Pneumatic circular sander

[crackers]

It's possible I'm being a bit dense with my searching here, but I can't find any threads or comments on air pressure tools.

Specifically, watching the pommy car resto shows, I see them using a circular sander driven by air pressure. I also remember a mate who, years ago, raved about how wonderful his air pressure tools were (sadly, he died in a motorcycle accident soon after).

I've got a good compressor.
I've got an electric random orbital sander.

Would I be well served to buy an orbital sander that is driven by my compressor? For those that haven't seen my other threads, I'm about to embark on a restoration of a Series 1 Landy so sanding is going to be a large part of the experience. Are there other tools I should be looking at that can be driven by my compressor?

[Basil135]

Virtually, any power tool that you can plug into the power, you can get an equivalent air tool.

As with power tools, cost & quality vary greatly, and you get what you pay for.

I have used air tools in the past, and have at times, considered going back to them. However, the one thing I did find, especially with things that are running for a reasonable amount of time, like a sander, is that the air passing through the tool makes it very cold. Maybe it was just me, but where I may leave a power tool to cool down, I would leave an air tool to warm up again.

They are safer, in as much as you don't have power leads laying everywhere, but you do have an air hose. Provided all your tools have the same fitting, then connecting them is a piece of cake.

Not sure if they are better, but if I had them already, I would use them. If I was purchasing new, then I would seriously consider going power. The other consideration is the noise from your compressor. Obviously it needs to be big enough to drive the tool, but it also needs to hold enough air so that it isn't constantly cycling on & off, outside of the duty cycle.

[gromit]

Festo Tooltechnic (now Festool) have random orbit air sanders that use a single connection. Air down the centre tube, exhaust air round that and then the dust extraction around that.
Hellishly expensive but used by the trade in the UK years ago.

Just searched and still have air tools :-

Air Random Orbital Sanders - Festool Australia (http://www.festool.com.au/Sanders/Air-Random-Orbital-Sanders)

Make sure you're sitting down when you get a price !

I used to work for the pneumatic division and even with a 35% staff discount they were expensive.

Colin

[crackers]

Thanks. Methinks I'll kill my random orbital first seeing there's no difference in efficiency. I'll need to sort out dust extraction again because I sold my dust bucket when I sold my Triton (I used to build wooden boats).

How often does one use a cordless drill? I've got a good Bosch but like all battery powered gadgets, the power packs won't hold a charge any more.

[crash]

Crackers,

You can get all kinds of stripping discs that go onto an angle grinder if you want to strip paint on your project. The other option is using chemical strippers - but on an old series i do not know if they are recommended for paint over aluminium.
A small 90degree air operated grinder is handy for getting into to the small confines. Again you can get a lot of different quick lock abrasive discs including minnie flap discs.
Dremel type tools are handy for restoration work as you again can get into tight spots for cutting off bolts, or grinding etc.