Air-Powered RO Sanders? - Woodworking Talk

Capt Crutch · 02-15-2008, 10:34 AM

I'm rigging my shop and getting ready to get an air compressor for nail guns, etc., and was wondering whether air sanders are useful/appropriate for woodworking. My concern is that air tools need oil (and maybe spit oil onto the work?)

Does anyone here use air-powered random-orbit (or orbital) sanders for woodworking, and if so, is there any problem with oil from the tool messing up the wood?

Thanks for any replies.

aclose · 02-15-2008, 10:42 AM

i can't speak from experience, but i've read a bit about air tools for WW'ing. it sounds like their pretty sweet as they have fewer moving/mechanical parts to break down, so they work great and last forever. as far as oil being an issue, you can buy line filters that clean the compressed air before it gets to your tool. so you don't have to worry about oil from the compressor blowing onto your work. and if you are looking at air tools 'made' for WW'ing, i believe you can find tools that don't require oiling. they either have sealed bearings or use dry lubricants.
again, i don't have experience with these tools, i've just read a bit about them and will probably be adding air tools to my inventory in the future.

dbhost · 02-15-2008, 10:56 AM

I can't tell you about for woodworking, but consider this. Pnuematic Random Orbital Sanders are one of the primary sanding tools used by Auto Body refinishers. Blue Point (Snap On), and Ingersoll Rand both make rear exhaust models (or at least did 15+ years ago). I still have my Ingersoll Rand. It blows a LOT of dust around due to the air exhaust, but the surface is left clean. Yes, air tools require oil. Just part of their nature.

There are drawbacks, as well as benefits to using an air tool over an electric.

#1. Cooler running / longer duty cycle. An electric tool, such as a sander will heat up, and potentially overheat, or at least get uncomfortable to use. An air tool due to the air rushing through it and pulling heat away, runs cold.
#2. The inverse is true as well, the colder tool with an air tool makes them a pain to use in winter. Even in Texas.
#3. Most auto repair facilities are plumbed for air sockets everywhere you turn. Most wood shops aren't.
#4. The air compressor requirement for running a sander is RADICALLY higher than for a nailer. Nailers don't use hardly any air. But start running a sander, a paint sprayer, grinders, air ratchets, impact wrenches etc... and your pancake compressor is going to have kittens. If you are going to be serious about pnuematic tools other than nailers, you will need a MINIMUM 25 gallon tank.
#5. Ask around about the brands, and models of compressors and tools you will want. I have friends that have done exceptionally well with Campbell Housfield air compressors, but most of them seem to be junk. Likewise, most of the Craftsman compressors I have seen have been great, but I have known of a few really bad ones.
#6. You want a compressor to run your most air hungry tools, and have a little bit of breath left. If you are going to run a sprayer, you will probably want a compressor that will do 35scfm at 90psi.
#7. In order to keep air hoses alive, you need to keep them clean of corrosives, and abrasives. Meaning you will need to clean the hoses free of sawdust, shop floor dirt, etc... on a regular basis.

Hope I gave you something to think about. I am NOT trying to dissuade you from going with air tools, but they are certainly a different beast to deal with.

Oh, and I DO have LOTS of experience with using pnuematic tools. Just not too much for woodworking.
I currently own...
Blue Point AT500C short anvil 1/2" impact wrench. (Need to see my Snap On guy, the rubber nose piece fell apart after 17 years).
Blue Point 3/8" air ratchet.
Mac 3/8" air ratchet.
Blue Point straight and right angle die grinders
Ingersoll Rand Random Orbital Sander.
Ingersoll Rand Air Hammer with Craftsman chisel set and Snap On quick release collet.
4 @ 100ft air hose and fittings.
1 @ empty space in my garage when I need an air compressor. (I borrow a friends Husky 30 gallon roll around model when I need it).

And yes you CAN use an in line filter, but those are generally water separators to keep the crap in the air from getting to your tool. Yes they do have the effect of eliminating oil from your tool as well. You SHOULD add a drop of oil into the inlet of each of your tools just prior to use, and operate them away from the work piece to run the oil through.

Capt Crutch · 02-15-2008, 11:17 AM

Great replies, thank you both.

I'm in kind of an odd position in that my choice of air compressor depends a lot on what I plan to use it for...I do plan to spray, so I need a fairly good amount of cfm...but maybe not as much as I would need if I plan on using air sanders, etc.

So an awful lot depends on whether you folks say:
a) I'm OK using air sanders on wood without fear of oil contamination or
b) watch out because they'll get oil all over your work.

What I'm getting is that maybe I don't need to worry about oil contamination (from the oil needed to lubricate the tool)...?

mdlbldrmatt135 · 02-15-2008, 12:02 PM

Alot of Production plants that Build furniture use Pneumatic sanders......... as far as contamination it depends on where the exhaust is as that's where the oil comes out.

dbhost · 02-15-2008, 12:51 PM

What he said. Also remember, you need to clean your work piece after sanding. I usually do this with an alcohol wipe down, unless you have soaked your piece with oil, it will remove light contamination no problem.

Just make sure the sander you are getting does not exhaust out the bottom. Most exhaust through the handle section, and kind of blow the exhaust up your sleeve. Which feels funny, but works well for keeping oil out of your work piece.

I can't recommend the Ingersoll Rand sander strongly enough. You COULD buy a Blue Point for about 3x the money, and not get $.01 more value out of the device. I wish I had bough all IR air tools when I geared up. Snap On just offered easy credit to buy my tools at the time... They don't seem to have as much in store, but Sears carries IR air tools online. Just look under Automotive Air Tools.

redwolves · 05-08-2009, 01:53 AM

I agree with all the posts so far. An inline filter is a must, as is cleaning your lines regularly. One spot of oil can really be a pain to remove.Then your back at square one. In my experience, with a good filter or two, depending on the length of the hose, water spots would probably be more of a concern.Always start the tool away from the piece. That will give the air pressure time to blow out any residual oil in your lines, hopefully. Just my 0.02 worth.