Belt sander - rent or buy?

[Vir Campestris]

I've got several floors with pine boarding, probably Victorian. They've
collected all sorts of stains and paint over the years, and we want to
sand them flat(ter), and to an even colour. This will obviously be a
belt sander job. Trouble is I don't want to do them all at once, which
would push me towards renting a floor sander. Will an ordinary sized
one do a reasonable job, and if so which?

Andy

[d...@gglz.com]

I don't know how big your floors are, what standard of finish you're looking for, or how much time/patience/money you have.

If you buy a belt sander, I recommend this:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/hitachi-sb8v2-3-belt-sander-230v/38184

Also don't overlook random orbit sanders which can have lots of clout and produce a very good finish.

[newshound]

Certainly start by hiring, you will also want an edge sander. HSS do
"two machine" deals.

[mike]

I did a couple of average sized rooms with a £50 Skil belt sander several years ago. Turned out fine and the sander is still going strong but it's a much longer and more wearisome job than just hiring the lawnmower sized gizmo which I did subsequently.

[John Rumm]

On 27/12/2013 22:04, Vir Campestris wrote:

You need two sanders ideally - a big standup one on a long handle for
the large areas, and a smaller handheld one of the edges etc.

However you can do a whole room (or house even!) with an handheld, but
its harder work.

I would be tempted to buy a decent 4" hand one, and hire the big one
when you need to get through rooms quickly if you need to.

With belt sanders, its well worth spending the money on a "pro" tool.
They have the power and endurance to work non stop, and good dust
collection with very low vibration. The belt will run true and its easy
to adjust etc.

Something like:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/makita-9404-2-4-belt-sander-240v/20513

(can often be had SH on ebay for much less)


--
Cheers,

John.

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[Bob Minchin]

Don't forget to punch all nails well below the surface before you start
and maybe even have a second pair of eyes check that you have not missed
one.
It only takes one nail seconds to shred a sanding belt.

[d...@gglz.com]

Rental floor sanding machines have moved on a bit - even if HSS hasn't entirely kept up.

The 'standard' ones HSS offer are drum sanders - lots and lots of dust. Lots of power too - easy to produce digs in the floor.

At a higher price point, this sort of machine is being replaced with belt sanders:

http://www.floorsanding2u.co.uk/sanding_machines.html

The more modern machines produce far less dust.

I recently hired this from HSS:
http://www.hss.com/g/5426/Sand-Glider-3-in-1-Floor-Sander.html

It's a more basic version of the Trio machine, and uses 4 heads with random-orbit action. A delight to use, and it really was just about dust-free.

These don't have the sanding power of drum/belt machines - but suited my purpose. I needed to refinish a new tongue & groove floor (the lacquer had reacted with the dye, producing a rather orange tint), and to sand an old floor without reducing it to a 'new wood' appearance.

I'd also recommend a hand-held random orbit machine for edging over those edgers HSS offer, as the HSS are a pure rotary action with a strong tendency to dig and cut.

[ARW]

"Bob Minchin" <bob.minc...@YOURHATntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:l9m9sc$o9r$1...@dont-email.me...

> Don't forget to punch all nails well below the surface before you start
> and maybe even have a second pair of eyes check that you have not missed
> one.
> It only takes one nail seconds to shred a sanding belt.

How did you learn that-:)?
--
Adam

[Vir Campestris]

The "decorators" we've just had in (to fill the holes the electrician
made, and part of the same contract) reckoned a floor sander would take
the nails off too.

It appears general opinion is not in agreement :)

Andy

[Jim K]

with apologies to Brian - the blind leading the blind?

Jim K

[geraldthehamster]

I've sanded all my floors with a Makita belt sander, and taken at the right angle it's possible to sand the head of a flooring brad flush with the floor. Catch the edge though and it's curtains for the belt. Less crucial if it's a little belt on a belt sander, but quite expensive, I would imagine, if you're using a lawnmower style hired machine. Worth taking the time to punch them down a bit before you start.

Cheers
Richard

[Vir Campestris]

On 28/12/2013 17:54, geraldthehamster wrote:
> I've sanded all my floors with a Makita belt sander, and taken at the right angle it's possible to sand the head of a flooring brad flush with the floor. Catch the edge though and it's curtains for the belt. Less crucial if it's a little belt on a belt sander, but quite expensive, I would imagine, if you're using a lawnmower style hired machine. Worth taking the time to punch them down a bit before you start.

I like first-hand experience :)

I'm actually tempted, where they stick up enough, to pull then out &
replace by screws. Having seen what happened to some of the boards while
they were levring them up, nails and all, screws seem a good idea. I
have a decent cordless drill, so screws won't kill me.

Andy

[ARW]

"Vir Campestris" <vir.cam...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:l9n3tb$8u8$1...@news.albasani.net...

Is a sanded floor with visible screw heads in the floorboards going to look
a bit of a cunt?

--
Adam

[fred]

In article <l9n483$1aj$1...@dont-email.me>, ARW
<adamwa...@blueyonder.co.uk> writes

>
>Is a sanded floor with visible screw heads in the floorboards going to look
>a bit of a cunt?
>

More like an arse with pozidrive . . . . .

Some decking screws do have pretty tiny heads though.
--
fred
it's a ba-na-na . . . .

[ARW]

"fred" <n...@for.mail> wrote in message news:aKjGegARnyvSFwI6@y.z...

> In article <l9n483$1aj$1...@dont-email.me>, ARW
> <adamwa...@blueyonder.co.uk> writes
>>
>>Is a sanded floor with visible screw heads in the floorboards going to
>>look
>>a bit of a cunt?
>>
> More like an arse with pozidrive . . . . .

:-)

--
Adam

[The Natural Philosopher]

deep countersink and use wooden butt-plugs


--
Ineptocracy

(in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) – a system of government where the least capable to
lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the
members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are
rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a
diminishing number of producers.

[polygonum]

On 28/12/2013 20:36, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 28/12/13 20:29, ARW wrote:
>> "fred" <n...@for.mail> wrote in message news:aKjGegARnyvSFwI6@y.z...
>>> In article <l9n483$1aj$1...@dont-email.me>, ARW
>>> <adamwa...@blueyonder.co.uk> writes
>>>>
>>>> Is a sanded floor with visible screw heads in the floorboards going
>>>> to look
>>>> a bit of a cunt?
>>>>
>>> More like an arse with pozidrive . . . . .
>>
>>
>> :-)
>>
> deep countersink and use wooden butt-plugs
>
>

Splinters don't bear thinking about...

--
Rod

[Tim Watts]

I think it depends on the head.

Slotted brass is acceptable but a sod as they don't self drill and do not
powerdrive well (not self centering).

However,

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/121156289092

in a grey finish might look quite cool...

--
Tim Watts Personal Blog: http://squiddy.blog.dionic.net/

http://www.sensorly.com/ Crowd mapping of 2G/3G/4G mobile signal coverage

[harryagain]

"Vir Campestris" <vir.cam...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message

news:l9kti8$2b2$1...@news.albasani.net...

You will be there forever with and ordinary belt sander and use up loads of
belts.
Cheap mickey mouse belt sanders are not intended for continuous use either
and may burn out.
Also backbreaking, knee crunching task.

A proper floor sander has some really vicious abrasive and will do in
minutes what takes hours with a belt sander.
You stand to use it too.
You have to use progressively finer grades.

You might need a belt sander to do the edges. Corners take up a lot of time,
usualyhave to be chiselled/scraped.

Mind you don't damage skirting boards.
Very dusty job unless it has dust extraction.

[meow...@care2.com]

On Friday, December 27, 2013 10:04:55 PM UTC, Vir Campestris wrote:

Mop & bio washing powder. Mop every few minutes, do this for a few hours. If you also want a new white wood look add a capful of bleach.

Sanding's seldom a good idea.


NT

[Vir Campestris]

On 04/01/2014 13:10, meow...@care2.com wrote:
> Mop & bio washing powder. Mop every few minutes, do this for a few hours. If you also want a new white wood look add a capful of bleach.
>
> Sanding's seldom a good idea.

Flat, as well as even colour.

There's a hundred years of paint splashes on some bits, and floor stain
on others.

Andy