input needed on a model type power sander?

[Mike Kucaba]

Making modifications to large scale models is tiring me out. How about anyone know/use a power sander for large flat surfaces? I have a couple of Dremel type tools, but they have their limitations. And I have seen the ones in Micromark's catalog, just would like to know if anyone has used any of them.

[sportandmiah]

I just bought a Mr. Polisher II from HLJ for $12.99. It uses 250 grit up to 2000 grit pads.

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 7/27/2013 at 5:18 PM, Mike Kucaba said:

Making modifications to large scale models is tiring me out. How about anyone know/use a power sander for large flat surfaces?

Wow. Even for 1:1s, I've never found a substitute for sanding boards and blocks, and good ol' workin' up a sweat when it comes to getting things straight and flat.

Are you needing something to take a lot of material off quick for rough shaping ? I can certainly see how that could be useful.

I'll be interested to see the answers here too.

[Harry P.]

What about a small palm sander?

http://www.harborfreight.com/palm-sander-98622.html

[Ace-Garageguy]

You got me curious...something like this looks like it might be useful, but it also looks like it would be pretty easy to dig an edge in and defeat the whole purpose...

[gobobbie]

You can make your own for a couple of bucks. I am sorry my digital camera is on the fritz.

My daughter does extreme couponing. One of the hauls she brought home was a batch of battery powered toothbrushes. I snagged one from the pile and off to the workbench.

I pulled the bristles off the rotating head, saving them for god knows what.

Using a 1/2 inch harbor freight leather punch I punched out a variety of discs of various grades of sandpaper.

I washed a foam tray that meat comes in and punched more discs

Using dollar store double sided tape I attached the sandpaper discs to the foam discs.

I store the discs in a pill organizer.

To make it even cheaper, I use rechargeable batteries.

Bob Gregory

[crazyjim]

I use a Wahl sander for a lot of my sanding. I've attached a pic of the cordless unit. I have that one and also their corded unit. You can get 4 grits of sandpaper that's sticky on 1 side and stick it to the boards that come with the units. They also come with several file tips.

[Art Anderson]

I might be way off base here, but if one thinks about it, aren't all but the tiniest of power tools just bit of overkill when trying to apply them to a model car? Sure, for rough work, such as cutting out wheel arches, a Dremel with a cutter does a very good job of cutting quickly, but in the end, generally that comes down to hand-finishing, or so it seems to me (having done my share of that sort of thing over the past several decades).

With sanders, it seems to me that unless one is working on a project with fairly large flat surfaces, a power sander, no matter the size up or down, may will not work as nicely as a sanding block, held and moved by hand.

All of this makes me really wonder if chasing after power tools do do some of the sanding work we can get in to, might be a case of increased investment with quite possibly diminishing returns.

Again, just my $.02 worth here.

Art

[Swamp Dog]

i use a yellow Decker (Black and Decker) palm sander..works great and u can put any grit on it...

[Blown03SVT]

Cannot help but wonder if you could get a battery powered nail file for cheap from a Sally beauty supply. Small enough for nails, small enough for models. And probably plenty of replacement grits.

[southpier]

yeah; just try starting with a more coarse grit (or different abrasive) and see if that makes a difference. you can always take more off, but putting it back on is a bigger chore.

[crazyjim]

Somebody once posted that he brought a cheap rotating toothbrush, cutoff the brushing part and taped bits of sandpaper to the head.