What sander do you use for bodywork? Elec/Air?

[CAMAROBOY69]

I have been using a flat 8-9" electric orbit sander. Last night it started squeeling really loud, smoking, then eventually started shooting metal shavings out of the side into my hand. With that said I need a new sander and I was thinking of going with some air sander. Do you bodywork members use air or electric?

[gmachine68]

if i am stripping a car i use a 8 inch mud hog(8 inch geared da sander), you could use a 6 inch da for stripping bus its slow, i also use a da for sanding, ie stripping the new e coat off panels with 180, beyond that everything should be done by block, filler work, primer, etc, using a da only makes things harder.
j

[CAMAROBOY69]

I am applying filler to the rear and the electric sander with 80 grit worked sooo perfect to eliminate time. Then after that I blocked with 180. Worked real well for me.

[astroracer]

I use air, elec, & elbow powered but it all depends on what I am doing. I have an electric orbital sander but I find it is pretty inefficient and I only use it when I am roughing filler on a large panel. I use my 6" D/A's and air powered board sanders (short & long) for most of the initial panel sanding and mid-coat filler sanding before primer. After primer I go to the elbow powered board sanders to slowly bring things together.
Once I know the surfaces are flat another coat of primer will usually go on followed by a quick hit with the D/A using a 3M softpad with 6 or 800 grit to get ready for base coat.
Mark

[CAMAROBOY69]

Thanks for the replies. That was a great point about the air compressor. I have a 6hp 60 gallon air compressor so hopefully I would be ok. My objective was to have the rear of the car primered by thursday but as luck goes the sander died and killed that deadline. It will be close but I dont think it will happen by thursday now unless whatever sander I get really kicks butt. I am going after work to decide on an air or an electric sander. My other one worked sooo well for the last 3-4 years and it was only around $40.00. However I dont want to get one every 3-4 years. You get what you pay for so im sure I will be spending at least $100.00 tonight.
I have a round DA sander from heathers mom that I never even used yet. Might have to try it some time but I need the disks for it. I just assumed it would not work as good as the square sander. Guess I should try it.

[gmachine68]

if you get a da, 100 will not buy anything good, it will wear out in no time, 160 and up buys a nice one, dynabrade, hutchins and air advantage make goiod ones, but again if you were good at blocking you would realize how detrimental a da is, BUT you do not do it everyday so go ahead BUT you will never get the finish you would with a block

goodluck
j

[fletcherscustoms]

things to keep in consideration, if you don't have big compressor you'll spend more time waiting on the compressor than you will sanding. When I first started I had the basic garage compressor, you know the 20-30 gallon 3/4 HP Sears or similiar setup. Well to pu tit litely I sanded for 30 seconds , waited for 3 or 4 minutes for the compressor to catch up, then start the process again. A DA sander uses a lot of air!!

So we switched up and used some Bosch 4" Orbital sander, works just like a DA. Hell we still use it now when we got a place a 6" DA want work. Plus they are cheap, paper is cheaper, and most of them use the velcro type paper that is easy to deal with. We always use 36 grit first, then switch to 80. If you thought 80 tore through Bondo quick switch to 36.