nd hand Makita BO6030/2 mains powered 150mm disc sander. And the difference is light and day. Most obviously, with a vacuum attached there is very little dust produced. Being able to hold the sander with two hands, and having a sander that doesn't feel like it wants to topple over all the time is a joy. I'm really please with it. It sands really efficiently and I don't need to use it a lot because it cuts through crud and produces a great finish really quickly.

The mains lead isn't an issue because I need a hose attached for the dust extraction and you can tape the hose and mains together and then they don't get in the way. And it means plenty of power and all the weight is in the motor and not the battery - that is when you're using it your just manhandling the thing that needs to do the work - and not also the dead weight of the power provider.

I did have to buy new disks (due to the size difference), and I am not looking to get rid of the DBO180Z as there will be small jobs where it is handier.

You can get a new BO6030/2 for £135 from a high street store. I'm sure there are better sanders, but for me this is the perfect solution without breaking the bank.

 

[JAW911]

I inherited one of the mika sanding blocks with extraction hose a few weeks ago, it’s still in box. I usually use an old solid heavy mirka fiberglass block which I really like, I can’t quite get my head around connecting a manual sanding block to an extractor - I might have to give it a go - can you please elaborate on what makes it so good ? - I guess it’s just that it makes it a dust free operation!

You can sand in corners and sanding board edges which are always more tricky with an orbital sander. I also use it with 80 grit for bringing down filler on car and motorcycle panels without all the dust. Comfortable to hold and using Abranet is always a joy! Take it out of the box and try it.