I can only echo another comment below; I ALWAYS learn something useful from Stumpy's videos - simply one of the very best woodworking channels on YT. This one is pure gold.
I do one thing when I use my ROS. For flat surfaces I hold the sander with a couple of fingers on the top, and I hold the dust collection hose in the other hand. A little practice helps me keep the sander nice and level. This also prevents me from putting too much pressure on the sander and I get no vibration fatigue. When I put the pencil lines on the surface, I also put a line at right angles every 10 or 12 inches. Then I count out seconds in my head because I tend to get impatient and go too fast.
It's funny that you're talking about how sanding by hand is the best. I was getting anxious about sanding a project, because it's for somebody who's really picky. So in frustration I turned on a RU-vid video, and you happen to be there, so I started to watch you. As I was watching you I was sanding slowly. Switching out grits without even thinking about it. When I looked down my peace looked practically perfect.
Great video as always. When I bought my first ROS, maybe 33 years ago, it was a game changer for me. Your hook-it removable sanding pads is a great recommendation. I just ordered two, as I have had to replace several OEM sanding pads before!
Dang, dude! I slapped myself on the forehead AGAIN watching this video... so many tip and techniques that make sense, and I (we) should have thought of them ourselves before. Well done, James!
Thanks James, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard you share the tip about using full speed on a variable speed orbital sander before, certainly never heard anyone else say it but thank you, that is extremely helpful mate and sits atop the massive pile of nuggets of wisdom you’ve given me over the last eight of so years listening to your fine teaching. Thanks mate, always very grateful, all of the best to you and yours, especially your old man, we are of a similar age I reckon and truly understanding why he’s stepped back out of the limelight, I have always enjoyed his high quality and wise teaching as well as your own and miss seeing him around here, it’s like seeing an old mate on the other side of the street on a busy Saturday morning in a small town. You may not be able to go and chat and hang out at that particular time, but to see them fleetingly only will still bring back to mind and heart all the other times that you’ve met and listened to them speak and the wisdom you’ve learned from them. After all the years I’ve been eagerly watching both your videos, I guess that sums you both up in my mind James, old friends who make my heart and mind perk up when I see you even just as fleetingly as this medium allows. Again thanks for all the hard work doing what you do, there’s a little old wooden clock maker in Australia that owes most of his success to the fine teaching I’ve received from you guys. Take care, stay safe mate, see ya ,’o~)
I can't believe you made me google search for the antivibration gloves, despite your promise to provide a link. I just wasted 45 seconds AND I had to put down my beer so I could type. Thanks Nubs.😐
Wonderful video. Great explanation of why you should avoid the mistakes we’re all prone to make. Logic is kryptonite. Thanks for your consistent, no-nonsense presentation style. You are a true educator, not just another RU-vid “actor.”
I usually get something useful from your videos. But the "start the sander *on* the surface" probably just saved me at least one *really* bad day. (And I appreciated the "Stripes" reference, too.)
Don't go too fast when watching Stumpy Nubs videos or you will miss out an important detail. About an inch of frames per second is pretty much ideal. If you have to keep going back over the same spot you just have to switch to a slower playback speed.
Very well done James. I never miss your videos but they are usually what I call "common sense" approaches as solutions. This video struck me as VERY informative with the very valid reasoning behind the tips. Not just "common" information sensibly deduced.
I tried the 3M Cubitron mesh discs. Absolutely awesome cutting power and not that much more expensive than own brand ones sold at Screwfix. Thanks for both the video and your recommendation.
Took you advise and ordered a variety of the 3M Sanding Disc from Taylor Tool. You are right, they work great and last. Best of all, removing and reusing is so easy.
BTW, for us old guys. Cubitron is great, but it is not our old “sand paper”. Just let it bump into my thumb and that orbit sliced right into the tip of my thumb like butter! Blood everywhere. Live and learn. Treat it like a blade!! Great stuff but definitely not paper. Thanks for all your great teachings.
I got one of those sanding mouses about a year ago. So, so handy. One of the best, inexpensive purchases I've made for my shop. The only thing better would be to have multiple mice for specific grits of paper. I don't work in my shop every day so I sometimes forget what I have on my sanding mouse and have to pull it off to check. A first world problem, I know. But having a second, or even a third, sanding mouse (properly labeled, of course) means never having to guess, or look.
I like that you explain not only what to do, but why. From now on I'll be marking the edge of my discs every time (not just as an experiment) so that I can keep an eye on how much my pressure is interfering with the orbital pattern. (And kudos for the Seargent Hulka reference, Francis!)
I learned a long time ago to leave that cheap sandpaper on the Shelf. I don't get anything elite from some woodworking supply but I get the better stuff from Home Depot I think it's 3M which is decent. It just lasts so much longer and works faster. That is mostly what Home Depot has in stock these days anymore anyway. I use the low setting on my sander if I'm going down an edge on some 1x, which I probably shouldn't be going down with a sander anyway but I'm experienced enough to get by with it mostly. I do have a tip to keep from trashing the velcro on your sander. Don't try to make the sandpaper last too long, stop occasionally and examine the Sandpaper and when it starts getting bad replace it. I've seen too many people keep sanding and then the Sandpaper wears away and leaves the velcro vulnerable and then they trash the velcro around the edge part of the pad. This tends to happen on bigger jobs I think and I've even been guilty of it when I just didn't notice how bad it was getting. I'm pretty careful about it after ruining my velcro and having to buy a new piece. It's the thing that makes me most uncomfortable about letting someone use my sander. By the way that little black random orbital sander he's using in the video is about $450+, what an elitist woodworker he is. Haha I'm just jealous.
Just when I think that maybe Nubs wont have anything new I need to know, I click on it anyway and I am pleasantly surprised. Not only did I learn more about sanders but I learned to never skip a Nubs video. Thank you for another great video 👍
Many years ago, I was in the marine industry, repairing and painting boats. I learned to start on and stop off when using a RO sander. If you start off the surface, the sander, more or less, turns into a "grinder", spinning at top rpm rather than having a random orbit pattern. This creates what we used to call a smile (because that's what it looks like) on the surface. If you've ever painted a high gloss finish with bad prep work, you might have seen the smile. Stopping off the surface prevents pigtail swirls. If you stop on, as the sander slows down the orbit gets larger and that can create a pigtail if there is any outsized bit of grit under the disc. It's better, when ready to stop, to just evenly lift off the surface before powering down. You start (turn it on) with the sander on the surface and you stop (turn it off) the sander off the surface. I guess it's a bit of a mnemonic phrase to say start on, stop off.
Another great video from the Nubs. Early in this video, you introduced a hand sander that uses the standard hook&loop sand paper. Not knowing of this item, a few years ago I made my own combining a "replacement" RO sander pad to a block of wood. The one you reference is a bit better (and about the same price) as with it, the sand paper wraps around a bit to provide sanding for an inside corner. Then later you introduced the "Hook It". That for me would be the best solution - a bit less expensive that that first (or my solution) and I can then make all manner of blocks to attach the Hook It to for special sanding applications.
Great advice for a beginning woodworker like me. The wealth of knowledge, experience, and advice you share is helping educate future generations of woodworkers. I should know...I'm one of them!! :^)
Great video, great tips. The title threw me initially as I didn’t know what ROS stood for but heard you say Random Orbital Sander and it clicked. Got to agree With about the 3M Cubitron paper: a game changer. I’ll certainly be looking at the hook/loop interface, I’ve never seen that product before. I’ll be much more aware of how I use my ROS now. Thank you. 👍
Thanks great reminder video I upgraded my sander 3m ,sandpaper and got one on the sanding blocks months ago off your recommendation was all a great purchase. Sandpaper at first was like dang it's high but it last so much longer. I just made 2 rocking chairs ( out of pine what brother inlaw wanted ) anyway sanded one down with my old gator sandpaper ( have a ton left ) then I got my new 3m paper for the other one I used 3 times more gator sandpaper than the 3m and 3m still has some life in it. Luckily my wife was out there helping she sold on paper to. Now if I can just make her give me my new sander when she's helping.
The anti vibe gloves are a Godsend. As a young journeyman I was 10” tall and bulletproof. I didn’t need hard hats, safety glasses or sleep. As a 50ish journeyman I have lost 4’ feet in height and I’m pretty sure a bullet will affect me negatively, but what I have much more of is….wisdom, and pain. Get the gloves, use the gloves, ASAP.
Fun tip: summer is over…keep old flip flops, Crocs and hardened silicone (cut it out from the leftover bits in the tubes). All is the above are super cheap sandpaper erasers! Clean the sandpaper from buildup by using a sandpaper eraser, it literally erases those spots of buildup back to the abrasive.
Mesh Cubitron or any mesh from 3M works great. I was amazed and never want to see the regular paper-back sanding discs. The dust extraction is awesome and they last really long. And they're far from expensive.
Another great how to video James! Another thing that I do is to wet the surface of the work to raise the wood grain before sanding. It makes a big difference and you spend less time sanding, which I deplore!
The down side to the mesh disc are that little bits of sand comes off from the use..those bits of sand are slung everywhere on your bench and project. It is very easily then to have project scratched up while not even noticing while in the act of sanding that youre sanding over loose sand on your project carving deeper grooves than expected..only to notice 3 grit sizes later or when there's a finish..Look at the sheen in the lights per grit size.."blow" off per grit size.
You can say "Thank Goodness" if you want to. But as for me, I'll be saying "Thank Stumpy" from now on. I own a Ryobi orbital sander that was affordable, but man-oh-man does it ever VIBRATE. I mean, I'm sure it could be rented out for a lot of other uses--as a paint can shaker, maybe. It's going to be a while before I can upgrade, so I wasn't exactly looking forward to the numb hand and shaking fingers it always produces. Just in time (last night, in fact), I see the tip about gel-padded anti-vibration gloves. Worth a try! I needed to get stuff done today, though. And I happen to have decent quality CYCLING gloves. (No padding *in* the palm, but padding at key pressure points around it.) Gave it a try. YES!! I'm now typing this comment after a bout of sanding. And I'm feeling GOOD. Thank you, sir!😀
I have been hand sanding for years, I only use the machine for the main cut with 40 and 80 grit only once I have finished with them I then do the rest by hand only. I also have a carpet which I place my project onto for sanding as this stops the other side vibrating and getting damaged. This also cuts the vibration right down. As for the pencils trick I use to use this but over time because I like doing the sanding by hand I can actually feel when its time change the grits to the next one. I have tried using the machines all the way through, but I just don’t enjoy it as much, they are good for the cutting the ruff surfaces and getting it ready for the finishing hand sanding sanding.
Thanks for the tips Stumpy, I always thought you were supposed to start it first, (possibly from my first ROS sander 30 years ago) re-read instructions on my newer one, Lol sure enough it says 'Place tool on work surface, then start'.
Well, thanks to you those Hook-It replaceable sanding pads are sold out. :P Thanks for this video, though. I've replaced a few sanding discs over the years and something like those pads never occurred to me.
I've still got a 30-year old green Bosch ROS that came with soft and hard bases plus buffing and polishing pads. Incredibly loud and under-powered as a sander but the idea was good
to clean clogged sandpaper get an inexpensive Cleaning Eraser Stick for Abrasive Sanding Belts, Natural Rubber Eraser for Cleaning Sandpaper, Rough Tape, Skateboard Shoes and Sanding Discs. Cleans out sawdust & pitch & dust and more - effectively and quickly cleans off your sanding discs and belts - makes your sandpaper last longer, whatever the format. Simply hold the sand belt cleaner against a moving abrasive belt or disc to remove debris - or rub rubber belt cleaner sandpaper or sanding blocks to easily declog and return them to peak performance capacity
I am one of those unfortunate ones that are very sensitive to vibration. I have 2 collapsed discs in my neck, pressing on my spine, and neuropathy in both hands because of this and chronic RSI. I'll try those gloves out, thanks for the tip!
I actually have an old vibration sander, works great on rough cut lumber to try to get a suitable surface for the jointer rather than wear out my jointer blades flattening that much stock. Flat square sandpaper is much cheaper than replacing blades constantly and I won't use my good sander nor sandpaper for such a task. Oh and it's faster than hand planing it flat enough to only need a few passes at the jointer for a flat face.
Thank you for yet another great teaching moment grasshopper! I hate sanding, so went out on your advice from a prior video, and bought the 3M sandpaper, but it didn’t work, I dislike sanding!
always a good video and lots of good tips. One thing you said should be practiced more by beginners and more. Sand all the parts BEFORE you put the parts together. Well, I'd go one further. Sand all the stock before you cut the parts out. Sanding changes the thickness somewhat, so that will change the size of the dado etc. For you advanced woodworkers, I'd say that the most used power machine in my shop is my thickness sander. I have heard that sanding averages 70% or more of the time spent on a project. I don't know many folks that really "enjoy" sanding. I bought my first thickness sander back when the first Performax came out. Was a HUGE change for me. So much so that a decade later I bought a wide belt, (open ended, 16" wide) PM. I usually rough cut all my stock to the dimension I think I'll need, then run all of it thru the sander. A half day on the sander, and all the material for a large project is finished and then I can progress with much less work. And the final sanding is much easier, basically only cleanup. Sure, a wide belt is not cheap. So the thickness drum sanders are still an option. Just saying that if you can swing it, it makes a job MUCH more enjoyable.
