 Professional Builder’s John Dyer works out some sanding issues with the Positec Worx WU651 Random Orbital Sander.
Things might not be ideal out there but work is available if you’re prepared to branch out a little and turn to jobs you may have sniffed at a year or so ago. Now I only say this because I hate sanding.
Personally I blame a DIY enthused father (or at least too poor, or too tight, to get someone in). Window boards were my thing as far back as I can remember. Armed with a cork sanding block, passed down from my Great Grandfather, (It’s a generational curse) I would sand away for hours, diligently asking for a new piece every ten minutes, only to be told to knock the dust out of it and carry on. Every half hour (probably felt more often to my endlessly patient father) I would ask if it was smooth enough yet.
“Not quite son, keep it up,” was the standard response. Reflecting on this, many years later, I came to realise it was an effective way of keeping me out of the way whilst he sweated and swore under a sink (great man, rubbish plumber). Still it taught me a thing or two: I hate sanding and can swear like a navvy with Tourette's.
The point of this digression is that despite hating sanding I took on a job doing just this to an oak-floored bathroom. The original operatives had obviously taken an upright industrial-type sander to the task. These are notoriously difficult to handle and wishful- thinking, or laziness, usually means people use far to low a grit paper. The result is scuff marks.
The aim was to get rid of these and some water marks then finish with Ronseal’s Diamond Hard Clear Floor Varnish, to prevent any further damage. With this limited aim in mind I used the Worx WU651 Random Orbital Sander. Having avoided the world of sanding for some time I probably should have chosen something bigger as having sanded away scuff marks in one area the area next to this will inevitably need at least a quick rub down as well.
Luckily for me the Worx WU651 did very well in tackling a job bigger than it was meant for, which speaks for itself in terms of a recommendation. It is comfortable to use (and I certainly used it) with its rubber over-mould grip and the cyclone system sorts the worst of the dust. One small criticism would be that the dust box on the back had a tendency to flip open. This is due to dust getting into the sealing grooves and if not cleared out properly after emptying this means it doesn’t seal properly. However, if you consider the amount of dust going through, it is a small matter and my own fault for underestimating the job in hand.
A lot of ‘hands and knees’ action and two coats of Diamond Hard (satin finish) later and the floor was looking superb and the customer more than satisfied. As for the moustache it was grown for charity and made me feel like a 1970’s copper so, along with the Worx orbital sander, comes highly recommended.
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