No solution for sanding paint off door frame dust free?

[BrianHammerstein]

I purchased the RTS-400 EQ and LS 130 EQ sanders with 40-60-80 Cristal abrasives hoping to sand paint off of some metal door frames. Unfortunately the small orbit action of the sanders is not sufficiently aggressive to remove the paint. I understand the Rotex would do the job but I am concerned about paint dust spewing off the edge of the door frame by the exposed portion of the Rotex sander pad. Any suggestions? Will the Rotex suck up all the dust even with part of the pad exposed off the edge of the frame if I turn up the CT-22 vac all the way?

 

[Brice Burrell]

I think you'll find the dust collection of the Rotex sanders to be pretty good but not 100% in this application.

 

[AlexThePalex]

I find the Rotex 150 not that good suited for door frames. The dust collection is fine, albeit not 100%, but still remarkably good.

However, if the pad is just partially on top of a surface, it starts to become jumpy, especially in random orbit mode. In rotary mode this is better though, but still a bit annoying. I know that I wished I had a 125 mm model that moment, like the ETS 125 or the Rotex 125.  I had a Black & Decker 125 mm sander before that served me well for 16 years, and it was much better at this particular job than the Rotex 150. Dust collection with the B&D was very bad though.

But it still is possible to do this job with the Rotex 150, if you know how to handle the machine, and the dust collection still is better than 95% of all other sanders out there. It is unrealistic to expect a totally dust free sanding job in any application. Unless you want to go for wet sanding.

 

 

[AlexThePalex]

Yes, with great ease. Got the little bugger myself also. I'd recommend Cristal or Brilliant paper for that though, 40 or 60 grit, Saphir is overkill and 24 grit will leave a lot of scratch marks. But do you want to remove all the paint? It will take you a long time with the small pad of the DX-93.  It is mostly not necessary to remove all the paint from metal, you can just sand it all even and paint over it. But if you want to remove it all, paint stripper might be a lot easier.

 

[imaginarynumber]

As previously stated you will have some dust with any of the rotex sanders, in such situations I have used a second dust extractor and gaffer taped the second hose to collect the falling dust.

I find the the RTS-400 EQ with the (retro fit) delta base (ie dts-400) is more effective than the rectangular base- I cannot explain why though.

I have only used my LS 130 EQ a hand full of times, I would expect that this would take ages given the linear motion.

You might find that the new multi hole Rotex is ideal- I have the older type so am uncertain

 

[Neill]

Brian,

I know I am coming in a bit late and bit off-topic, but on behalf of all of us on the FOG I would like to thank Brian Hammerstein and his collaborator Roy Rogers for all those great Broadway musicals... Carousel, Oklahoma, Showboat, West Side Story and of course South Pacific.

[thumbs up]

Neill