Can I Sand My In-Place Banister/Newel Posts/Balusters With the RO150

[Grasshopper]

As the title suggests , I am looking at refinishing our in place banister/newel posts/ Balusters.  I need to strip all the old stain, poly finish down to bare wood so I can re-stain to match our new floors.  Originally I was going to paint, so we hand scuffed and were ready to go.

I am sure either the RO90 or LS 130 would be awesome for this project, but I don't want/need to buy a purpose built tool for this one particular project (I am a hobbyist, so I don't foresee any future needs).

My question since I do own the RO150, is if there is a way to do a good job with what I have?

 

[PreferrablyWood]

As the title suggests , I am looking at refinishing our in place banister/newel posts/ Balusters.  I need to strip all the old stain, poly finish down to bare wood so I can re-stain to match our new floors.  Originally I was going to paint, so we hand scuffed and were ready to go.

I am sure either the RO90 or LS 130 would be awesome for this project, but I don't want/need to buy a purpose built tool for this one particular project (I am a hobbyist, so I don't foresee any future needs).

My question since I do own the RO150, is if there is a way to do a good job with what I have?

Personally I don't own the RO 150, I have done similiar rounded surfaces with an 80mm RO metabo, it can't really do the job without additional handsanding and scraping even with it's soft spongy interface pad, so I personally would look at the LS 130, perhaps you could buy it and sell it again? I just don't think the RO 150 could be delicate and precise enough..

I've done a huge amount of hand sanding and scraping on mouldings and rounded surfaces and once you get the hang of it, it goes pretty quickly though can be a little hard on the hands..

 

[ear3]

What's the most complex profile you will have to deal with?

RO 150 seems kind of big for this, though you could take an initial stab with the interface pad I suppose.  It just depends on how much space there is in between the posts, and whether you could maneuver it to get the sides.  The RO 90 would definitely be more user friendly, and gives you the Deltex option, which would help at the ends of the posts.

I purchased the LS 130 for a moulding project this summer.  After the job was finished, I returned it, thinking I would hardly need it again.  And of course, I then got a commission for a job that involved making around 500 feet of moulding.  So I bought it again, and it is now a permanent resident.  It's the sort of tool that when you need it, there really is no substitute. 

 

[semenza]

Are the post / balusters mostly flat surfaces? Pictures of the post will help. If not the RO150 will not be good at it.

Seth

 

[Scott B.]

I am the first to do the unconventional thing with tools, and so I have done exactly that sort of thing. The conclusion of my dalliances is that when the tool is that much bigger than the target, it's just not the experience you are looking for. Drop the $385 or whatever and get an RO90. Opportunity knocketh.

 

[Grasshopper]

Thanks for all the replies.

Here is a picture so you can get a better idea-

[attachimg=1]

Are the post / balusters mostly flat surfaces? Pictures of the post will help. If not the RO150 will not be good at it.

Seth

 

[ear3]

Yeah, definitely not an RO150 job.  The LS 130 should handle the rounded portion of the stock pretty well with the concave radius sanding pad.  It also has a flat pad that could conceivably do the bottom, square portions of the posts, though you would probably have to get the extra long flat sanding pad to get at the sides that face one another.  The problem is obviously the transition points, and the places were the rounded profile changes.  You might be able to hit some of that with the RO90 outfitted with a soft interface pad (maybe even two pads), but I would be worried about sanding through the wood.  Whichever way, you will have to mix in some amount of hand sanding.

 

[promhandicam]

Nitromors or what ever the yankee equivalent is of a strong chemical paint / varnish stripper. Why make work for yourself trying to sand them?

 

[Alan m]

ls 130 is the only way to go. if the concave pad isn't the right shape get the make your own kit.
I own the ro 150 and 90 and ls130. I definitely wouldn't go at it with the ro150 , there is too much power  and not enough control.
the ro90 maybe with a few interface pads and the extended delta pad.
ls130 all the way and hand sand the rest.
maybe some stripper might speed up the details
maybe a multimaster might help sand those awkward spaces

 

[Scott B.]

I do a lot of spindles, both on and off site.

It seems to always be a RO90 thing.

Here are some tips I compiled a couple of years ago to make this tedious task more enjoyable.

http://topcoatreview.com/2012/03/sanding-spindles/

 

[tbellemare]

Thanks for all the replies.

Here is a picture so you can get a better idea-

[attachimg=1]

I will always defer to Scott on this sort of thing but it looks to me like you are going to need a lot of hand sanding.

Tom

 

[Scott B.]

Thanks for all the replies.

Here is a picture so you can get a better idea-

[attachimg=1]

I will always defer to Scott on this sort of thing but it looks to me like you are going to need a lot of hand sanding.

Tom

Having reviewed the photos:

A. There is no place for a 150 there.

B. I'd use Granat soft roll manually and have a vac handy.

C. The bigger challenge will be on the repaint. Round and tapered spindles are hard to brush. I use a semi oval brush in that case.

 

[Wooden Skye]

I used curved scrapers for some of my spindles, but it was long and tedious, I didn't have the ro90 at the time, maybe I should try that.

 

[Scott B.]

Actually, RO90 with stacked interface pads would be pretty sweet on those.

 

[PA floor guy]

I do this exact job every 2-3 months.  The ro90 is your best friend. On top of that, get a good bahco scraper, the small triangle one. They have a few small blades that will answer all your questions.  Do not hesitate, the 90 and a 125 palm is all you need. The 150 is a great sander.  But you will destroy your stair parts using that

 

[AlexThePalex]

This is going to be a tedious time consuming job no matter what approach you take.

There are so many balusters, after you've done 10 you'll thoroughly hate it and realise you still have 100+ to do. To get them all down to bare wood is going to take ages. I hope you've got patience, I wouldn't.

The RO150 has no place here, I agree with others the RO90 would be the best fit. Or a DTS400. Even then sanding it all down to bare wood will be very time consuming. Needs lots of hand sanding besides what you can do with the machine. The bottom part with the ring profile will need chemical stripper to get it 100% clean of paint. Chemical stripper might work best on the entire baluster, but it will be messy and still time consuming.

There are also infrared lamps that you can use, this might be worth considering. I never used one though.

I would really think twice before stripping all this down to bare wood.

I think it would take me 30-40 minutes to fully strip one single baluster.

 

[mastercabman]

I would also look into chemical strippers
You need to be careful when sanding to bare wood
You can easily sand off a lot of details
Are you going lighter or darker with the stain?

 

[greg mann]

I like the look you already have. In re-reading your post it isn't clear to me you intend to strip the painted ballusters or just the larger elements. It would take a lot of persuasion to get me to strip the painted balusters.  [not worthy]

 

[Grasshopper]

Awesome replies all around.  Thanks to all for feedback!!!

I plan to keep the white parts white, but all of the "butterscotch" will be colored to match the floors (dark ebony).  I want to stain, but in order to do that I really have to sand everything to bare wood. 

This will all be a 2-3 year "band-aid" since I want to redo my stairs in hardwood, and then I'd want to do new posts, rails, and balusters.

Sigh…

I'm surprised that many favor the RO90 vs the ls130…good to know.  I should have picked up the 90 as well as my 150 during the recon sale.

 

[semenza]

For a 2 - 3 year band aid I would just think about waiting 2 years. 

RO90 + LS130 would be perfect.

Seth