Porter Cable/Craftsman "Restorer" Experience for Molding?

[Andrew More]

Just saw the Restorer at my local Woodcraft (https://www.woodcraft.com/products/restore-kit-unbranded)so I did a bit of digging. Appears to be redesigned for stripping paint and rust, including off of profiles, depending on the wheel used in the tool. Seems to work pretty well for metal, but I'm not finding a lot of uses for my application which would be to strip trim.

This has also been released as a Porter Cable product, and is currently available as a Craftsman product (https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-Restorer-120-Volt-4-Amps-Drum-Sander/1001435330).

Does anybody have any experience with this tool for that application?

Also this is a bit of a follow up to this thread. (https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?300600-Powered-Profile-Sander-for-Molding)

[Andrew More]

Baseboard molding to be cleaned up.

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[Tom M King]

I have an Eastwood SCT (surface conditioning tool) that looks very similar to that Porter Cable. I mainly use it for aging new wood to look like weathered. They may have a fine stranded wheel that would work, but I've been using a Sand-O-Flex for what you're wanting to do with more grits available, and although not as aggressive against the wood, really works faster than one might expect. A Sand-O-Flex needs a 2500 rpm drill to run it most effectively.

My Sand-O-Flex is over 40 years old with an aluminum body, but I expect the newer plastic ones work as well: https://www.amazon.com/Merit-350-RP-Abrasive-Aluminum-Diameter/dp/B0026GL55A/ref=asc_df_B0026GL55A/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309819274241&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16454689461376991807&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009793&hvtargid=pla-568014392566&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=64412001489&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=309819274241&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16454689461376991807&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009793&hvtargid=pla-568014392566

If that is a one piece base, the little Lee Valley Hand Detail Scraper is worth what it costs to get in the quirk. https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/scrapers/110314-detail-hand-scraper?item=50K6601

[Cameron Wood]

I have a similar, & IMO better machine from Harbor Freight, which is of course a knock-off.

It is excellent for rusty metal. I use it for cleaning up salvaged wood, to get a nice weathered surface, or to remove grit prior to machining with other wheels bought separately.

It wouldn't be great for prepping mouldings in place, and would tend to round off the profile edges, and also has nothing to contain dust.

https://www.harborfreight.com/9-amp-surface-conditioning-tool-58079.html

[Tom M King]

I would take all the trim up, and pull the nails through the back with end cutting nippers. It's not a job to do in place. Pulling the nails through the back leaves the face unblemished by the nail pulling.

[Andrew More]

I would take all the trim up, and pull the nails through the back with end cutting nippers. It's not a job to do in place. Pulling the nails through the back leaves the face unblemished by the nail pulling.

I'll keep that in mind, unfortunately for one of the rooms the previous owners installed built in bookshelves over the old trim. I have looked at them several times over the years, and it's unclear to me how they were attached to the walls, which makes it challenging to remove the trim.

[Tom M King]

Any of these mentioned power sanders will do damage to the wall adjoining the baseboard, or casing if done in place.

[Lee Schierer]

I would take all the trim up, and pull the nails through the back with end cutting nippers. It's not a job to do in place. Pulling the nails through the back leaves the face unblemished by the nail pulling.

A pair of these will work very well for pulling the nails out the back of the trim. Just squeeze hard enough to grip and then rotate the pliers along the curved face to pull out the nail. If you squeeze too hard you will just cut it off.
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[Richard Coers]

Harbor Freight also sells one, a real great machine if you recycle skids for rustic work. https://www.harborfreight.com/9-amp-surface-conditioning-tool-58079.html

[Jim Becker]

That's a tools that is sometimes employed by folks who do resin tables that have natural edge wood incorporated...it's good for cleaning bark and debris from the edges in a reasonably non-destructive way.

[Dave Sabo]

1. Think you'll find the "restorer" is too rough for finish work on profiled moldings.

2. The HF unit is 2x the size and power and would be akin to using a 39oz. framing hammer to put hardware on a 3x5 picture frame.

3. Neither machine will get you very close to the corners.

4. Look at a 3x4 ray sander and various foam pads to get into the contours. It'll allow you to get right into the corners and has dust collection. Pricey though.
https://surfprepsanding.com/product/3x4-electric-ray-sanders/

gotta have these:
https://surfprepsanding.com/product-category/abrasives/surfprep/3x4/

5. If your a glutton for hard work a set of profiled scrapers will work, but damage potential is high for newbies.

[Rob Sack]

I believe Makita has or at least use to have a similar machine.

[Dave Sabo]

I believe Makita has or at least use to have a similar machine.


Well, sorta , but not really.

Makita's 9741 rotary brush is even bigger than the restorer family and would be an even worse choice for working on in place moldings. It was developed for the metal work industry.

[John Kananis]

A card scraper, filled down to the bb profile would be a handy tool to have.

[Rob Sack]

Perhaps the size may be an issue depending of the size of the moulding, but Makita makes nylon brush wheels down to the equivalent of 240 grit making it quite applicable for woodworking.

[Dave Sabo]

Perhaps the size may be an issue depending of the size of the moulding, but Makita makes nylon brush wheels down to the equivalent of 240 grit making it quite applicable for woodworking.

Look at the pic of Andrew’s molding , then take a look at the Makita wire brush and tell us how you think you would control that big and powerful a machine in that position ? How are up you going to get close to the floor ? How are you gonna tackle the corners - which will leave about a foot of untouched due to the size of the machine + cord.

It’s a great tool for what it’s designed for - which ain’t sanding moldings in situ.

[Rob Sack]

Look at the pic of Andrew’s molding , then take a look at the Makita wire brush and tell us how you think you would control that big and powerful a machine in that position ? How are up you going to get close to the floor ? How are you gonna tackle the corners - which will leave about a foot of untouched due to the size of the machine + cord.

It’s a great tool for what it’s designed for - which ain’t sanding moldings in situ.

Dave, relax. Perhaps it is not the best solution for this particular application but it is a good solution when access is better and it is definitely applicable to woodworking whether or not it was originally designed for metal working as you claim. My only reason for mentioning it was that the OP mentioned the Porter Cable/Craftsman Restorer and having recently seen the Restorer, I think the Makita might be a better alternative.

[Dave Sabo]

Dave, relax. Perhaps it is not the best solution for this particular application but it is a good solution when access is better and it is definitely applicable to woodworking whether or not it was originally designed for metal working as you claim. My only reason for mentioning it was that the OP mentioned the Porter Cable/Craftsman Restorer and having recently seen the Restorer, I think the Makita might be a better alternative.

I'm totally chill.

And while I agree with you that the Makita is a more better alternative to the DIY grade Restorer- I don't think either is a very good choice for Andrew's particular need. And by extension the Makita would be a worse choice in this instance because it's bigger, heavier and more powerful - not attributes when it comes to preserving molding profiles or working in tight spaces at akward positions.

[John Kananis]

Why have we moved so far away from hand tools? A cabinet scraper would take so much less effort to operate than anything else than can be plugged in (in this case).

File off a quick profile for the top, a rounder point for the detail in between and if you'd like to waste some electrons (nothing against it), go ahead and do so with a random orbit on the flat face. You'd be done with the entire room by the time you read and pondered all the posts in this thread. If you had an entire house to do, my advice would be different.

[Dave Sabo]

Why have we moved so far away from hand tools? A cabinet scraper would take so much less effort to operate than anything else than can be plugged in (in this case).


Because a scraper(s) will not be less effort ! It may, or may not take less time to use them. And may be more satisfying, or not, but less effort than a power tool is a fallacy. And for someone new to scrapers the the potential for frustration or damage is quite high. Practicing enough to get comfortable and/or proficient before starting seems like an impediment too.

Mastering the scraper is something that many woodworkers today seem to forego or just plain ignore. Perhaps because it's not very sexy, they don't cost much and watching someone use them doesn't make for exciting YT content ?

[John Kananis]

Dave, I didn't consider the lack of skill but again, kind of part of the issue, no? And if you're lacking a skill to do work in your own field of work, why wouldn't you learn it?

So true on the second paragraph. Gave a good chuckle at that.

[Cameron Wood]

I tried the wheel sander on some trim- primed FJ pine with just the (soft) factory primer.
Each one minute or less.


491028

coarser wheel:

491029


finer wheel:

491032


scrapers- card, gooseneck, gouge

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foam drywall sanding block

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Conclusions:
- coarse wheel: digs out grain
- fine wheel: doesn't do much
- scrapers: slow, digs in, flat profile is not very flat so card scraper doesn't work well.
- sanding block: works pretty good, probably what would be recommended if this question had been posted on the painter's forum.

[John Kananis]

Surprising. Thanks for praying your results.

[Andrew More]

Very interesting Cameron, thanks for taking the time to do some testing.

[Dave Sabo]

Perhaps Rob S will come round again and show you the secret of how it works......:rolleyes:

[Tom M King]

A cabinet scraper is not the right kind of scraper for removing finish or paint. This is what floor finishers use in corners. I've worn out more blades used in these than I can remember. They get worn away by sharpening every few minutes with a file.

https://www.floorsupplies.net/products/1-x-11-wooden-handle-floor-scraper-with-red-devil-blade?variant=32044992331908&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2020-04-02&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gclid=CjwKCAiAp7GcBhA0EiwA9U0mtr1Zy4Sz6aZMhS3XvqRP 1Ku5r10YKbiFnAwMlLSke8iZPQo4kddNzxoC4E8QAvD_BwE

These doors had 166 years of paint on them. Each one took a whole day under a supplied air hood to get it down to bare wood.

[Rob Sack]

Perhaps Rob S will come round again and show you the secret of how it works......:rolleyes:

I would, but then I would have to kill you.

[Cameron Wood]

A cabinet scraper is not the right kind of scraper for removing finish or paint. This is what floor finishers use in corners. I've worn out more blades used in these than I can remember. They get worn away by sharpening every few minutes with a file.

https://www.floorsupplies.net/products/1-x-11-wooden-handle-floor-scraper-with-red-devil-blade?variant=32044992331908&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2020-04-02&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gclid=CjwKCAiAp7GcBhA0EiwA9U0mtr1Zy4Sz6aZMhS3XvqRP 1Ku5r10YKbiFnAwMlLSke8iZPQo4kddNzxoC4E8QAvD_BwE

These doors had 166 years of paint on them. Each one took a whole day under a supplied air hood to get it down to bare wood.



That's true, and I have also worn down several of those. Could be good for a first pass to take down bumps and runs in the finish, at least on the flat parts.

[Andrew More]

A cabinet scraper is not the right kind of scraper for removing finish or paint. This is what floor finishers use in corners. I've worn out more blades used in these than I can remember. They get worn away by sharpening every few minutes with a file.

Interesting suggestion, but I feel I've got a number of solutions for the flat part, how well would this work in the curved part of the molding? Looks like it's going to struggle.

[Tom M King]

It wouldn't be so good on the curved parts. It will take all the finish off, right down to the bare wood on the flat part. It has to be sharp, requires a lot of the right amount of force, and should not require any more sanding. It would do the top edge, and if there's a little flat at an angle to the top, it would do that too. The little LV scraper that I linked earlier would do the curved, and inside corner parts.

For the curved part on pieces that can be taken off, a Sand-O-Flex is the fastest tool for the job. If you can slide a piece of sheet metal behind the top in place, the Sand-O-Flex would work there too. Some experimenting will have to be done to find the right sandpaper grit to use. I have a separate toolbox named Sand-O-Flex, and another one named Scrape. It's not like this is a new type of job for me.

Some of the spots that look like imperfections in these doors are just reflections. Once I got them down to bare wood, I gave my clients a few choices. They are original entry doors on an 1850 museum house. This finish is nothing like authentic, but it's what they wanted. No one wanted to paint them.

[Andrew More]

For the curved part on pieces that can be taken off, a Sand-O-Flex is the fastest tool for the job. If you can slide a piece of sheet metal behind the top in place, the Sand-O-Flex would work there too.

Okay, cool. I just got the Sand-O-Flex, but haven't tried it yet. Thanks for posting that door, it's gorgeous!

[Dave Sabo]

I would, but then I would have to kill you.

you could attempt to as long as you’re prepared for the consequences.

[Tom M King]

Okay, cool. I just got the Sand-O-Flex, but haven't tried it yet. Thanks for posting that door, it's gorgeous!

Keep it moving, or it can dig a hole. Light touch until you get a feel for how hard you have to push on it. Keep the sandpaper fingers out past the brushes, or you will wear the brushes down.

Thanks. I originally just stripped one panel because it had shrunk enough so there was a gap on one side. I stripped all the paint off the panel so I could center it. The paint was holding it in place. Once I stripped that one panel, the decision was made to do all of both doors. Around the panel, inside the grooves on the stiles and rails was stuffed with Beaver fur. I had to ask a trapper I knew what it was. The panels are single boards a little over 15" wide.

I left the interior side of one panel bare so visitors can see what Long Leaf Heart Pine looks like with no finish on it. Everyone that enters comments on the doors.