Decorating Equipment -tested & reviewed by Fred
Best Sanders For Decorating
Which sandpapers are best
Rollers or pads - what really works
Dulux paintmate -is it worth the
money?
Updated 9th March 2010
There are now a vast variety of sanders
available with cordless and multipurpose models appearing in recent years.
Despite all the innovations the powered sander is a horrible tool to use
due to vibration and dust dispersal. Many models have dust extraction bags
or can be attached to vacuum cleaners but both methods have drawbacks.
Vacuum cleaners restrict movement and create noise. Dust bags and filters
become clogged very quickly and
reduce suction.
Breaking News
Fredshed tests the best dustless sanding system
Powered version coming soon
also eco friendly recycled cardboard roller trays
New soft foam sanding pads - Uk made too!

Coming soon - Wagner battery powered
roller and emulsion paint spraying equipment!
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The Abranet sanding system requires hand power and a vacuum cleaner to
attach the hose to. I am testing the system with it attached to a Henry
vacuum cleaner.
The really clever part of the Abranet sanding system is the mesh sanding
sheets that allow dust particles to pass right through and then into the
vacuum hose.
These abrasive sheets use aluminum oxide to remove material and seem to
last at least 5 times longe than normal aluminium oxide sheets.
The Abranet abrasive is velcro backed so can be cut to shape to fit other
makes of sander.
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I am now testing the new Abranet
sanding system from Mirka of Finland who have been supplying an industrial
version of their sanding system to the marine and automotive
industries from many years. The
DIY version of the system fits a Henry vacuum but performs best with
the dedicated Mirka dust extraction vacuum. This fantastic machine
costs around £200 but a more domestic version from Uk manufacturer Earlex
is available with power take off socket for around £80
see details on power take off vacuum cleaner
Also I will be testing the latest
orbital sander from Metabo of Germany which has washable fibreglass
filters and adjustable orbit pattern, |

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Sanding sheets - mesh not glass!
Another "hidden" problem with sanders is the
cost and availability of the sanding sheets. This applies mostly to the
velcro style pads for DIY models which can be very expensive. One of the
big problems with sanding sheets is clogging, especially on gloss paints
and varnish. This clogging is made worse by powered sanders as the heat
melts the paint into a sticky goo. The new Abranet "dustless sanding
system uses mesh to enable dust particles to pass through and be
extracted.
If you want to buy the excellent new Abranet dust free sanding set click this link.
buy the Abranet starter kit
I have tested many sanders over the years
and although none are perfect here are a few of the ones I liked.
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Black & Decker Mouse Sander
The picture right shows the Black and Decker mouse
sander being used with a vacuum cleaner. The result is NO DUST.
However whilst this is fine on walls it is not so easy in confined
spaces around window frames
Subsequently the new versions of the Mouse do not have the vacuum
facility..
Overall
the Mouse is a very useful tool but was let down by excessive vibration
that numbs your hand. It also uses Velcro backed sanding sheets that are
relatively expensive, especially if you are sanding gloss paint which is
liable to clog the sandpaper rather quickly and render it useless.
The same sanding pads fit the old Quattro and Sandstorm sanders too. £4-£5
pack of 5 depending on the type.
The Gel tech Mouse Sander from Black and Decker has
the addition of a detachable base with detail extensions for
hard to reach places such as window frames and around architrave. It
also has Gel pads in the body to absorb
the vibration - maybe someone at B&D read my feature?
TOP TIP!
Use the abranet sanding system with the mouse connected to a vacuum
for amazing performance and cost savings in long term use. |

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Big Orbital Sanders for Walls and flat surfaces
This Draper 280w sander costs about £25 and is a
good workhorse sander with easily obtainable sheets. Draper is a UK
company who have a history of sourcing cheap but effective powertools
that are ideal for DIY use.
The sander comes with a dustbag for small jobs or
can be attached to a standard vacuum cleaner - which makes it a bit
harder to use, but much cleaner. A pack of 10 pads
(size 227 *115mm) costs around £2.
Buy the Draper 68076 Orbital sander |

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Delta shape Detail Sanders for awkward areas
This little sander from Draper is suitable for
awkward areas like window and door frames, skirting board and
architraves. The detail sander is such a simple machine that it is not
worth buying an expensive one unless you use it everyday.
The standard size delta shape pads are easily
available and come in a range of grades. if you use the vacuum dust
extraction then you will need pads with holes in for this to work
effectively. A pack of 10 pads costs around £3 and
the machine itself is under £20
Buy this cheap but effective detail sander
see the largest range of delta sanding sheets online
Cordless Delta shape Detail Sanders
The new 10.8v Bosch GOP 3 in 1 Multi tool has a sander
head that makes it probably the best cordless detail sander available.
The 2 li-ion batteries are surprisingly powerful and recharge quickly
so this is a great tool for small fiddly sanding jobs
buy Bosch GOP from a fredshed partner
mail me if you want a code to get another £10 off
fred@fredshed.com
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Fein Multimaster - Professional Tool and the
ultimate detail sander?
This expensive but superb German made tool works by
oscillating its head from side to side 3 degrees up to 21000 times a
minute.
The result is superb sanding performance with little
kickback and minimal clogging.
The multimaster can be used with dust extraction and
has the usual delta sanding sheets and this amazing tungsten carbide
rasp that rips paint and varnish off and outlasts sandpaper many times.
see more at
http://www.fredshed.co.uk/feinmultimastertested.htm
Bosch 3 in 1 Multitool Now that the
patent has expired Bosch have launched their own version of the
MultiMaster in mains AND cordless versions , see opposite |

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Rollers or Brushes? Which is best?
Dulux paintpod? is it cleverly marketed rubbish?
Paint runner - does it work - what's
the catch?
| I have been doing a bit of research on painting
gadgets over the years including rollers that store paint in the
handle, or roller or use a pump to move the paint from a reservoir
using an electric motor. All of these gadgets are sold to you on the
story that they will make decorating easier because you don't have to
keep re-loading your roller with paint.
Whilst this sounds sensible what they dont tell you is that it will
only work with special paint that is thinner than normal so you will
need to paint the walls more times than you would with normal paint
and a roller.
ALSO these special paints cost more and come in limited colours.
ALSO most of these gadgets are in my experience - buggers to clean.
ALSO they usually fall apart or fail due to one badly made plastic
seal or component- that you cant buy very easily.
Decorating is hard work and can be dirty work. Get some overalls
and dustsheets and accept that - or call in the professionals! You can
be 100% sure they wont be using a painting gadget.
I can see that there are times when a pumped paint applicator
like the Dulux paintpod may be useful. If you have a large room or
whole house to emulsion and you dont have the strength to use a
large roller.
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Testing The Paintstik
One of the many decorating gadgets I have tested
over the years and sacrificed to landfill!
p.s I also tried paint pads- and really cant see the
point, nasty finish on my emulsioned walls. Might be better on gloss,
but if a brush was good enough for Michelangelo it's good enough for
me!
Did you know?
If you use the largest diameter roller you will
get less splatter as the roller moves at a slower speed.
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Coming soon
I will be looking at the best paintbrushes
In particular I aim to find the best paintbrush
for glossing doors and windows
I am told -
Due to the Chinese eating all the pigs young there is a shortage of long
bristle!
Manufacturers are responding by making better quality synthetic paint
brushes.
These brushes are easier to clean and have improved on earlier versions.
I have the latest Dulux version that has a built in metal can opener.
I will be testing more of the latest and best soon and comparing
them to the legendry Purdey and Harris brushes
watch this space!
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| Mastic or caulking guns are used by professional
builders and decorators to apply a range of fillers, adhesives etc
from standard size tubes. This is the most efficient and cost
effective way of using material. Most mastic guns have a metal frame and suffer badly from
material continuing to spill out even when you release the trigger.
This new gun has a clever mechanism that stops dribble and even
allows you to suck in fluids into an empty tube if required. It also
takes longer size tubes up to 600mm as it has no frame.
This innovative product costs a
mere £12.99. So guys -stop dribbling and e-mail me on
fred@fredshed.com to get yours
now. Decorating is much more fun when you have the best equipment!
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Loose fitting Wall plugs - save the day with
Fischer Wet-n-fix
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You know the story, your putting up shelves, drill a
hole, go to push in the wall plug and dam!, the hole is too big and the
wall plug is wobbly.
Then you have to drill another hole, and move the
shelves up an inch and get out the filler to repair the other hole.
This problem usually occurs because you are either crap
at DIY or- you have soft plaster that crumbles when drilled.
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Well curse no more, simply soak the Wet-n-Fix disc in
water, wrap it around the wall plug and push it in . 3 minutes later
it is ready for screwing - magic!
I have found this product to be extremely useful when repairing
other peoples bodges, such as loose curtain rails and collapsing shelves.(
Obviously I have never bodged a job myself but keep some
available just in case)
Buy a pack of 50 Wet-n-fix
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The Shavehook - best tool for
removing loose paint
| If you are preparing "whitework" for painting then it
is important to remove any loose paint and get into the corners to
clear out those cracks.
A shavehook is a fantastic tool that has 3 different edges on it
for removing paint from awkward places. For instance if you place
the tip into the corner of a door or window frame and pull it down,
it will tear out all the old paint with ease.
Shavehooks have been around for years and are a favorite tool of
professional decorators. The model shown here has the most
comfortable handle I have tried. It has superb ergonomics and a
rubberized grip.
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For free expert advice - on buying tools, (on and off-line) mail me at
fred@fredshed.com
(please include the tool name in the subject
heading)
and if
you would like to support my work please come back and use the search box
below when shopping at Amazon.co.uk
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