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Do any of you use mechanical sanders such as orbital sanders for finishing ?

I used some filler on my mahogany back and sides and its and painful process sanding it by hand.

John

Yup,
random orbit sander

nope.
handsand here.
i'm using less machinery these days.
never did use an orbital on a git.

Wouldn't be without one. Make sure NOT to use an electric!

Why not ? What's the difference between the air powered one you have and the electric ?

_________________
It's this new idea from recent decades that everyone gets a participation award. - MUX

Are you using that as a polisher?

What is the difference between air and electric ?

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My other hobby is painting and modifying cars in my retirement. I used to have a hot rod body shop. My point in mentioning that is I have a lot of experience in using air sanders.

Air sanders are not created equal. The best in my opinion is the Dynabrade. I use it all the time on guitars from the beginning to white wood and on to the finish process.

3M in my opinion has the best abrasive products. They offer wet acetate backed paper in 1000 through 2000 and points in between for the final sanding before buffing.

When using an air sander the trick is getting the rpm's correct by adjusting the lever near the air inlet and lastly KEEP THE PAD FLAT and change paper often.

_________________
"Try to be the person your dog thinks you are."

http://sites.google.com/site/bertsguitarshop/

Bert, u have been looking at the Dynabrade, is that a 3"?

Mike

No Mike it is a 5"....but you can use a 6" ...5" ...or a 3" pad on the body of the sander. Automotive size is usually a 6" at least that's what most automotive paper circles are cut for at the automotive paint store. I believe the furniture industry uses 5". The 3" paper is relatively new maybe 10 years old I have found it at automotive paint stores as well. The 3" is more difficult to control the flatness of the pad you have to always make overlapping passes with any orbital air sander but it's more critical with the 3" I would suggest 5" and if the grit you need only comes in 6" then break out the # 11 Exacto or the scissors.

My Dynabrade sander is 15 0r 20 years old and has the magnesium housing (Read That Expensive) but I lucked up and picked it up at a pawn shop for $50.00 It is super light and if you've ever used a bunch of sanders you'd never have any other. There is Dynabrade and the rest.

_________________
"Try to be the person your dog thinks you are."

http://sites.google.com/site/bertsguitarshop/

I suppose an ideal sander would be an electric that can be used wet and dry - do you know if such an items exists ?

John

No, the ideal sander is air. I don't know of an electric I'd use wet. Tony, this one is a Chicago Pneumatic. Doesn't pay to get a Dynabrade for wet sanding as far as I'm concerned. Regardless, oil well and regularly, run it up well, and wipe off any excess oil. You need to get the smallest orbit available too, and of course NO vacuum.
I use film hook and loop discs from Source One, they are cheap and VG...as good as 3M. I use 600, 800 and 1000 grit, then buff with 4 different Menzerna's.
I am not using the D/A as a polisher, that's 800 grit lacquer coming off.