# Sick of poll sanding? Why not use electrical sanders..



## Michigan11 (Jan 20, 2011)

I'm just curious why drywallers are still hand poll sanding, and not using electrical sanding devices, could even be chargeable with ion batteries and no cords. Seems like it would be faster and a hell of alot easier.


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## sean B (Sep 9, 2010)

Obviously youve never seen one of these

http://www.factoryauthorizedoutlet....cts/7800.asp?gclid=CJuI59WX_KYCFcIKKgodHlKcAw


They do work good in the right hands. like everything else it takes practice, you can whip through a house in no time. still gotta do the fine sanding though.


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## Michigan11 (Jan 20, 2011)

sean B said:


> Obviously youve never seen one of these
> 
> http://www.factoryauthorizedoutlet....cts/7800.asp?gclid=CJuI59WX_KYCFcIKKgodHlKcAw
> 
> ...


I haven't, but that looks sweet. Alot of money for that $800+ Damn!!!!


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

because my work is so smooth ,I only sand it so the paint will stick to it:whistling2::jester:


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## Workaholic (Dec 13, 2010)

You are bad to the bone 2buck. 
I used to follow a guy that left swirls all over his joints using the pc sander, he did not seem to use it very well.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

Workaholic said:


> You are bad to the bone 2buck.
> I used to follow a guy that left swirls all over his joints using the pc sander, he did not seem to use it very well.


dust buster. [dry mop] works ok , have to vac. the damn thing every 10 min. i use large sanding sponge for finish sanding. TRY to push dust off of wall/ceiling with pad as i go. wipe dust off with large fine bristle brush, works better than the dry mops. the mops just leave more dust on the wall than there were to begin with. i can't see spending $1,000 on a sanding machine that i have to fine sand behind. wheres the time saver? wear a mask.


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

I personally don't see a need for one ,and when ever I bump into the other tapers,I ask if they would ever get one and their" what for "
Where I live, if you don't have the machines , no one will hire you.You would think it was the same taper that did every job in our area .All the work looks cloned .95% of the houses get knock down on all the ceilings .(which a spray guy does) .50% of garages get a tape and a coat .The builder scrapes the floors and does the clean up.
If we had all painted ceilings, had to clean up after our selves ,and had tons of high work I would think about it .The way it stands WE could have a straight forward 10,000 sq ft (dw) sanded out , in under 8 hours .Plus any jobs I get or the DWC gets are new construction .We do not deal with private home owners .their not worth the head aches .
Those that do deal with H.O. a power sander sounds like a good idea .Personally I avoid H.O. like the plague .I don't want to do a stupid little bathroom .If some H.O. some how gets my phone # and bugs me to do their bathroom or something .I tell them to go to you tube and watch a video on it,and to have fun .


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

2buckcanuck said:


> I personally don't see a need for one ,and when ever I bump into the other tapers,I ask if they would ever get one and their" what for "
> Where I live, if you don't have the machines , no one will hire you.You would think it was the same taper that did every job in our area .All the work looks cloned .95% of the houses get knock down on all the ceilings .(which a spray guy does) .50% of garages get a tape and a coat .The builder scrapes the floors and does the clean up.
> If we had all painted ceilings, had to clean up after our selves ,and had tons of high work I would think about it .The way it stands WE could have a straight forward 10,000 sq ft (dw) sanded out , in under 8 hours .Plus any jobs I get or the DWC gets are new construction .We do not deal with private home owners .their not worth the head aches .
> Those that do deal with H.O. a power sander sounds like a good idea .Personally I avoid H.O. like the plague .I don't want to do a stupid little bathroom .If some H.O. some how gets my phone # and bugs me to do their bathroom or something .I tell them to go to you tube and watch a video on it,and to have fun .


thats why i love the speck houses, but the little boxes are at a standstill . h/os [WITH MONEY] are building now . these days we take what we can get. i'm booked till may, i'll take anything coming in , as long as the g/c writes the checks


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

moore said:


> thats why i love the speck houses, but the little boxes are at a standstill . h/os [WITH MONEY] are building now . these days we take what we can get. i'm booked till may, i'll take anything coming in , as long as the g/c writes the checks


I hear you moore,I don't want to come off as sounding arrogant ,I just don't care for the H.O market .In past recessions or slow downs I would hop in my truck and travel to where the work was .There seems to be a un-written rule or conduct on new job sites .With H.O. it's ......well......a whole new thread could be done on that .I know there's money to be made there,it's just not my cup of tea .Maybe when I'm 55 ,and I can't produce like I use to ,I will return to that market .
I'm 48 now,55 will sneak up fast,,,,I'm scared :blink:


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

it is what it is.


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## Final touch drywall (Mar 30, 2010)

2buckcanuck said:


> .If some H.O. some how gets my phone # and bugs me to do their bathroom or something .I tell them to go to you tube and watch a video on it,and to have fun .


Send em my way,we get $400(finish only)$200 to hang for a 5x8 bathroom in 2 trips.its easy money IMO.:thumbup:


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## betterdrywall (May 4, 2010)

The 7800 is a beast ,, someone needs to design a quality cordless or corded that is lite weight,


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## M T Buckets Painting (Nov 27, 2010)

Michigan11 said:


> I'm just curious why drywallers are still hand poll sanding, and not using electrical sanding devices, could even be chargeable with ion batteries and no cords. Seems like it would be faster and a hell of alot easier.


 
What about that guy that all of the home owners know that is so good that he doesn't have to sand at all?? He doesn't even need a pole sander.:whistling2:


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

hee hee ha ha . I'm not THAT good. just picky as as hell. the painters wore me down. they can do that you know!:yes:


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## smisner50s (Jan 6, 2011)

M T Buckets Painting said:


> What about that guy that all of the home owners know that is so good that he doesn't have to sand at all?? He doesn't even need a pole sander.:whistling2:


 he doesent even know what a sander is .hahaah


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

I LOVE IT!!:thumbup:


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

I have 3 PC's,, I have a pole sander too, its for sanding twit paint coats. 

If I didn't have a PC,,, I'd be,,, ashamed of myself !!!


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

M T Buckets Painting said:


> What about that guy that all of the home owners know that is so good that he doesn't have to sand at all?? He doesn't even need a pole sander.:whistling2:


Short answer, he textures everything!!:jester:


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

oh i could teach you yanks so much. if yous guys would just listen!


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## sean B (Sep 9, 2010)

moore said:


> dust buster. [dry mop] works ok , have to vac. the damn thing every 10 min. i use large sanding sponge for finish sanding. TRY to push dust off of wall/ceiling with pad as i go. wipe dust off with large fine bristle brush, works better than the dry mops. the mops just leave more dust on the wall than there were to begin with. i can't see spending $1,000 on a sanding machine that i have to fine sand behind. wheres the time saver? wear a mask.


I should have explained myself better. After using one of these sanders you still have to use a sanding pad or whatever weapon of choice to get into the corners and such.

I have witnessed these sanders in use and you must keep moving with them. even with the smoothest sandpaper they will knock it down fast.

Around here the work is pole sanded just to remove overspray from knockdowns and to knockdown the striped or spotted screws. Then the hand sanding begins. After that the unmudded drywall is wiped with a wet sponge to lay the fibers on the board back down and to remove dust built up at the muds edge so the walls are smooth feeling after the primer coat.


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## Bevelation (Dec 20, 2008)

*It's POLE.*

*NOT POLL.*

There's no political BS needed in this discussion.


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## VANMAN (Jan 14, 2011)

Sanded out a house today with some new mud I was trying!:yes:
Well they can stick their mud where the sun don't shine as it would have been easier sanding concrete!!
Shockin stuff and says effortless sanding on the tub!!:blink:
I started with 150 on pc,then 120 then I found some 80 grit and that would still not really touch it!!:furious: So for a 200sqm bungalow I used about 20 disks!! It was just making it all nice and shiny!!!
Emailed the company so waiting 2 hear back now as still got 8 tubs of the sh*t!!


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## thefinisher (Sep 2, 2011)

Nice thread revival lol. 80 girt :blink:, that sucks. What mud was it?:blink:


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## VANMAN (Jan 14, 2011)

thefinisher said:


> Nice thread revival lol. 80 girt :blink:, that sucks. What mud was it?:blink:


Its called Wondertex Lol
Holly sh*t batman it was something else!!:furious:


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## Corey The Taper (Mar 18, 2014)

VANMAN said:


> Sanded out a house today with some new mud I was trying!:yes:
> Well they can stick their mud where the sun don't shine as it would have been easier sanding concrete!!
> Shockin stuff and says effortless sanding on the tub!!:blink:
> I started with 150 on pc,then 120 then I found some 80 grit and that would still not really touch it!!:furious: So for a 200sqm bungalow I used about 20 disks!! It was just making it all nice and shiny!!!
> Emailed the company so waiting 2 hear back now as still got 8 tubs of the sh*t!!


Lol what how much do you spend on those discs over here 5 pc brand discs is 50 bucks good thing 1 disc lasts me a 2 houses


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## VANMAN (Jan 14, 2011)

Corey The Taper said:


> Lol what how much do you spend on those discs over here 5 pc brand discs is 50 bucks good thing 1 disc lasts me a 2 houses


£50 for 25!!!
Yea 1 disk a house is plenty!:thumbsup:


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## drywallninja (Apr 28, 2013)

Thread should be titled, 'Why use a pole sander for anything bigger than a bath room'. 
Gone are the days of poLE sanding out monster houses and comm. jobs. And to all you that say your work is so good you don't need a power sander, your clueless. Your still sanding something right? But the again, maybe some guys just like playing with their pole at work.


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## Corey The Taper (Mar 18, 2014)

Lol I use my sander no matter what I dont even own a pole sander even though I should ger one for rough sanding. Whats the best pole sander


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

Used some mud called "easy finish" from Lowe's, the captain's fave. Finished alright, sanded like ass.


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## Corey The Taper (Mar 18, 2014)

fr8train said:


> Used some mud called "easy finish" from Lowe's, the captain's fave. Finished alright, sanded like ass.


I hate that **** one time the home owner got all that made him return it not worth the 1 dollar u save


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

It was like sanding hot mud. Blech!


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

drywallninja said:


> Gone are the days of poLE sanding out monster houses and comm. jobs. And to all you that say your work is so good you don't need a power sander, your clueless.


I've got a PC and it sits most often. I'm that good. :ninja: :shuriken:


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

Corey The Taper said:


> Lol I use my sander no matter what I dont even own a pole sander even though I should ger one for rough sanding. Whats the best pole sander


After having gone and used (or ordered and not used, after I looked at them up close) popular ones like Flex Edge, Black Widow, Radius 360, the best when all factors were considered (considered for me) is the BTE Super Sander: http://www.all-wall.com/Categories/Drywall-Pole-Sanders/Drywall-Super-Sander.html


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

JustMe said:


> After having gone and used (or ordered and not used, after I looked at them up close) popular ones like Flex Edge, Black Widow, Radius 360, the best when all factors were considered (considered for me) is the BTE Super Sander: http://www.all-wall.com/Categories/Drywall-Pole-Sanders/Drywall-Super-Sander.html


 
What type of paper are you using on it justme.


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

Same pole sander I use, with joest paper


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## Corey The Taper (Mar 18, 2014)

Does that get into the corners good was thinking of using it in between flusher coats


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

cazna said:


> What type of paper are you using on it justme.


Whatever I have in my sanding paper pail or box, caz. 

Only partly true. I've got an assortment, but what I've found that gets me closest to 'optimum' so far - most things that you already know, but for the newer guys:

I'll change out my paper types throughout a job, especially if it's a bit of a decent enough sized job. A minute of change makes things go easier, better, faster.


A light sand of my 1st boxing - boxed 2buck style, and boxed tight with a 4 setting - will be with backless paper. No foamback, so I cut any high spots flat as possible, and to make sure it's taken back behind the later 2nd/last coat. 120 grit preferred, aluminum oxide or other.


Sanding 2nd/last coat (2 coats gets it done for me - or with such as using 2buck's boxing and ways I coat bead and butts, 2 1/2 coats I call it): Screws and angles 1st, with a foamback 150 grit (or 180, especially if I have a new enough piece). Foamback feathers things out easier, gets in dips easier. I've also used Joest paper at such times, because of its backing that gives it slight 'give' on its face. 

Backless aluminum oxide on the flats and butts, 180 grit. 'Backless' cuts final coat flat as I want it. (I've seen joints, bead left humped, because of foamback paper.)


I've got some Joest that fr8 uses, and used it more before. I like it. But I noticed that under 'serious' lighting conditions I'd sometimes get into commercially, such as stand up joints would show slightly at times - more than with backless. The backing on the Joest, that gives its face a bit of 'flex', wasn't cutting things quite as flat as backless. But for most things, it was as good as I would want.

But what I haven't compared that with is something I did a couple times in the past with Joest - when a piece of it burned out, a couple times I put a piece of backless over it. The idea being a little less flex, but still a bit of flex, to keep any scratching from the edges of backless paper down. Seemed to work well enough, if I remember right. But I'm pretty good with backless paper, so it's not a problem for me anymore.

With the holes in its face, Joest still is my only paper when I need to be more dustless, and am using a hand vac sander on a small job or area.


One thing further I'll add is that at times I'll ~70% power sand back the last coat with my PC, then finish with pole sander.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

Corey The Taper said:


> Does that get into the corners good was thinking of using it in between flusher coats


Gets in there as good as you should need it. Very little sanding between coats, with flushers.

One thing about Super Sanders is the wire clips that hold down the paper can stick out the sides and gouge your work. I've filed my ends back some for that. But you still have to watch a bit, because the clips can slide sideways when putting on a piece. Make sure they're centered where you want them to be.

Maybe someone like fr8's got some better ideas for dealing with that.


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## Corey The Taper (Mar 18, 2014)

I was thinking about getting that spear ultimate corners I think the name is but the pads are kind of expensive a sheet of sanding paper is what a couple cents


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## Mr.Brightstar (Dec 2, 2011)

The gator sander worked very well. Sits flat and doesn't flip. The Velcro paper is strong and good price too. You can find them at blows.


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

I've found the joest paper to be excellent for sanding angles


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## MUDBONE (Dec 26, 2011)

JustMe said:


> I've got a PC and it sits most often. I'm that good. :ninja: :shuriken:


Is that braggin or is that JustMe?


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

MUDBONE said:


> Is that braggin or is that JustMe?


Bragging is talking of things that aren't true. :yes: :whistling2:


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

fr8train said:


> It was like sanding hot mud. Blech!


Try sanding out USG advance formula!! FREAK!!!! :blink:

It takes forever to dry ..But It's a bitch to sand!!!


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

I'll stick with my rapid coat


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

moore said:


> Try sanding out USG advance formula!! FREAK!!!! :blink:
> 
> It takes forever to dry ..But It's a bitch to sand!!!


Sounds like they have their own definition for 'advance formula'.

Like Domino's was calling their making pizzas that were square 'game changers'.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

JustMe said:


> Sounds like they have their own definition for 'advance formula'.
> 
> Like Domino's was calling their making pizzas that were square 'game changers'.


USG has 3 formulas ![colours] Gray...yellow...and white!! White being the better Formula. Around here when one ask for green top ! It's a coin toss...You won't know what you have till you open the lid.


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## Corey The Taper (Mar 18, 2014)

moore said:


> USG has 3 formulas ![colours] Gray...yellow...and white!! White being the better Formula. Around here when one ask for green top ! It's a coin toss...You won't know what you have till you open the lid.


All I use is green lid I think it might be different here because they sell a red black and blue also. Blue is lightweight, black is all purpose and the red is idk never used it at all. But green is like the in between I guess you can say


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## forestbhoy (Jun 16, 2013)

VANMAN said:


> Its called Wondertex Lol
> Holly sh*t batman it was something else!!:furious:


A lot seem to like wondertex,but i have never used it to say one way or another tbh. Sounds like BG after leaving it a weekend in the summer ...


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## drywallninja (Apr 28, 2013)

JustMe said:


> I've got a PC and it sits most often. I'm that good. :ninja: :shuriken:


I'm that good too, JustMe. I'd just rather let my festool basically stick to the wall and guide it with one arm rather than use my entire body to push a pole around. I mean we all gotta grind our masterpieces to baby butt status a little. By the way, love the ninja emoticon.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

drywallninja said:


> I'm that good too, JustMe. I'd just rather let my festool basically stick to the wall and guide it with one arm rather than use my entire body to push a pole around. I mean we all gotta grind our masterpieces to baby butt status a little. By the way, love the ninja emoticon.


:thumbsup:

For me, I need the exercise.


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

fr8train said:


> I've found the joest paper to be excellent for sanding angles


I also found it good when you don't want to spread dust around as much, with the dust going through its holes and getting behind the paper, and then working its way to the sides and more dropping down, rather than getting thrown around so much.


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## saskataper (Mar 6, 2011)

I hit my angles quickly with my Festool then go around with a light and sponge to get the last 1/2" or so that I don't hit with the planex and the three ways, the planex will sand right to the apex but can gouge it.


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## Corey The Taper (Mar 18, 2014)

saskataper said:


> I hit my angles quickly with my Festool then go around with a light and sponge to get the last 1/2" or so that I don't hit with the planex and the three ways, the planex will sand right to the apex but can gouge it.


Have you ever tryed a porter cable sander im thinking of upgrading to the festool.


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## forestbhoy (Jun 16, 2013)

Like bob dylan i went electric years ago, but the pole is still important to flick around before i touch up. The one i have is almost 20 years old and would be lost without it tbh....The quality of it seems way better than what you can get now. The handle is an inch and a quater wide and solid,you feel that what you are putting in, is going through the head,not lost in flex in the pole. :thumbsup:


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## BOBTHEFIXER (Oct 28, 2013)

For me, most of my jobs are basements and sometimes additions, never new houses, since i work alone, so i feel its too much for me to get the electrical sander.... thats just me ! 

here i am sanding today .. i go with the sponge over the corners when ia m done with the pole sander. moon walk 0:55 LO0L

http://youtu.be/uxWsochniX0


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## JustMe (Apr 17, 2009)

BOBTHEFIXER said:


> thats just me !


Good man. Walk your own path. :thumbsup:


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## saskataper (Mar 6, 2011)

Corey The Taper said:


> Have you ever tryed a porter cable sander im thinking of upgrading to the festool.


Yeah I had a PC for about a year before getting the Festool. In my opinion the Festool is a far better machine, especially when it comes to ceilings, the head articulates far better and it supports some of it's weight with the vac suction.


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## Corey The Taper (Mar 18, 2014)

What about durability I feel like every few months my pc breaks. And its always at the wrong time.


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