Considering an oscillating sander for Penny and me ("multi-tool" some makers call them)

[Tallbald]

 

If our Wen 16 inch scroll saw and I were in competition for Penny's attention, I'd be losing resoundingly. The last three evenings, my beloved wife Penny has been in our shop between 3 and 4 1/2 hours each evening cutting out bunnies from 6 to 16 inches tall and silhouettes of antique sewing machines. That's a LOT of edge and corner sanding with our 1/4 sheet Dewalt orbital sander, or harder on us yet , hand sanding.

I told Penny of these oscillating, triangle-shaped pad "multi-tools" that have the ability to sand intricate inside corners and many other shapes. Our 1/4 sheet orbital is heavy for us these days. And the vibration takes its' toll on us too.

The multi-tools can be bought for anywhere from $40 to almost $200, but we need to stay at the lower end. 

Anyone here have and use a "multi-tool" for sanding? Are they lighter in the hands than an orbital sander and less tiring to use? 

Thanks. Don.

[MarieC]

I have two Ryobi (one green and one old blue one) and one bosch...all multitools.  My Ryobi are cordless and I have used them both alot, mostly for cutting trim on cabinets and other tasks.  I have used them all for sanding in tight spots and they work just okay ...maybe someone has tried a better brand.  The bosch is a bit heavy and has a cord but it does offer alot of attachments from tiny to larger triangles and seems more powerful than the Ryobi.  The newer green Ryobi is pretty light weight (depending on the size of the battery).  I also have a craftsman triangle sander, it looks like a small iron (see pic) and it is lightweight but it doesn't get into those really tight spots as the others because of the tall handle.  I have refinished alot of furniture so they were all useful for that.  I don't recall a lot of vibration with any of the multi tools... 

[JimErn]

 

Based on the pic MarieC posted, I've always called them a "Corner Cat"

I have a corded one from long ago by Rypobi, never failed me, works great, and not too much of a vibration.
I Looked it up just now, mine does not look anything like what is being sold today, funny, but today's cordless version looks like, and they also sell the corded version too.

 

[ChelCass]

I have a oscillating sander and very rarely use it.  I make a lot of ornaments (both silhouette and fret) and I find I use my Dremel from the inside cuts and for outside edges I just bought a mini belt sander that works perfectly.  Found it on Amazon for around 45.00.  Light weight but heavy enough to not be tipsy.  Perhaps these would work better for you and Penny and the cost is very affordable.

[Bill WIlson]

I have this one;

I occasionally use it for sanding, but I don't find it all that ergonomically friendly to use for extended periods of time.  

My suggestion is try to figure out why you have to do so much edge and corner sanding.  With practice and the right blade, edges can be smooth, right off the saw and need no sanding.

[tgiro]

I've had both types, but mine was a B&D Mouse sander, which I gave to one of the kids, years ago, and haven't seen it since - and haven't missed it. I have a Dewalt cordless multi-tool, which is great for detail or corner sanding, and you can switch to a blade for trim cutting (wood and thin metal), or a scraper blade for removing layers, or a half-moon blade for removing grout.

Note - they all vibrate so take breaks to let the hand muscles settle every now & then. Corded tools are normally lighter than portable, because of no battery weight, but, then you are limited by cord length.

TLDR: Go for the multi-tool.

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by tgiro

[Tallbald]

Thank you all for the replies. We both need a quicker edge sanding way. Blade selection is coming along too but some items just need a little sanding help. Don.

[don in brooklin on]

I have a lot of sanding tools but the one that I use on probably every projects is a MAC mop.  I have 180 grit.

It removes the fuzzies and will soften corners.

 

[kmmcrafts]

I'm not much for holding onto sanders myself, I'd much rather have a stationary tool and I hold the wood being sanded.. I use the ridgid belt / spindle sander and also sanders that mount in my drill press. https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-Oscillating-Edge-Belt-Spindle-Sander-EB4424/202459151?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&&mtc=SHOPPING-BF-CDP-GGL-D25T-025_009_PORT_POWER-NA-Multi-NA-SMART-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NA-PortablePower_SmartShopping&cm_mmc=SHOPPING-BF-CDP-GGL-D25T-025_009_PORT_POWER-NA-Multi-NA-SMART-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NA-PortablePower_SmartShopping-71700000106625794-58700008274559054-92700075196193279&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgaGgBhC8ARIsAAAyLfGIv2s7IzSO4cBB4pJyov6gkbhjl5SEBzvcQhelb_FHGbwc-xf0qr4aArYMEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

WEN and Harbor Freight also have their version of the same type of sander.. I now use a mac mop or sanding mop thing. Harbor Freight used to sell what was called a sanding ball, but I don't see them anymore. basically a arbor with scotchbright pads stacked up on it.. worked great for edge sanding around the outside of a profile but wouldn't get into tight corners well. 

For tight corners I will sometimes cut thin strips of sandpaper and use spray glue the back of two strips then take a old scroll saw blade and sandwich the blade with those strips on each side.. mount in the saw and sand with the saw.. trust me if there is a way to avoid holding a power sander and or hand sanding I'll find a way, LOL

I've always wanted one of these.. I've heard many people on these forums say they use theirs all the time and I think I could use one quite a lot too. https://www.harborfreight.com/1-in-x-30-in-belt-sander-61728.html  

[OCtoolguy]

Kevin, I have both of the units you show. I take the backer off the 1" belt sander so that there are no "hard" angles to it. I also use a lot of wooden dowls of different diameters with sand paper either loosely rolled up or glued to them. I have a Dremel multi-tool that I originally bought for the cutter blade aspect. I wanted to cut some wall panelling in our bathroom to install a medicine cabinet. I did find later that the sanding part was pretty useful and I found a place on Amazon that sold the precut paper with velcro backing at a bulk price. As mentioned above though, you have to give your hand a break every once in a while to let it recover. Because of where the air vents are on the tool you can't hold it where it would be most comfortable. That's my only complaint.

 

[flarud]

17 hours ago, Bill WIlson said:

I have this one;

I occasionally use it for sanding, but I don't find it all that ergonomically friendly to use for extended periods of time.  

My suggestion is try to figure out why you have to do so much edge and corner sanding.  With practice and the right blade, edges can be smooth, right off the saw and need no sanding.

I have this same one.. talk about being a bitch to get that case closed with everything back in it.  You have to make sure that all of the attachments are in place.  

[BadBob]

Harbor Freight Abrasive Balls
https://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/drill-driver-bits/abrasive-attachments/4-in-180-grit-abrasive-ball-61184.html

[BadBob]

Here is what I use for scroll saw projects: 

 

Shopsmith 6" Belt Sander - Useful for curved edges and flat surfaces that I want to remove material quickly. The best tool I have for sanding wheels to size.

 

Delta 1" belt sander - It does a great job on outside edges and can be used for some inside curves. I also have the Shopsmith version, which does the same thing and lets me do inside sanding. 

 

Klingspor Sanding Mop - Expensive, but worth the cost. Removes most fuzzies and leaves a silky smooth surface.

 

Klingspor Mac Mop - Similar to a sanding mop but a bit more aggressive. 

 

Ridgid Spindle Sander - Great for sanding inside curves as small as a 1/2 inch radius. It also has an oscillating belt sander. 

 

Random Orbital Sanders - I use these for sanding flat surfaces, such as prepping wood for the scroll saw and sanding puzzles. I have four sanders, one Hitachi, and three Bauer random orbit sanders. I have this many sanders, so I don't have to change the sandpaper for each grit. I have the Bauer sanders because the dut port is round.

 

Quarter Sheet Palm Sander - I only have this because I have a huge stack of 80-grit sandpaper that fits this. I would not recommend buying one.

 

Grizzly Flex Shaft Rotary Tool - I use this with an assortment of drum and flap sanders for sanding inside curves. You can do this with a held rotary tool like a Dremel, but this is lots better. If it ever dies, I will probably buy a Foredom. 

 

I have other sanding tools that don't get use for scroll saw projects, yet.

 

These are only the power sanding tools. At some point, you will need to resort to hand sanding. 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 9, 2023 by BadBob
Correction

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, BadBob said:

Harbor Freight Abrasive Balls
https://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/drill-driver-bits/abrasive-attachments/4-in-180-grit-abrasive-ball-61184.html

That's what I was trying to find.. I guess I used the wrong search term..

These work pretty good other than in tight spots.. 

[Sycamore67]

I think a better tool is a mac mop or sanding mop.  

[rjweb]

Bob do you think you have enough sanding equipment, nice collection, RJ 

[BadBob]

1 hour ago, rjweb said:

Bob do you think you have enough sanding equipment, nice collection, RJ 

No, if I had space, I would have three of each belt sander, that would be six belt sanders, so I would not need to change belts unless I wore out the belt. There are disc sanders, flat and conical these all are used on my Shopsmith. I would like to have a belt-fed drum sander and a sand flea. 

I make toys of all sorts and do a lot of sanding. Having the right tool for the job makes everything easier.

[NC Scroller]

I also have a lot of sanding tools but if I do need to sand, my Klingspor sanding mop gets the most use.  If you have to do lots of sanding maybe you should consider using different blades.I use mostly reverse tooth blades in the smallest size I can get away with.  Lots of #1 and #3.

[BadBob]

1 minute ago, NC Scroller said:

Klingspor sanding mop gets the most use

Same here, I use the mop for every project.

I make more toys than anything, but I also like to make fretwork, ornaments, and puzzles. The sanding mop is helpful for all of these.

The sanding tools you need depend on what you make and just how picky you are. There is no magic one size fits all sanding tool.

[kmmcrafts]

I agree with Scott.. Might be a blade issue because I think most of us rarely have to sand the edges.. 

 

On a side note: I've learned a lot from this topic.. I've seen those multi tools but never really looked into them, I didn't even know they could be used as a sander.. honestly didn't know what they was for, LOL and figured I had a Dremel that was pretty versatile and did basically the same stuff but now I know I'm wrong. I'm going to have to look and see what all they are used for.   

[BadBob]

5 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

I agree with Scott.. Might be a blade issue because I think most of us rarely have to sand the edges.. 

I had the same thought. In most cases, I only sand the edges of my scroll project to correct defects or to make wheels perfectly round. for example.

In some woods, the edges are so smooth they are glossy.

[kmmcrafts]

26 minutes ago, BadBob said:

I had the same thought. In most cases, I only sand the edges of my scroll project to correct defects or to make wheels perfectly round. for example.

In some woods, the edges are so smooth they are glossy.

Right, maybe slightly off topic here but, I have noticed a difference on how smooth / glossy the edges are by which saw I'm using if that makes any sense at all, and really noticed it when I first got that Hegner saw recently. The Hegner using the same blade ( Pegas MGT #5 ) cutting on the same exact trivet that I was making at the time had a very smooth glossy edge and I picked up on that detail right off the bat when first using that saw, which is why I switched saws to both the Hawk and Excalibur.. The Hawk wasn't as smooth edged as the Hegner and the Excalibur wasn't as smooth as the Hawk or Hegner.. None of the saws made "bad" edges but the Hegner made noticeably smoother edges. Not real sure why.. and might be just the way I was cutting since it was a first time using the saw maybe I was feeding the wood differently. Honestly haven't used the Hegner much since the first couple cuts as I need to find some time to modify the dust blower or make a dust collector set up.. can't stand the thing blowing the dust right toward me like it does so I don't use it. When temps warm up and I get some fee time this summer I'll rig up something for it.. as I do really like the saw..  

[BadBob]

42 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

I have noticed a difference on how smooth / glossy the edges are by which saw I'm using if that makes any sense at all

I have seen the same thing. I used a Taiwan-made castiron saw sold by AMT for years. It was the smoothest cutting saw I have ever used. I'm talking glass smooth edges. I got rid of it because the blade chang was terrible when compared to an EX21.

[OCtoolguy]

7 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

I agree with Scott.. Might be a blade issue because I think most of us rarely have to sand the edges.. 

 

On a side note: I've learned a lot from this topic.. I've seen those multi tools but never really looked into them, I didn't even know they could be used as a sander.. honestly didn't know what they was for, LOL and figured I had a Dremel that was pretty versatile and did basically the same stuff but now I know I'm wrong. I'm going to have to look and see what all they are used for.   

Once you have one you won't be without it. Just being able to cut a molding flush with the floor, nothing else works. As I mentioned above, we wanted a medicine cabinet in our master bath and the only place for it was the side of a cabinet that had an inner wall. I laid out the lines on the cab and used the fine-tooth blade that vibrates. Once it was through the wall it was just a matter of following the line. Noisy but effective. I used a shop vac at the same time to suck up the dust. I've used the triangular sanding pad on just about everything I've made. I bought one of the first Dremel models about 12 years ago. Since then they've changed them but I don't know if they improved them. My only complaint is the placement of the air vents. They are where you would naturally want to hold the tool for the best balance. I just take breaks to let it cool. 

[OCtoolguy]

6 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Right, maybe slightly off topic here but, I have noticed a difference on how smooth / glossy the edges are by which saw I'm using if that makes any sense at all, and really noticed it when I first got that Hegner saw recently. The Hegner using the same blade ( Pegas MGT #5 ) cutting on the same exact trivet that I was making at the time had a very smooth glossy edge and I picked up on that detail right off the bat when first using that saw, which is why I switched saws to both the Hawk and Excalibur.. The Hawk wasn't as smooth edged as the Hegner and the Excalibur wasn't as smooth as the Hawk or Hegner.. None of the saws made "bad" edges but the Hegner made noticeably smoother edges. Not real sure why.. and might be just the way I was cutting since it was a first time using the saw maybe I was feeding the wood differently. Honestly haven't used the Hegner much since the first couple cuts as I need to find some time to modify the dust blower or make a dust collector set up.. can't stand the thing blowing the dust right toward me like it does so I don't use it. When temps warm up and I get some fee time this summer I'll rig up something for it.. as I do really like the saw..  

So pull the air line out at the bellows.