Pneumatic vs electric

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Hukshawn

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I have a 6" random orbit pneumatic sander, its a more expensive model from princess auto (harbor freight), and I like it, very much so. Sands very well, pad spins at a good rate, the orbit is 3/16, which I very much like. Its a good hogging sander. However, my 60 gal home brew compressor has a hard time with it. Its an old Brunner, but I swapped the pump for a Chinese 2 cylinder a few years ago because the Brunner was shot. (Really wish I kept that pump and rebuilt it...)

None of my various big brand name orbit sanders come close to the pneumatic, and I don't like that... Is there No electric model that minics a pneumatic?

I could be ignorant and just run with the pneumatic cause I'm in the basement and the compressor is in the garage and I can't hear it run, but I always have these nightmares in the back of my mind that the pump is on fire, the motor is spitting belts across the garage and the tank is rolling down the driveway....
 
look in craigslist for a used compressor. Around here there have been 2 recent postings for nice rotary compressors. Atlas Copco I think if I remember.
 
i have not found a electric pad sander that even comes close to the pneumatic DA sanders
you can use a 4-1/2" flap wheel on a grinder, but it's just not the same as a DA sander
 
Im on Kijiji every day looking for various things, and to pass the toilet time. Good compressors don't come up often.
A screw compressor would be sweet for spraying and sanding, but not practical for my garage. All the screw compressors I've dealt with in factory (half dozen or so) run 100% of the time and are obnoxiously noisy. I know they can be programmed to run intermittently. I have seen one for sale in Toronto a little while ago, I inquired, they wanted like $5500... it was a bit big, tho. About 200hp, if I remember correctly... Lol.
What would be ideal is a 3 cylinder or a 2 stage that can give me 15-19 cfm at 90psi and be good enough that I don't get worried every time it runs continuously for a while.
I haven't seen one come up within a reasonable price range. I'm not in a position to spend $1100 on a compressor head and a new 5 hp motor.
I mean, a man can dream... And I'm sure I'll find a better pump one day, but for the time being, and the next few major projects I have in the shop, an electric equivalent to a 3/16" orbit pneumatic sander would suffice fine.
 
Just about any pneumatic tool will outperform an equivalent electric tool in terms of power to weight and much less bulk; on the other hand, compressed air is the least efficient form of power transmission on earth. Having said that, I prefer pneumatic tools to electric drive in about every instance.
My compressor is a Chicago Pneumatic 4" bore X 5"stroke that is probably nearly 100 years old, powered by a 3 HP motor; it does most of what I need it to do.
 
The Festool Rotex sanders are excellent electric sanders, better sanding action than the Dynabrade pneumatic random orbits but heaver and not as easy to use single handed.

You can gang compressors together, for more air.
 
The 150 has a 3/16" orbit, but Jesus Murphey, it's $825... Why are these sanders so expensive?! Someone just put an electric motor in a pneumatic sander... Why is that so complicated?? Lol

And my only other compressor is a little 12gal I use for work when framing. At one point I considered getting a pig tank and stowing it somewhere along the line to double my volume. The pump would run longer but get a longer rest. And then eventually upgrade the pump. But the idea of adding a second potentially explosive pressure vessel to the house just didn't seem smart. Haha.
 
I got by doing some body work with a random orbit electric buffer. Here's a 6":https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B06XTFYS3P/ref=sspa_dk_detail_5?psc=1
Same as you I was trying to keep the torture off the compressor.
Had an 8" head so finding paper for it wasn't the easiest, but I found a couple rolls.
It died after about a years use. Still have the 8" discs. I cut them down and use on my 6".

I think part of the air power idea is that many times there are plenty of flammables around and there is ignition danger from the electric motor.
 
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