Activation of the spring actio.
sanding pad with a 6-inch vent that can be replace.
Control of the speed in a variable rang.
Port for connecting to a vacuu.
It is necessary to have an airflow of at least 6.4 CFM at 90 PSI.
I purchased this palm sander for use in woodworking. So far, it’s performing significantly better than the electric palm sander I was previously using. After a few minutes of use, that device would begin to numb my arm. The Kobalt sander rotates smoothly and silently, with no noticeable vibration. The vacuum port measures 1 1/4″ in diameter. Threading is used on the backer pad, which is a standard 5/16 – 24 thread.
When I bought the sander, I also picked up a ShopVac brand 1 1/4″ hose kit and a 2 1/2″ extension tube from Lowes to go with it. The large end of the extension tube (which is 2 34″ long) can be cut and sanded to fit the 1 1/4″ hose adapter. This allows me to attach the hose to the palm sander and connect it to my Ridgid shop vac without having to remove the palm sander.
To replace the one that came with the Kobalt palm sander, I also purchased a Neiko brand 6″ and 5″ hook ‘n loop sander backer pad (search on Ebay). Because Lowes and Home Depot only sell a limited selection of adhesive sanding pads, none of which have vacuum holes, this was an absolute necessity for using the vacuum for indoor sanding. The 5″ sanding pads are an excellent fit for the Neiko backer pad.
With this configuration, the Kobalt sander performs admirably (plus an inline air oiler). Heavy sanding with 60 grit removes a significant amount of material, and the vacuum ports capture nearly all of the dust produced. With this, I don’t have to wear a mask while sanding. The air adjustment valve allows you to reduce the speed of the sander for lighter sanding when you don’t want to remove too much material from the workpiece.
The item number for the Shop-Vac 8-foot x 1-1/4″ Hose is 98534.
Product Number: 71857 – Shop-Vac 2-1/2-in Extension Wan.
Search on Ebay: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html? from=R40& trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XNeiko+5-Inch+Velcro+Face+Sanding+Pad+for+Vacuum.TRS5& nkw=Neiko+5-Inch+Velcro+Face+Sand
