Orbital Sanders

[jim12345]

Evening Gents,

I need to pick one of these up as i'm refurbishing a house and need to use one on painted doors and skirting etc. Can anyone recommend one?
Budget is around £150, maybe a bit more. I've been eyeing up the festool one for a while now but the budget won't budge that much i'm afraid!!

Cheers

Jim

 

[OPJ]

If you're after a 6in. model then, like many others, I can recommend the Metabo SXE450. I've had mine for five-years now and it's still going strong. I never use the 6mm orbit setting though as I find it's not easy to control! :? Standard 3mm orbit setting is fine.

For a small 5in. model, I can also recommend the little Bosch. It was about £75 when I bought it last year though, I think the price has risen slightly since. Very comfortable for one-handed use with little vibration. The dust collection box also seems to be better than any cloth bag I've used though, it's no substitute for proper dust extraction.

 

[mailee]

Yep, I can second Olly's comment on the Metabo. I bought mine after my cheapo one went kaput, never looked back it is true quality and made for regular use. :wink:

 

[awkwood]

my vote is for metabo
The older version has been great, Its worked for hundreds of hours with no problem
I have got the newer turbo model as well now, another good tool but its too early to comment on relabilty

 

[Max Power]

Jim if there is any chance of you being able to scrape together the extra for the festool , go for it . Before I bought mine I thought they were overpriced and considered several others but having made the plunge, what a revelation.
I used to hate sanding due to the dust and the vibration which caused problems with my hands , now there is so little vibration I could sand all day and the dust is non existent when connected to extraction

 

[jedmc571]

I agree with Alan.

I have the Rotex 125 it's fantastic, and I understand the 150 with the new backing pad ( only available with the 150 at the mo ) dust collection is even better, which I struggle to understand, as it's already great.

find the extra, and buy once :wink:

Cheers

Jed

 

[Dibs-h]

Yep, I can second Olly's comment on the Metabo. I bought mine after my cheapo one went kaput, never looked back it is true quality and made for regular use. :wink:

Yep another one for the Metabo! Get some Abranet discs as opposed to normal abrasive.

 

[cambournepete]

I have the Metabo, and use Abranet.
An excellent combination, although I agree it can be a little hard to control on the 6mm orbit and I find changing orbits tricky sometimes.

 

[L Harding]

I never use the 6mm orbit setting though as I find it's not easy to control! :? Standard 3mm orbit setting is fine.

Hang on!! so that wheel on my metabo refers to the mm of orbit (im guessing from the centre mark)? I just assumed it changed the speed of orbit. Maybe this is why you should read the tool manual

I always have it on 6, is that bad? now i feel i should ask, as it seems likely i may have assumed wrong now, what does the extra button with the rotating circle logo do then?

 

[Dibs-h]

I never use the 6mm orbit setting though as I find it's not easy to control! :? Standard 3mm orbit setting is fine.

Hang on!! so that wheel on my metabo refers to the mm of orbit (im guessing from the centre mark)? I just assumed it changed the speed of orbit. Maybe this is why you should read the tool manual

I always have it on 6, is that bad? now i feel i should ask, as it seems likely i may have assumed wrong now, what does the extra button with the rotating circle logo do then?

that is the speed :lol:

The orbit is that red button the side that you press in (with it switched off) and rotate the base 1 turn and you can hear a click to confirm the orbit has changed - i.e. "what does the extra button with the rotating circle logo do then" that's the orbit button.

 

[Boatfixer]

Whilst I know good quality tools last a lifetime and feel so much better I picked up a Parkside ROS in Lidl three years ago for around £20. I had a particularly nasty job to do and figured it would be disposable. It is now my main sander in the workshop and is still in daily use... That said if I had the spare cash I would be tempted by the Metabo but it would have to try very hard to beat the Lidl special as value for money!

 

[L Harding]

I never use the 6mm orbit setting though as I find it's not easy to control! :? Standard 3mm orbit setting is fine.

Hang on!! so that wheel on my metabo refers to the mm of orbit (im guessing from the centre mark)? I just assumed it changed the speed of orbit. Maybe this is why you should read the tool manual

I always have it on 6, is that bad? now i feel i should ask, as it seems likely i may have assumed wrong now, what does the extra button with the rotating circle logo do then?

that is the speed :lol:

The orbit is that red button the side that you press in (with it switched off) and rotate the base 1 turn and you can hear a click to confirm the orbit has changed - i.e. "what does the extra button with the rotating circle logo do then" that's the orbit button.

I see...

So hold the red button and turn (clockwise?) to the click i have change it to 6mm, turn it back again its back to 3mm, or are there all the settings in between?

 

[seanybaby]

Does anyone have an electric Mirka?

 

[Dibs-h]

I see...

So hold the red button and turn (clockwise?) to the click i have change it to 6mm, turn it back again its back to 3mm, or are there all the settings in between?

Once it clicks the orbit has changed. Turn it some more (same direction) and when it clicks again - you've gone back to the original orbit. No settings in between.

 

[L Harding]

Thankyou, ill have a play with that later

 

[TobyB]

I have been using an electric Mirka ROS - very easy to use, comfortable and impressed by the results using Abranet discs. Dust extraction is brilliant. Compared to the old Bosch and a B&D machines I'd used previously (without much dust extraction) - good tool. The reduction in vibration and the control are dramatically better. Downside? The transformer box is bulky ...

 

[Shane]

I would recommend a Hilti at around £150,.I prefer it to the festool, quick stock removal with a rough grit and really good swirl free finish with the smoother grit pads,

 

[dicktimber]

Jim
AEG have a 150mm random orbital sander for sale with Toolstation for
£113. The AEG EX105E.
It has 3.2 and6.4oscilating diameter so you can reduce stock removal and improve finish depending on grit speed and oscilation setting.
This is a similar spec to the models mentioned earlier in the post, and should be a good machine.
You may want to check it out as I purchased an AEG bis/jointer and it is well made and very accurate from base and fence use.

Does anyone own one of these to report back on?

 

[Dibs-h]

Jim
AEG have a 150mm random orbital sander for sale with Toolstation for
£113. The AEG EX105E.
It has 3.2 and6.4oscilating diameter so you can reduce stock removal and improve finish depending on grit speed and oscilation setting.
This is a similar spec to the models mentioned earlier in the post, and should be a good machine.
You may want to check it out as I purchased an AEG bis/jointer and it is well made and very accurate from base and fence use.

Does anyone own one of these to report back on?

The AEG looks virtually identical to the Metabo - so I can't see it not be as good. Both come with 3 yr warranties.