Planex

[richard.selwyn]

Have spent this last week using the Planex and dedicated vacuum.  A few observations for anyone interested.  Its a heavy beast and when sanding a ceiling is hard to control and rather tiring.  The dedicated vacuum is also very big, noisy and heavy and even though there is an automatic filter cleaner, the suction drops quite regularly which causes an alarm to sound.  You then have to stop, disconnect the hose, block the hose, turn the sander on for ten seconds and the filter clears - works OK but a bit of a bore.
Over all, I am very pleased with the results, but it is a substantial investment nearly 2000 euros here or about $3,000 at current exchange rate - meaning you need both a healthy bank balance and healthy arms.  When sanding newly "spackled" ceilings that are relatively smooth it is easier to use as the suction tends to hold the machine to the ceiling.  When sanding old, uneven (in this case a 19th century building in Paris) ceilings its a lot harder.
Others have talked of using one with a standard Vac - I would say that that would be virtually impossible as the bag would clog very rapidly with the fine dust and thus suction would drop.  The dedicated sander uses an "open" plastic bag and has a system which "knocks" the filter every 30 seconds to clean it.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Richard, can you post some pictures?

 

[Loren Hedahl]

I don't know exactly what you are doing, but recently I had to sand a bathroom ceiling.  The ceiling was fir or hemlock car decking, house about 50 years old, no fan in the bathroom.  The original lacquer finish was somewhat deteriorated with mildew/mold starting in many areas.

I used a Porter Cable 1/4 sheet sander connected to my Festool vacuum.  To keep my arms from tiring, I made a spring stick out of a piece of pipe covered over with a longer piece of foam pipe insulation.  This rested on the top of a step ladder and held the sander firmly to the ceiling.  I could do a couple of square feet of ceiling before having to move the ladder.

It was still quite a bit of work, but a lot easier than using the armstrong method!  The ceiling cleaned up beautifully and now sports six coats of water borne polyurethane.

 

[richard.selwyn]

Loren wrote "I don't know exactly what you are doing"
The problem is - nor do I!!  I'm restoring an old apartment in Paris for rental.  I was going to screw sheetrock to the exisitng ceiling, but a friend volunteered to spackle over it.  It had polystyrene glued to it.  Scraped off, then planex sanded.  Walls were stripped of paper with a steam cleaning machine (much more effective than a steam paper strip in my experience) then Planex sanded.

Now everything has been spackled (and the "spackler has returned to Long Island) I am not sure if the Planex is to agressive for a final sand.  They don't seem to sell mesh sanders on poles here

I will try to take some photos next time I'm on site - though my photography is not much better than my sanding!!

 

[The Woodentop]

richard.selwyn

I've noticed you commenting on quite a few topics and you mention working in the USA, France and England. Are you a professional and if so, how do you manage to obtain such diverse contracts? I'd like some clues as I seem to spend too much of my time in the same old drudgery!

Larry

 

[richard.selwyn]

I guess the word professional covers a multitude of sins.  It would be no false modesty to say I am a rank amateur.  I do, however work in France as a woodworker professionally, but it's only part time for other people - the rest of the time is spent working on my own property.  In the US, I bought a house witha friend, renovated it and sold it. (Shame the dollars are now worth nothing!) and have spent far too much time over there helping friends with building projects (I have built 2 swimming pools with a friend in Long Island but am now definitely too old for that.  I do come over to the UK to "work" but I am afraid its only paid in kind.  I've always liked the idea of exchanging services - somewhere they came up with something or other called Salt.  I have just finished building a load of boxes for a guy who will be suffering "payback" on Friday helping me to fit some windows.
I am not clever enough to be an international woodworker, but as I have a very forgiving wife (who helps pay the bills) and no children I am free to accept almost anything that comes my way.  The actual amount I earn in euros is often less than I get in return goods and services.  I am sorry if I have given a false impression.

If you do want to work abroad, there must be ways as I often come across foreign tradesmen - the problem is, many seem to come from places where rates are lower.

I hope you don't really think that your work is the same old drudgery - that's probably why I'm always willing to take up any wild offers to do things as I hate to do the same thing over and over.  Having said that I think that sanding "spackle" is real drudgery.  But whenever I get down I remeber when I was a real wage slave in England, earnt a good salary and was thoroughly miserable - I used to work all day in with housebuilders!  By moving to France I was able to pay for my house (and workshop) outright.  If ever you think of that - you at least now know who to call on for a translator!

 

[The Woodentop]

Interesting. I think I've gone wrong in a variety of ways. Having too many kids is a prime example. I've got the little perishers running all round and they cost a fortune. I wouldn't be without them but they have stopped me from being self indulgent. Pity!

It's of no consequence really but I'm even more confused about you now. Are you American? You write like one. And seem to have lots of American friends. But you mention being a wage slave in England working for a builder. Have you always been a carpenter?

Larry

 

[richard.selwyn]

Sorry if I've spread further confusion.  I am English (well Richard the Lionheart was sort of English although he only spoke French - Selwyn is a Welsh christian name.....so i'm a mongrel)  I was born and bred (if breeding comes into it) in the West Midlands - its a great place to come from, but IMHO a XXXX place to go to -  two of my best friends live in the US - one an old friend from school days - so sort of English - the other an Irishman (he's just been over here for a week helping me (his better half hates me!!).  I'm sorry if I sound American - I think that its just that this forum - and the other one I frequent for Felder woodworking machines - seems to have a lot of US members....
I ran away from England in 1991 and have never looked back.
I only took up woodworking / carpentry (or Woodbutchery as my friends in the US call it) when I came over here.  Having seen what some other members of the forum are capable of turning out, I use the words with some trepidation - I wonder whether what i do isn't more akin to slaughterhouse work than butchery!
Hope that counts as demystification if thats the right word.

 

[richard.selwyn]

Interesting. I think I've gone wrong in a variety of ways. Having too many kids is a prime example. I've got the little perishers running all round and they cost a fortune. I wouldn't be without them but they have stopped me from being self indulgent. Pity!
Larry

Forgot to say - I'm glad you've "evenend up" for our lack of offspring and I bet you wouldn't be without them!

 

[The Woodentop]

Very complicated by my standards! All this about Richard the Lionheart and all those international friends. I do well to hold on to a couple of buddies who live down the road. How do you get so many friends all over the world? This becomes more intriguing by the post!

My kids. Yes, they're fun in an odd way. I just wish one or two of them had been boys. Nothing against girls I hasten to add. I'm not looking forward to all those weddings.

Woodworking / Carpentry / Wood butchery / Wood Slaughtering (I think that covers all your terms), to me this is all about different levels of snobbery! Is it a patio or a terrace? A sitting room or a lounge? Call it what you like, we know what you're doing! However well or badly. But with all the tools you seem to have amassed I can't believe for a moment you're as unskilled as you suggest. Unless you are completely mad! LOL.

Larry