best little disk sander?

[jason lambert]

Well it has become apparent I am going to be doing alot of sanding as i learn turning. So my lathe is basically a thing to rotate a log as I sand it ;) Anyhow I need a little disk sanding system. I can use air or electric can someone recomend one?

[Bernie Weishapl]

Jason I just bought a small angle drill for $29. I use it all the time. I figured when it went I could buy another since this one is a couple years old from Harbour Freight.

[neil mackay]

Jason,

Power sanders are good but have a look at inertia sanders. They can perform very well and have the addded advantage of not needing any power to drive them.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Abrasives___Sanders?Args=

[Bob Hampton]

jason
Bernie is right just go to HF and get one of those drills ..the angle drill works great but then for the sanding go some where like woodcraft or other turner supply and get the round 2 1/2 disk's and arbor for the drill
They make one's with whats called a power lock system or velco type ...ive used both and like the velco better ...mainly if u get a drill with reverse the velco stays on the power lock type does not

[Reed Gray]

I prefer the angle drills to the straight or 90 degree drills. Also, I prefer electric to pneumatic. My pneumatic sander keeps the compressor running non stop. Great for the winter when the shop is cooler, but bad for the summer. Also, it is a lot cheaper to run the little drill than the compressor. As far as sanding discs go, the ones from VincesWoodNWonders.com are the best deal out there. They last longer, and the price is cheap. I never tried the inertial sanders. Too often I have to stop the lathe and sand a trouble spot that hand sanding didn't take care of. This is a lot easier to do with a power sander. The bearings in the angle drills do go eventually. They are drills, not grinders. I got one of the cheap ones, and it lasted about a month before giving up. It wasn't the bearings, it was the casing of the drill that failed. I use the more expensive Milwaukee/Sioux drills. I can get about 450 bowls out of one before the bearings are gone. I do blow it out very often while sanding, but the dust will work its way into the bearings eventually. I have tried fancy bearings, and they didn't seem to last any longer than the factory ones.
robo hippy

[Darryl Hansen]

Try putting the filters that are available for floor vents over the intake ports on the drill. I use masking tape and change often and also blow out the ports frequently. The sealed bearings from Boca Bearing tind to last a lot longer than others.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Hi Jason
I use all 3, most of the time I use a regular drill, the cheapest I can find, like some that come on special for 15 bucks.
Then I also have but don't use often, a Milwaukee angle drill, (not the right angle drill) I use it for deeper and narrower bowls/vases where the regular drill isn't able to do the job.
Then a homemade inertia sander is used sometimes also, works quite well on the outside and inside walls also, but on the bottom it is hard to impossible to keep the disk spinning, I still have to use the power sander there, so you see there's room for all, what hasn't been mentioned yet is to keep your speeds down, both drill and lathe speed, I have learned in my 50 years of turning that high speeds is not the way to go, HTH

[Allen Neighbors]

Neil is right on the money with his post. I made several inertia sanders using 1/4" all thread, 1" dowel rod and rollerblade wheels. I have one for each grit, and a couple of extras. That way i don't have to change disks with each grit change. They are what I use 90-95% of the time.
I have a Sioux angle drill that I use for getting to one spot of tearout sometimes, but that's about it for the electric powered.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Hi Allen
I remember that picture you put up on WC, was a couple of years ago I think, I still have that picture but never got to make the whole set as you did and the box to go with it, I'm still using the one I had and just change sandpaper disks, oh well maybe someday :)

[Dennis Meek]

Jason

I use a Grip angle drill from Overstock.com. It was $39 and it has been going strong for a couple of years. It even has a reverse.


Here's the link: http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/GRIP-3-8-inch-Electric-Angle-Drill-with-Jacobs-Chuck/1529930/product.html

Dennis

[Judy Kingery]

Jason,

Neil and Allen said it for me, I like my inertia sander and it does a fine job on everything I need. I also sometimes hand sand (on-lathe/powered) but never use a drill or anything. Between a bit of palm sanding and inertia sander, it seems to finish very nicely most of the time.

Best to you,

Jude

[Don Eddard]

Harbor Freight right angle drill
Inertia sander
Grex 2" ROS
Hand sanding

All four get used in my shop, depending on the circumstances.

[Steve Trauthwein]

Allen,

How about posting a picture of the sander you made?

Regards, Steve

[Jim Becker]

I use a Souix angle drill for power sanding currently. If I ever wear it out, I'll probably consider the Grex pneumatic since I have air at the lathe.

[robert hainstock]

I use a cheap 1/4 in drill with a soft foam velcro pad. For my inertia sander, I use the PSI because it has ball bearings, not metal on metal of the Sorby. :)
Bob

[Joel Sauder]

I have just been using a drill. But I recently converted to VincesWoodnWonders discs and I can not say enough about them. They are great! Cut great? Last a long time! Reasonable price!

Joel

[Allen Neighbors]

Steve, here are photos of my sanders, and one closer shot of a single sander.
Pic One: Shot of the back side of the little shelf bracket above my Grinder Table that holds nearly all my little inertia sanders. I made some extra ones in smaller sizes (not shown), but I have at least one for each blue grit that Vince sells, and some of Klingspoors yellow discs in the sizes that Vince doesn't handle. When I'm out of yellow discs I'll only order Vinces. I think they're the best.
At the lower right in this pic you can see just a bit of the peanut cans I keep on a little swing-out shelf that holds my new sanding discs. I put the discs in the cans with the velcro side up, so I can pop a top, stick the sander in, and pull out one disc. Quicker than my shaky fumbling fingers. :D
Pic two: Single Shot, closer. 1" dowel for handle. 1/4" allthread, bent, and epoxied into the bearing, Roller Blade Wheel, 3" disc of Flip Flop contact cemented to Wheel, Industrial Strength Velcro, Sanding disk.

Easy to make, work like a charm. I spent one day making some prototypes, and one day making the rest. Worth the time and effort.
Hope this helps someone. :)