Electric drywall sander

**JPxTPxMP** · 16-03-2009, 12:27 PM

I'm absolutely convinced we should be using orbital sanders now due to health and safety reasons. I had a go on a flex girafe and now know where i would love to stick the sanding pole,

dustmasks and hand sander. It didn't mess around and I especially noticed the difference with no dust falling on my face while doing the ceilings.
Can i please have some tips on what to buy, what to avoid, bargains available and what is the best type of vacuum to have. I have a choice of at least 2 sanders, the flex and porter cable and would prefer to get the best one.

**admin** · 16-03-2009, 02:34 PM

Let me Google "drywall sanders" for you

**TonyM** · 16-03-2009, 07:54 PM

Flex is the European branded version of the Porter Cable. PC is owned by black & Decker. There are slight differences in the sanders though. The PC, although 110v has a Hertz rating for the US which is different to that of the UK, and will spin faster in the UK, but will burn bushes quicker. Gyproc have started making a drywall sander, similar to the Flex but more powerful. Tried a mates the other week and it is better than my Flex. Cheapest i've seen the gyproc one is here http://www.dry-lining.co.uk/product/...der_Pro_425709. My mate paid £350 plus vat, but he lied to the merchants about what he had been quoted by the competition.
Festool make a dogs bolx sander but it's expensive and rips the shit out of the boards.

And the Vezos Handy Sand is a pile of poo.

**amestaper** · 17-03-2009, 12:02 AM

We use a Flex Giraffe connected to a Nilfisk wet and dry vaccuum. Used for about 4 years and other than wear and tear we haven't had any grief at all. (thats the kiss of death now) Other than the usual on/off switches there is a motor speed wheel on the sander and an automatic sensor on the vacuum that powers it all down once the sanders been turned off. It claims the filters are self cleaning if you pump a button up and down but thats a barefaced lie, better to take them out and knock them.

It comes to pieces easy enough and the sander packs away nicely in a shoulder bag with a pole and cables after every job. The dust is kept to a minimum and our job is sanded in a least half the time using the old "20th century method

". Sandpaper is expensive, so better buy in bulk and take advantage of some discount. We use both the yellow 120 grade stuff and a purple colour mesh style sandpaper we picked up from wet n drywall.

Don't throw away the poles yet, these machines are magic at dusting down the square meterage but cant get into internal corners and ingoes properly.

In my opinion, these are the best working tools I have and I never dread sanding now.

**the_tapeinator** · 19-03-2009, 07:58 PM

God bless electricity!!!!

**amestaper** · 19-03-2009, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by the_tapeinator

God bless electricity!!!!

Hallelujah, I'll second that!

**geordieboy** · 30-03-2009, 08:38 PM

i would personally go with porter cable ,i use the sander with the porter cable vaccum. i got it when the pound was great against the dollar from america 2 years ago and have had no problems with it i have also used the flex model and there is just no comparison

**belmoreboy** · 27-04-2009, 12:38 PM

Tony

Festool released soft pad for sander as you say it was ripping the hell out of boards - seems to have made a big difference and all festools we now sell come with soft pad version on the head.

Still sell flex in good numbers - but not porter cable anymore as Tony says the brushes, motors idler gears and shaft won't last five minutes if abused and ran for longer that 30 mins at a time, the flex runs slower so not so many issues. Watch this space for new flex being released soon (very nice bit of kit) just awaiting 110v and pricing. (Picture attached)

**amestaper** · 27-04-2009, 04:35 PM

I like it! Is that shorter than the current giraffe version?

**TonyM** · 27-04-2009, 07:07 PM

That new Flex looks like it extends.
Had a mare of a day today. The switch packed up on my Hilti hoover, so I went to Brandon Tool Hire to get a vacuum for the day. Had to hire a huge extraction unit plus a 32 amp transformer at a cost of £76. Robbing bastards.
Would have been better to drive 60 mile round trip to fetch my spare one.

**belmoreboy** · 27-04-2009, 10:07 PM

yeah its extendable will get somemoe snaps up when ive got one in my hands soon.

ps tony think i need to get into hiring sounds like easy money!

**willis** · 25-05-2009, 04:27 PM

I've been using the Porter Cable for about 6 years now and I've hand many problems - most annoyingly the drive shaft keeps snapping every 60 secs

! Any tips on how to reduce this - or is it just inherent witht he machine?!

Like the look of the Flex. I might have to invest in one. Before I do i'm going to do a search via this forum to see if there is any feedback from users.

**TonyM** · 25-05-2009, 08:35 PM

The current Flex sander is fine. Not as powerful as the Porter Cable but does the job.

**belmoreboy** · 26-05-2009, 07:39 AM

Willis

Just wondering what colour driveshafts ypu keep buying? we have new style porter cable shafts (black) bit thicker that original spec universal PC877728 anodised. They seem to last a bit longer than gold spec, but the drive shaft in both porter cable and flex is the weak point.

In my opinion and feedback from what we sell everyday and use ourselves on site, at this time - the festool with soft pad (must use soft pad) is the only sander on the market that shouldn't let you down on site with silly little things like shafts idlers & switches etc.

The new flex will be a really good thing if only to stop festools market share and keep prices down for the end user.

**belmoreboy** · 26-05-2009, 08:03 AM

just had some more pics sent to me from rep.

The detachable head look really good idea, only have the hand angle sponges - flex edge or speare 3 in 1 corner sanders at the moment, this should make life easier!

Just need sander to play with !!

**amestaper** · 26-05-2009, 04:19 PM

Everything about it looks like an improvement over the mark one model, how much do they retail for?

**belmoreboy** · 26-05-2009, 04:39 PM

No t gonna be cheap - i will shock you all in a couple of days when i get full details of kit specifications

**amestaper** · 26-05-2009, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by belmoreboy

No t gonna be cheap - i will shock you all in a couple of days when i get full details of kit specifications

Didnt think they would be and may consider one if they're under £500, otherwise my old one will have to break first. Cant find any reviews, are they released in the States yet?