Re: Sioux sanding drill *LINK*
Mark Kauder, Phenix City, AL
>Ed,
Several points here.
1) The Sioux and the Milwaukee close quarters drills are virtually identical (I think one is licensed by the other). However, the Milwaukee sells for much less. You can routinely find them on Ebay new for $69. I know because I looked last week, thinking about buying a second. These do not come with the keyless chucks, but you can add one fairly cheaply.
2) The clones that you can also buy on Ebay for $39 are of a much lesser quality. I have one, but it is my backup - in case. I am using it because my Milwaukee is in the shop for a rebuild - started making an odd noise. It has received heavy use for the last 3 years w/o problem.
3) Get the lower speed drill, you will not need the highest speed for sanding. Though, you will not need the highest speed that the low speed drill has either. Couple of hundred RPM is more than enough. When sanding, I stick one of my fingers under the trigger paddle, and that limits how fast the drill will go. Others I have known have glued or taped a wooden block under the trigger for the same reason.
4) Blow out the drill with compressed air fairly often, it will lengthen the life of drill.
5) Make your own sanding disks. For the price of one package of 50 fancy wavey disks, you can purchase a sheet 36"x39" of velco sandpaper from Industrial Abrasives ($15.75). From it you can make 350 2"x2" squares in about 20 minutes (see http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/shop/articles_193.shtml for information on how to do it). Not only will you save money, sandpaper becomes cheap enough throw it away when you should. Some famous turner once said, "Use sandpaper like someone else is paying for it". He was right.
Have fun.
Mark
Industrial Abrasives Hook and Loop sheets
