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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    25

    Default About to hire a floor sander - Advice please

    Hi,

    I was ringing around to hire a floor sander and edger and found basically two types of machines on the market that I could find in Sydney area. They are

    Hiretech model - http://www.hiretech.com.au/ht8-2.html which is a tilt machine
    and a
    Clarke EZ8 model - http://www.americansanders.com/Produ...Sanders&Pro=80 which is operated by a lever. The price difference is next to nothing.

    Anyone out there have experience with these machines? Which one should I go for?

    Following on from previous post, I have decided to go with the high-gloss feast watson floorproof as a coat. No particular reason other than it looked best from the set of display that was at bunnies.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Oxley, Brisbane
    Age
    79
    Posts
    537

    Default

    My advice is Don't do ithire somebody to do it for you and save yourself a heap of work and a whole lot of effort. Maybe even money.

    See other threads on this BB re floor sanding
    Bob Willson
    The term 'grammar nazi' was invented to make people, who don't know their grammar, feel OK about being uneducated.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2001
    Location
    Queanbeyan
    Age
    60
    Posts
    732

    Default

    I think Bunnings are hiring out sanders as well.

    As for the models, I can't speak for either brand but I would be looking at an orbital sander to finish the job as.

    We have redone the floors in our house with Drum sanders and are about to do the loungeroom and extensions. I have decided to do the floor myself with a drum sander down to 120 grit, then we'll get in a professional with an Orbital Floor Sander to finish the job. I find the drum sanders leave small bumps in concert with the screws for the sandpaper, and since I cant hire an Orbital we'll get someone in to finish it off!!
    There was a young boy called Wyatt
    Who was awfully quiet
    And then one day
    He faded away
    Because he overused White


    Floorsanding in Canberra and Albury.....

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    25

    Default

    Bob, I don't mind the effort and the hassel. I know there are people out there that have ruined their floors by doing it themselves. I also know there are people out there out have done it successfully. I am not after 100% professional finish. Just something that is close to. Reason I am not getting someone in to do it is that basically it'll cost about $1200 more to call someone in to do the job. I figure I could get alot of tool for that money.

    Basically, I am asking which machine is safer/easier to use for beginners.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Frankston-Langwarrin VIC
    Age
    61
    Posts
    280

    Default

    Mowy, go with the Clarke lever type machine, seeing as though your insisting on doing it yourself.

    The lever machine offers you much, much better control, which in turn will lean towards you getting a nicer result.

    Make sure you are moving, either forwards or backwards, whenever you attempt to lower the drum to the floor, this simple step is the most important one if you wish to eliminate the possibility of leaving drum marks (dents, gouges, ridges) on the floor.

    Good luck.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Blackburn, Vic
    Age
    57
    Posts
    424

    Default

    Hi mowy

    I've done it a couple of times, not too hard and a good sense of achievement.

    Some suggestions:
    Don't attempt a corridor, too much edge and not enough o fthe easy middle bit
    Limit yourself to one area at a time
    I've used the lever version, the main thing is to allow the drum to gently make contact with the floor otherwise you will get a rut at the edge
    You will also need an edger, which is normally an orbital sander. the drum sanders won;t get any closer than 100mm to a wall
    They laughed when I said I was going to be a comedian. They're not laughing now.
    Bob Monkhouse

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    135

    Default

    I went through this process some time ago. I hired a drum sander and did most of the house. It ended up being a fairly rough job for all the reasons mentioned. It's bloody hard to stop the sander biting in and causing ruts and although your boards might be 19mm thick, there is only about 6mm before you get to the tongue and groove and therefore, problems.
    I also hired the edger to do - THE EDGES!!!! I found this much easier to handle and sometime later I re-did a room with it and the finish was heaps better. If you have the patience and don't have to do too much, I would recommend doing the lot with the edger, probably a bit cheaper too.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Sale
    Age
    69
    Posts
    559

    Red face

    I was given the loan of a drum sander (right price at least) to clean up the decking after rebuilding and relaying the old decking material. Job was OK for outside and looks OK just, but in the end I was convinced that for inside I would use a professional. The edges seemed to be my downfall, those things could go right through in no time at all given the opportunity I reckon.

    John

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Port Sorell, TAS
    Age
    59
    Posts
    177

    Default

    'Quality is appreciated long after the price is forgotten'. Esp. if you look at it every day.


    Don't do it, son. Not as easy as it looks - get someone else in.
    The only way to get rid of a [Domino] temptation is to yield to it. Oscar Wilde

    .....so go4it people!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Dardanup W.A.
    Age
    73
    Posts
    101

    Default

    The orbital floor sanders are a little bit slower but are just so easy to use. Chances of mucking up the job are negligable. I would make inquiries at Bunnings as the one in my town has two orbitals for hire. They only sell two grades of paper for it though. 120 is the fine one.

    Phill.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Warwick, QLD
    Age
    45
    Posts
    1,175

    Default

    This is a piccy of the floor I did at home recently. The finish is not perfect but when someone comes into the house I can proudly say "I did the floors." I used the lever type sander (thats all the local hire firms had) and a 7" disc sander to do the edges. The finish is Feast Watson Floorproof and looks a treat (at least it does in real life). I enjoyed doing the floors and would do it again anytime, especially when I saved $900 by not paying somebody else.
    Give it a go, at least you can say that you have tried.
    Have a nice day - Cheers

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    25

    Default

    Thank you all. I"ll be hiring a lever machine from bunnies. Yeay

    I shall keep you posted on how i go

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    25

    Default

    thats looking good wood butcher. If I get a finish like that, I'd be happy. What did you use as a putty? I tried some of timbermate teak color and its lighter than the board making it stand out a bit (before coating it anyways).

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Hilltop
    Age
    56
    Posts
    36

    Red face

    Do it, it's hard work but doesn't take huge amounts of skill. Remember to use the thickest paper (seem to remember 60) on every room even if it doesn't look like it needs it as it flattens the floor boards and will look better.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    May 2000
    Location
    SOUTH AUSTRALIA
    Age
    64
    Posts
    4

    Default Hire It

    Just finished doing our lounge room it is 4m x 9m hired drum sander [ hetich]from Coates hire started with 60 grit then down to 120 did edges with random orbit sander, edge sandes tend to sand down at a angle took a bit longer. Just take it slow, gentle and keep moving and let the sander do the work. Coates hire in Adelaide only open saturday mornings so you pick it up friday afternoon and get it all weekend for one days hire, $80 for drum sander
    Finished with Floor Master tung oil got from Coates 10 litres for $123 also in range polyurethane polishes etc , Kennards sell the same stuff simalar price and was heaps cheaper than anyware else prices from $70-$80 for 4 litres
    Constant Sinking Feeling

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