Dustless Sanding ? Is this a myth?

When it comes to the cheap end of the DIY tool market the answer is defiantly yes! I have tried many sanders with all sorts of special filters that clog up after minutes of use or fall apart when you try to clean them.  Some sanders come with the facility to attach a vacuum cleaner but the effectiveness of this depends on the holes in the sanding sheet staying clear. Also for small jobs attaching a vacuum cleaner can be a lot of trouble.

Worx have developed a new low vibration sander that uses a totally new and unique dual pad system and a cyclonic filter that seems to solve a lot of these problems. I recently tested the "Worx Pro WU651 vibrafree dual pad random orbital sander" at a trade show.

Apart from having the longest name of any tool I know it was extremely effective and knocks spots of the Dewalt machine is a short sanding show down.

The Abranet sanding system

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.

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

 Also I will be testing the latest orbital sander from Metabo of Germany which has washable fibreglass filters and adjustable orbit pattern,

 Buy a dust free sanding kit

Black & Decker Mouse Sander

The  picture right shows my  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

This was the original mouse sander which was very good apart from the vibration  Subsequently the new versions of the Mouse came with vibration suppressing gel inserts that were soon  discontinued and the latest version does not have this or  the vacuum facility.. Black & Decker what are you doing? why cant you just stick to the tools that work and don't keep changing details!

The Mouse also uses Velcro backed sanding sheets that are relatively expensive, compared to clip on sheets or rolls of abrasive paper.

The same sanding pads fit the old Quattro and Sandstorm sanders too. £4-£5 pack of 5 depending on the type.

Black & Decker do make a sander with built in cyclonic dust extraction which works for a few minutes then clogs up. It is possible to take out the filter and attach a normal vacuum cleaner for better results.

TOP TIP!

Use the abranet sanding system with the mouse connected to a vacuum for amazing performance and cost savings in long term use.

The Bosch Prio

Cordless sander with Lithium ion Battery

This unique tool has been around for 5 y years now and earned it's place on Fredshed by being a reliable and useful little tool for small sanding jobs.

It is a bit pricey and underpowered compared to similar size mains powered sanders but for a quick little job is offers unrivalled ease of use

Its lithium Ion battery is top notch and has a long life span and fast recharging.

Like most detail sanders it uses velcro backed sanding sheets.

Another great cordless sander is the now GOP 10.8v multi tool from Bosch. It is more expensive but has 2 batteries and can be used as a saw as well.

(see feature further down this page)

You can sand with the Prio and not even chip your nail varnish!

This superb cordless sander has the same state of the art Lithium Ion batteries as the other small Bosch Powertools

Bosch Isio -grass shear

Bosch Ixo - screwdriver

and now the Bosch cordless pruner

Big Orbital Sanders for Walls and flat surfaces

My Draper 280w sander cost about £25 and is a good workhorse sander with easily obtainable, low price,  sheets. Draper is a UK company who have a history of sourcing cheap but effective powertools that are ideal for DIY use.

This type of  sander comes in 2 sizes, and both come with a dustbag for small jobs.

 or  for better results attach the nozzle to your vacuum cleaner.

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. What you will get with an expensive model like the Dewalt or Bosch models is less vibration.

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

 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.

It is also available in a mains version that uses the same size pads

A standard no-frills detail sander.

The Bosch GOP multi-tool can sand, saw and scrape too

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 multi-master 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

Sanding by Hand

New soft foam sanding pads -

I like to finish jobs by hand to obtain that perfect surface but it can be hard on your hands if you do it a lot. Wooden sanding blocks have been used for centuries to overcome this problem but now there is an even better solution.

These soft foam pads that you attach Velcro backed sanding sheets to are so comfortable and make sanding by hand much easier.

Soft Form Handi-Pad

 UK made too!

These soft foam pads have Velcro on them to attach the paper and are the most comfortable sanding pad I have ever used.

The abrasive pads are very effective and long lasting - I love em!

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 don't tell you is that some 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. When they get old and the seals dry out  or nozzles block cleaning becomes difficult.

ALSO painting gadgets often fall apart or fail due to one badly made plastic seal or component.. Make sure parts are available.

I can see that there are times when a pumped paint applicator like the Dulux paintpod  or Wagner Turbo Roller, may be useful. If you have a large room or whole house to emulsion and don't like bending. So far the best system I have seen is the German made Wagner Wallperfect.

WAGNER WALL PERFECT W665 and WALLPERFECT W985E

I have been testing the top of the range Wallperfect 985 that has the long lance. Wagner also make a cheaper and more popular version with a more traditional spray gun with the paint reservoir attached.

The first thing I want to say about using paint spraying equipment indoors is that you will need to spend some time masking up and covering EVERYTHING! ( I will say this again later to make sure)

In my enthusiasm to try my new tool I failed to cover everything and as I was learning how to use the machine , I made a horrendous mess that took ages to clean. However  the finish on the wall was very good though.

So , as long as you cover everything before you start you could save a lot of time by using a Wagner sprayer. The best part for me is that once you master the technique you can achieve an unbeatable smooth and even finish. These paint sprayers are also great for site work and new plaster where you are covering large areas and are not so concerned about overspray or mess.

Part of the time saving is made because you don't need to cut in with a brush on the fiddly bits, also the machines do self clean very well.

Now back to reality, I am probably the worlds worst salesman as I like to tell you what the tool wont do and what its shortcomings are.

Using a paint sprayer to repaint the same colour is not so easy. It is hard to see where you have been. Doing a new colour is great.

You will notice anyone demonstrating painting gadgets always use a new colour, (usually dark over light)

If you have a white ceiling and coloured walls be aware that you will need to mask and cover the ceiling - a tough job.

You MUST thin the paint by at least 10% and use a new tin of paint - old paint may clog the nozzles.

If you are "cack handed ", clumsy,  or cant read instructions - forget it. You will need to follow the rules and learn a new technique.

If you master the technique  you can achieve an incredible finish.

Wagener are a very reputable, long established German company and their products are well made and supported.

I think the cheaper W665 model is the best deal. It is easier to change colours and has the option of a different head to do outdoor jobs using varnish and solvent based materials.

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 with emulsion, - and really cant see the point, nasty finish on my 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.

Top Tip -use cling film to cover rollers and brushes to stop them drying out if you are having a break in your work.

My first play with the Wagner Wall Perfect W985E

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!

BEST WIPES FOR DECORATORS

If you work with any tools or equipment the chances are that from time to time they (and you) will get covered in grease, dust, paint and grime. If you cant get to a tap then trade wipes are the answer and should be an important part of every tradesman's toolkit.

Big Industrial wipes are impregnated with orange oil and will clean almost anything off of anything with a few firm wipes. In 2007 I gave them the Golden Shed award winner -best cleaning product.  A box of 80 is available in Halfords for around £7.

 buy a tub of Industrial Big Wipes

Now available in green eco friendly versions! (green lid)

And extra abrasive version with Nylon agitating surface ( red lid)

Breaking News!

I  have found even better wipes! the new Dirteeze rough and smooth trade wipes are covered on one side with small agitating bobbles that work like hundreds of tiny fingers! The other side is an absorbent soft cloth that can soak up spills too.

The Dirteeze trade wipes are impregnated with Aloe Vera so they smell nice and are safe and healthy to use for cleaning your hands and your tools and surfaces.

I have been testing all the above wipes thoroughly and have now decided that the Dirteeze Wipes are best!

The killer application is the small blue rubbery bobbles that get into irregular surfaces and clean by the process of micro-disconbobbulation

(Actually I made up that name but it does describe the process well).

These new wipes are now called Hippo Wipes and are available in tubs of 50 or small packets of 20.

As this product is so good I have given it my official endorsement as "tested by Fredshed"

Hippo wipes come in tub of 50 wipes

buy a packet of 50 Hippo Wipes

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.

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 pack of 50 wet n fix