Color sanding DA

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dougminn

What is a good color sanding DA, reasonably priced. What kind and size pad, thanks.
 
Most important thing is the orbit, you want a finishing sander with a 3/32 orbit.

I currently use my Snap-On finishing sander with a 6" pad. A good finishing sander is a good investment in our field, it's a tool you will use a lot.
 
believe me i am not about to tell anyone that has a method that works for them that they are wrong so chevy by all means keep on rockin that sander if thats what your comfortable with. by no means take offense to this, but 3/32 sanders are the single most biggest waste of time ever. a 10 min sand job turns into a 1hr job. i think they are sort of like a gimmick to sell more sanders. they really do nothing for the end result as far sanding and buffability. last i checked 3m doesnt even recommend 3/32nd" orbit sanders for any of their color sanding products. a standard orbit 3/16" sander is recommended and will do just fine. if someone is a beginner with color sanding with a da and it cuts too fast and they have trouble controlling it then simply turn down the speed. be sure you get a sander with a good speed control. dynabrade or 3m both make good sanders and very lightweight. hutchins are smooth and built to last through a nuclear blast but have always been heavy...if thats important to you. all have good speed control. cheap sanders generally do not.
 
Hutchins Sanders are all I have ever owned and will ever own really great tools that last and take a beating.
 
There can be a huge difference in time results & control between better & cheap sanders.

Personally, I have a Festool 6" multi purpose tool that has both random rotary & random orbital functions, along with plenty of power & of course variable speed. Even comes with spare set of brushes & instructions toward all day use in various industries. Also about 4 different pad softness grades. Not cheap at almost $600 10 years ago, but the company I work for paid for it & I keep it most of the time.
 
Jim C said:
believe me i am not about to tell anyone that has a method that works for them that they are wrong so chevy by all means keep on rockin that sander if thats what your comfortable with. by no means take offense to this, but 3/32 sanders are the single most biggest waste of time ever. a 10 min sand job turns into a 1hr job. i think they are sort of like a gimmick to sell more sanders. they really do nothing for the end result as far sanding and buffability. last i checked 3m doesnt even recommend 3/32nd" orbit sanders for any of their color sanding products. a standard orbit 3/16" sander is recommended and will do just fine. if someone is a beginner with color sanding with a da and it cuts too fast and they have trouble controlling it then simply turn down the speed. be sure you get a sander with a good speed control. dynabrade or 3m both make good sanders and very lightweight. hutchins are smooth and built to last through a nuclear blast but have always been heavy...if thats important to you. all have good speed control. cheap sanders generally do not.
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The new Hutchins sanders are much lighter. I just recently bought one and am pretty happy with it.
 
I use a 3M Trizact sander, which has discs in 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000 and 5000. I use all the grits, it's fast and reduces the final polishing to a quick and easy job. The discs come in 3" and 6". I start though by blocking with 1000 grit by hand to remove any texture and trash. The machine and discs are pricey, but worth it in my opinion.
 
bigger orbit 3/16 works better than a 3/32, I haven't tried a 5/15 or 3/8 for this but I've been thinking about it!
 
Jim C said:
believe me i am not about to tell anyone that has a method that works for them that they are wrong so chevy by all means keep on rockin that sander if thats what your comfortable with. by no means take offense to this, but 3/32 sanders are the single most biggest waste of time ever. a 10 min sand job turns into a 1hr job. i think they are sort of like a gimmick to sell more sanders. they really do nothing for the end result as far sanding and buffability. last i checked 3m doesnt even recommend 3/32nd" orbit sanders for any of their color sanding products. a standard orbit 3/16" sander is recommended and will do just fine. if someone is a beginner with color sanding with a da and it cuts too fast and they have trouble controlling it then simply turn down the speed. be sure you get a sander with a good speed control. dynabrade or 3m both make good sanders and very lightweight. hutchins are smooth and built to last through a nuclear blast but have always been heavy...if thats important to you. all have good speed control. cheap sanders generally do not.
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I will give a 3/16 sander a try since I have one.
 
I've got a hutchins 5/16" throw, hutchins 700. It's light, I love the rocker/paddle throttle, but the flow control is a little clumsy, gets bumped easy by your hand. I do think it's an awesome value though, way cheaper than my hutchins 3500. I like the hutchins 700 for body work and finishing my paint removal, prepping bare metal panels for primer etc.

I do like my 3500 for finish sanding. If I was cutting and buffing every day I'd step up in the throw a bit. But I do these jobs from initial tear down to final buffing, I am so deep in labor on these projects by the end that I like the safe feeling of the little 3/32 hutchins for finishing.

One thing, the hutchin's weight I feel helps transfer a full oscillation of the pad for the full 3/32, or at least more so than a lighter power head which may deliver more of that oscillation into your hand. So, yeah I finish with 3/32, but I feel it's an effective 3/32.
 
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