Replies

1. 
   RickL | Jul 18, 2006 04:36pm | #1

   Air sanders are nice and have been using them for 35 years but with all the new electric sanders out there I personally would go that route. I can't see firing up a  3 or 5  hp motor to run a small sander. 3 hp will be running constantly. 5 hp would be more appropriate and a bigger tank like 60 gallon would be better.

   If you insist on going that route how about a vertical unit to sit in the corner. I'd get a 5 hp 60 or 80 gallon tank. I've had no problems with single stage compressors but it doesn't cost much more for a two  stage.  The other nice thing about air sanders is they are great for wet sanding as you won't get electrocuted but wet sanding is more an auto body / stone working thing

   
   

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   Edited 7/18/2006 5:36 pm ET by RickL

2. 
   forestgirl | Jul 18, 2006 07:06pm | #2

   I'm no compressor expert, and Rick's comment made sense to me, but if you want to go for the air-sander why not look at requirements for HVLP spray units simultaneously and get something that will do both??

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   

3. 
   cscwem | Jul 18, 2006 07:26pm | #3

   in my experience air sanders require the highest cfm of any air power tool i have ever used.  you need a big #### compressor with a big #### tank...

   i personally like the air powered sanders from these guys...http://www.beavertools.com/

4. 
   pcooper | Jul 19, 2006 12:05am | #4

   I have done body work in the past and used air sanders and lots of other air tools as well, and the minimum compressor for any good air sander would have to be a pretty big machine. I have a 5 hp 80 gallon tank compressor that does a fine job, it is a two stage compressor which is much more efficient than a single stage, and is also faster on catching up during high use. I used to have a single stage job, and it blew up trying to keep up, and a smaller compressor that was a 2 hp and 20 gallon tank that would not keep up at all....and was rated for more than what you are looking for. All that said, buy an electric sander. I now use electric sanders for woodworking, and rarely get out the air sanders unless I need to do a large table top or something that would justify the effort.

5. 
   ring | Jul 20, 2006 08:19am | #5

   My shop has 1 air sander and 4 electric orbitals.  There are two real advantages to the air sander:

   1. It's lightweight, because there's no motor.  If you're sanding for hours on end, it makes a big difference.

   2.  It's practically maintenance-free.  There's almost nothing that can go wrong.  (Of course the compressor is another story)

   If these factors are overwhelmingly important, then go with the air.  But if not, then you're better off with the range of power and flexibility you have with regular electric tools.

   DR

1. 
   jimscustomwoodworks | Jul 20, 2006 10:57pm | #6

   thanks for your reply, do you have any issues with water coming out the exhaust? & what size compressor do you have? thanks!

1. 
   RickL | Jul 20, 2006 11:11pm | #7

   Water issues  in a sanders exhaust are more to do with proper  compressor maintenance and how you plumb the airlines.

6. 
   JeffHeath | Jul 21, 2006 05:42am | #8

   Jim

   I run both a 18,000 rpm 6" sander and a 13,000 rpm DA sander, both air, off of my Ingersoll Rand 5 hp 80 gallon compressor.  They are way, way better than electric sanders at much slower speeds.  Spend the money once on a good compressor, and you'll have it for life.  I have 19.75 cfm at 125 psi, which is more than any tool or spray gun will ever use.  I can even run a large air hammer with it with no problems.

   Jeff