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Bought a cheap orbital sander for $35 and it nearly ruined a walnut tabletop
The pad kept wobbling, left swirl marks everywhere. Had to spend hours fixing it with a hand block. Anyone know a solid brand under $100 that won't do this?
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the_cameron1mo ago
My buddy had the same thing happen with a cheap sander on a dresser he was fixing up. The pad shook so much it looked like he sanded it with a drunk squirrel. He ended up borrowing a Makita from his neighbor, and the difference was night and day. That thing ran smooth and left a perfect finish. I know they can run a bit over a hundred new, but you can often find a good used one for under your budget. It's worth hunting around because a bad tool just makes more work.
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jordanhill1mo ago
Forget the finish, cheap ones can mess up your hands long-term.
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amy4831mo ago
Used to grab whatever sander was on sale. Figured they all just spin. Burned through two cheap ones in a year, and my wrist was killing me. Borrowed a decent orbital from a friend and finally understood. The vibration is way less, way easier to control. Won't go back now.
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