Seaching for new sander

[dennismk]

I am looking for a new random orbit sander. must be very powerfull, for years I used a Bosh angle grinder with a random orbital attached to the grinder but the pad on it is worn out and I cant find another unit like it. So my question is which is the best angle random orbital sander out there,(I can not afford the fein) I have a compressor and can use air tool sanders but do they work as well as the angle sanders like the Porter Cable. I am sanding the bottom of my boat which I put a fiberglass and expoxy bottom on last year and I need to make it really smooth. So I need a sander that will work fast and strong.

[S/V Laura Ellen]

I use the Porter Cable 6" RO sander and I'm very happy with it. I tend to stay away from the "hook and loop" style of sanders and will stay with PSA based on past experience.

http://media.ptg-online.com/20030509151111_97366_72dpi_500.jpg

[Lew Barrett]

I have one word to offer: Festool. If you can't afford the Fein, maybe you don't want to spend money for the Festool, but I have both the PC 6" and the Festool 5mm ES150EQ (though for your use the Rotex sounds like the deal) and between them, the Festool is so much more....better....that I wish I'd bought it first and last. Nothing wrong with the Porter Cable, so if you end up "settling" you'll be OK, but that Festool is one of my favorite tools now. It really is a joy to use.

[Cecil Borel]

dynabrade air sanders are the best.

[Bruce Hooke]

For sanding the bottom of a boat I'd use an 8" PSA pad mounted on a slow speed or variable speed, right angle polisher. This setup is very fast and effective (but does take more skill to avoid digging in). I think of random orbit as being for situations where cross-grain scratches would be an issue. I've always understood that "straight" rotary action was faster than random orbit...

[David W Pratt]

is a master of understatement.
I have the Festool with the middle sized vacuum and it is superb.
Green epoxy is a powerful carcinogen (RIP, Joel) but thye vac slurps it up. Less dust to settle on every thing else. Bottom paint ain't no sanitorium treatment for your lungs either.
The sanding sheets (with waterproof glue) are less expensive than Fein's.
Good luck.