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Bosch PBS 75 Belt Sander
by gryphon
Tired of random circlar vibrations? Bored with the tiny triangle wobbling away? Even 1/3 sheet isn't enough for you? You need a belt sander The machine I have is a Bosch PBS 75: A 650 watt machine which drives a 533x75mm sanding belt over a 130x75mm sanding area at a speed of 330m per minute ...
[translated from the side info plate]
This machine is the larger of the Bosch 'domestic' machines, and is suitable for loads of jobs, up to and including [in my opinion] light trade use.
As its' name implies, a belt sander drives a continuous belt of sandpaper around two rollers over a plate where the actual business gets done. The sander has a handle fore and aft, and a port for dust collection; either into a bag [supplied] or via an adaptor [supplied] into a vacuum cleaner. Mine also came with a selection of various grit belts included.
Warning: Anorak insert ahead!
[grit no. is a measure of how rough the sandpaper is: a low number is coarse and will remove lots of material, but leave an uneven finish; high numbers work more slowly, but give a better finish: it's actually a count of the number of grains of abrasive particle per unit area. I have come across grit numbers as low as fourteen- you could individually count the bits of garnet on the paper {if you really wanted to, that is!}]
A belt sander is a tool for getting through a lot of work; it'll trim down doors, smooth walls, take layers and layers of old finish off, reshape castings, even out seams; prepare floorboards, old sleepers, joists and rafters, clean up boat decks, fit shelves and worktops.
Because of its power, it pays to be a little circumspect until used to the tool- you can easily remove too much material, and also when used with coarse grit paper, may leave score marks that need further finishing.
When working on wood, always point the sander along the grain to avoid deep
score marks, and remember to keep moving- otherwise you may end up with an interesting trough in your work.
Belt changing is simple on the PBS 75- release a lever, and it slips off ready for the next one- the belt needs occasional centreing so that it does not wander off the edge of the rollers- this is achieved using a thumbscrew on the front roller which alters its angle, but this should only rarely need changing.
I have used the sander for all sorts of tasks; many of them involve taking a piece of wood back to a pencil line. Historically, you would have used a plane, but now, just get a line along where you want the finished edge to be, switch on the sander, and work back to the line. This is great for trimming doors, and fitting shelvers, worktops and cupboards exactly to the wall.
It is also great for cleaning up a rough plaster fill job where there are stray gobs and dobs all over the place- maybe after channelling in a wire or conduit. Be sure not to tilt the sander on edge or you will end up with a deep groove by mistake.
The sander also has a notch enabling it to be clamped upside down onto a bench/workmate etc. This lets you use it hands free as a sanding station, to shape, size and finish all those bits that you couldn't clamp- I recently surfaced 54 blocks of wood [9"x3"x1.5"], and rounded the edges to make an oversize Jenga set for a youthgroup.
This feature also makes it very handy when fitting or making fiddly little custom bits and bobs.
Safety:
It is a noisy tool- ear defenders a must
A dust mask is recommended
Eye protection is always advised, whatever powertool you use
Remember not to have loose hair or floppy clothing- I once shredded the forearm of a favourite rugby shirt by getting it caught
up by the belt.
The sander comes with a quality, generous lead [over 3 metres], and moulded plug
Warning: Anorak entertainment follows:
Remember how fast the belt moves? [330m/minute]
Have you a friend [sorry- do you know someone] who also owns a belt sander?
I'm sure you possess extension leads. . . . .
and have a hall to sand the floorboards in. . .
You can now take part in the exciting sport of
Sander Racing!
Choose your start and finish lines
Lock those sanders on [glory in the noise and power]
Let go together, and see whose sander gets to the finish first
Checquered flags are a little O.T.T.
[as is strapping a hamster on as the driver]
[[Power Devil is red, rather like Ferrari]]
Have Fun!
Seriously, if you use a belt sander, be careful, and marvel at how much work it can do for you.
This Bosch tool is my first choice for sanding flat and large surfaces, andhas got through an incredible amount of work- the one breakdown was soon sorted by a service agent, and it has been going strong ever since.
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Black & Decker Angle Grinder
by gryphon
Standard angle grinders, are lightweight and useful, but oh dear: aren't they small. I am the proud owner of a DeWalt D490: This is a 2000 watt, 9 inch angle grinder, built to take hard usage. De Walt is the professional arm of Black and Decker, and their tools have a funky yellow body, which helps you not to ... lose them on site. [allegedly] There is a generous length of quality cable attached,, the front handle can be place in any one of three positions, and the guard over the blade is also adjustable.
This powerful beast will take the standard range of blades: metal cut, metal grind, stone cut, and now that they have come down in price, dry cut diamond blades- my next purchase when I have a patio to lay!
Beacause of the larger blade size, you can cut right through slabs along their length, instead of scoring with a smaller grinder, and praying, when you give it a tap, that it'll break where you want. kerbs are not much more of a problem either, though you'll have to come in from both sides.
Cutting all the way leaves a nice clean edge which can be left on show without looking out of place- an advantage if cutting coping stones for a wall, etc
It's great for cutting slabs and kerbs for patios and garden edging, cutting a groove for flashing a roof, trimming angle iron, cutting up old water tanks, and steel pipes, cutting channels for wiring, openings for new windows/doors/lintels plus anything else you can dream up.
With these more powerful tools, you MUST be safety-concious:
Always wear goggles/safety glasses
Hearing protection is a definite yes
A breathing mask is desirable as well
Remember that it's better to look a bit strange for a while, rather than to permanently damage your faculties
Before switching on, make sure that you have firm footing,a good grip of the tool, and prepared for the 'kick' as it starts up- it's the reaction to a powerf
ul motor and blade spinning into life.
Once it is spinning, remember that it won't move the same way as you might expect because of the gyroscopic action, and also don't try to overstretch- stop, move position and start again. [even 'no more nails' isn't much use with severed feet]
To sum up: it's big, it's capable, it won't let you down,
You need to supply the brains for safe usage
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Black & Decker Orbital Sander
by A_Chubby_Chappie
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream (bung, bung, bung, bung) Make it a sander like I’ve ever seen (bung, bung, bung, bung) Some people dream of lazing on a sunny idyllic island, or owning a gorgeous sports car, or winning the lottery, or even world peace. Your humble narrator 'The Chubster' wakes in the middle of the ... night with over-excitment through dreams of labour saving devices. And believe me when I say that the B&D orbital job is a dream indeed for a lazy big so-and-so like me :-)
Okily dokily my fellow dooyoosers I know you are really itching to get right down to business here and see the sexy specifications for this miracle of modern DIY science. Here we go now, hold onto the edge of your seat as I take you on a journey to orbital sanding heaven and back again.
Manufacturer: Black & Decker
Model: #RO100
Power: 2.0 amps
Orbits/Min: 12,000
Price: (see further down)
(next part unashamedly snaffled from the B&D website)
* Ergonomic palm grip design with dual gripping area sprovides added comfort and control
* Built-in pad brake prevents gouging
* 5" 8-hole Velcro paper attachment system provides for fast, easy and reusable paper changes
* Built-in 2 way dust collection system (bag or vacuum) for a cleaner work environment
*Powerful high performance motor reduces vibration and extends tool life
* Internally and externally dust sealed switch for extended product life
(end of snaffle)
Stop, rewind to the price bit for a sec. Well, between you and me I don't actually know how much these cost new. You see, I 'aquired' this from my mate [lets call him 'Steve because that is really his name]. Steve swears that it was straight up, bankrupt stock, it wasn't him guv'nor, and I believe him ["chuckle from the Chubster"].
You'll be wanting to know a bit about why I chose this particular sander dear reader. Well actually I
needed a sander and Steve had one, so the dirty deed was done and a deal struck.
Of far more importance is 'is it any bleedin good?'. Well in a word YEAH. I used it to sand a banister and the lounge skirting board and the whole job was finito in less that an hour, even although I am partial to the occasional snack while I work. This baby purrs like it is on 'Top Gear' [what I mean is that it doesn't make much noise], it has a little dust bag at the back to collect all that nasty irritant dusty particle stuff, and even the sanding sheets last for ages and ages and ages ad infinitum. It is comfortable to hold and it has the added bonus of having a slight vibrating motion, so if you wrap the flex around your middle you can use it as a slimming aid [warning - don't try this at home. The Chubster is a professional slimmer (!) and is fully trained in all vibratory slimming techniques].
Well, that's about all I can really say about a sander. I would say 'BUY IT NOW' but that just looks so naff at the end of a dooyoo review. Oh my, I just said it, doh!
Ah, and one last thing. My mate Steve says he still has eight score of these to get rid of, if you want one you can mail him at robbinthievinscoundrel@offthebackofalorry.com
[Chubs 2001]
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