Non Festool linear/profile sander?

[Svar]

Does anyone other than Festool make linear sanders similar to LS130? All 1/4, 1/2 sheet sanders seem to be random orbit these days.

 

[internet@acetool.com]

Try Dynabrade

 

[ear3]

Good to see you guys active on the FOG [member=60827]internet[member=1752]acetool[/member].com[/member] .  You're my favorite brick and mortar Festool dealer, and I try to send people your way when I can. 

Try Dynabrade

 

[internet@acetool.com]

Thank You so much Ed !! We really appreciate that 

 

[antss]

Porter Cable's 444 was a linear sander, but really only suited to detail work. The "large sheet" was just two small triangle papers joined together.

Craftsman had a linear half sheet model many moons ago, but good luck finding one, and even if you do................

 

[Svar]

Thanks for the replies. Curious why linear sanders are so scarce? No one sands profiles and narrow stock anymore? There is gazillion orbitals on Amazon, and practically no linear ones.

 

[antss]

My guess is no one bought them when they were available.

There are a lot of those 444 floating around but many of them are often unused.

 

[aloysius]

I once had an (Oz-made??) B&D 1/3 sheet version some 35 odd years ago.  It has switchable modes between st'd orbital & linear and a dustbag.  The "switch" was actually a lever on the side between the body & platen, and was only reachable with one's fingertips, and particularly stiff to move.

Trouble is, there wasn't actually much real difference between modes of operation.  Sort of the difference between a true circular and elliptical orbits, but it was useful for window frames, muntins & stiles and the like that needed a more linear/less sideways motion.

I personally find Festo's Duplex sander's performance also rather underwhelming, but for different reasons.  I've had a couple, now only one.  For paint removal and other heavy duty applications I find it painfully slow, rather vibratory despite the contra-rotating counterweights, and unbearably prone to premature clogging and breakdown of the backing pad foam/s.  For sanding of raw timber with finer grits it's probably OK, but realistically for my types of use it's just a ludicrously expensive and slower alternative to a shaped hand sanding pad used with painters' paper.

 

[semenza]

I am not sure the PC444 is truly linear, I think it might be more of a vibration sander? Not sure. But the reports I have seen on it indicate that it is not very good.

Seth

 

[antss]

Well, the owners manual says its linear  [unsure]

* Sander* Standard sanding pad* Profile mounting platesFOREWORDThe Porter-Cable Profile Sander provides an "in-line" sanding motion thatpermits sanding of corners, profiles, and other areas that are inaccessible toother power sanders.NOTE: This tool is shipped completely assembled. No assembly time ortools are required.PREPARATION FOR SANDINGNOTE: A wide variety of accessory pads, profile holders, and profiles isavailable to fit the Porter-Cable Profile Sander. Please refer to your Porter-Cable Catalog to determine which of these items are supplied as standardequipment with each particular Profile Sander Package. All of these items areavailable as accessories, and they may be used with any Porter-Cable Model444 Profile Sander.SELECTING A PAD OR PROFILE MOUNTING PLATESelect the sanding pad or profile holder that best fits your application: Fig. 1.A. Diamond Pad for PSA Abrasives: The pointed tip of this pad is used forsanding into corners and intricately shaped areas. Precut PSA abrasives areused with this pad (Fig. 2).AB. Diamond Pad for Hook & Loop Abrasives: The pointed tip of this padis used for sanding into corners and intricately shaped areas. Precut, Hook& Loop Abrasives with dust extraction holes are used with this pad. Theoptional 14449 dust wand (and an external vacuum source), can also beused with this pad to provide dust collection (Fig. 3).CARTON CONTENTSFUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION

Though, they may be having a play with words.  It really wouldn't replace a 130 in my opinion for sure.

I used one for about an hour 20 years ago on some trim molding to clean up old paint. It was ok, beat hand sanding for sure. But it's not to be mistaken for a top of the line sander. And if you have a lot of flat surface to sand - forget it.  I remember wearing out a lot of rolled sandpaper.

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

Flex also manufactures the ST1005 fingerschleifer sander, but like the Porter Cable, the pads are tiny.

 

[RDMuller]

I suspect the reason others have not gotten in to it is because it is very difficult to do.  Particularly if you need to hold a low price point.

 

[leakyroof]

I once had an (Oz-made??) B&D 1/3 sheet version some 35 odd years ago.  It has switchable modes between st'd orbital & linear and a dustbag.  The "switch" was actually a lever on the side between the body & platen, and was only reachable with one's fingertips, and particularly stiff to move.

Trouble is, there wasn't actually much real difference between modes of operation.  Sort of the difference between a true circular and elliptical orbits, but it was useful for window frames, muntins & stiles and the like that needed a more linear/less sideways motion.

I personally find Festo's Duplex sander's performance also rather underwhelming, but for different reasons.  I've had a couple, now only one.  For paint removal and other heavy duty applications I find it painfully slow, rather vibratory despite the contra-rotating counterweights, and unbearably prone to premature clogging and breakdown of the backing pad foam/s.  For sanding of raw timber with finer grits it's probably OK, but realistically for my types of use it's just a ludicrously expensive and slower alternative to a shaped hand sanding pad used with painters' paper.

I bet I had the same sander..... You're so right, there wasn't much difference between modes.... [big grin]

 

[leakyroof]

I am not sure the PC444 is truly linear, I think it might be more of a vibration sander? Not sure. But the reports I have seen on it indicate that it is not very good.

Seth

  I owned the Single Speed Model first, then sold that one off to a friend and bought the VS model to replace it. Then I bought the Festool LS 130, and don't use the PC anymore,,,,,, [embarassed]
It DOES have one ace over the LS 130 though, it's easier to fit PC's smaller profile pads into areas where the larger Festool pads would never fit esp with complex profiles on trim. But, that comes at a huge trade-off with very short life on those tiny pieces of PC abrasives when you're sanding.
I've still got mine, don't want to get rid of it just yet, but it is admittedly a boat anchor of a tool..... [big grin]