I am a proud owner of a Metabo SXE450 random orbit sander, with both variable orbit action and variable speed.
An orbit action of 6mm will remove wood much faster than a orbit action of 3mm, mostly used for finishing, but my question are:
What is the best speed to use on a ROS – for course grit and for finer grit? Is there any thumb rules for what speed to use in every steps of grit, and will different speed give different results.
Norwegian
Replies
Sound's like a nice sander. I didn't realize they had adjustable orbits. I have a Bosch VS ROS but don't find a lot of use for reducing the speed. For raw wood I'd slow it down for edge sanding to make it easier to control, especially if I need to one-hand it. I also would use slower speeds for leveling finishes with 320 grit disks. Since I've acquired a Makita Palm ROS I use it for the less aggressive sanding chores since it's easier to control.
John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne
Someone here said the new 6" Ridgid ROS is a rebranded Metabo. The Ridgid does have adjustable orbit, 1/4-1/8", and variable speed, and it is made in Germany...
I reluctantly bought one a few weeks ago, and have been pushing it hard, trying to work up some dissatisfaction with it, but so far I have no complaints.
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