Proto-bass #2.

[birdie]

"I see" said the blind man...

[sniper]

...my best friends call me Snarlo

mind if we shorten it to "Fang?"

"I see" said the blind man...

"and he picked up his hammer and saw"

[Dave W]

"I see" said the blind man...

"and he picked up his hammer and saw"

Don't laugh. A friend of mine, blind since birth, has a fully equipped workshop (with power tools) and knows how to use them.

And he hosts The Blind Handyman on ACB radio.

And he's a bassist.

[Lightyear]

It's a random orbital sander powered by an air compressor.

The one he was using was the size of an angle grinder but a lot slower.  It used auto detail type foam pads that were reusuable.  You might try searching under auto detailing.  He had the most amazing finishes.

EDIT:  I think this was what he was using - not RO but still more control than a large wheel.

http://www.toolsource.com/minipolisher-cpt7201p-p-91454.html?osCsid=mpah026u4n43a2vbrghguud0o5

[drbassman]

I forgot about the non-random tools.  That looks like a nice set up.  I prefer non-air driven tools myself, but I'll bet that works pretty good.

[dadagoboi]

I forgot about the non-random tools.  That looks like a nice set up.  I prefer non-air driven tools myself, but I'll bet that works pretty good.

+1.

[birdie]

what might be the downside to an air driven tool ? Are they more unwieldly, or noisier ? I am liking that setup, just on paper anyway.

[Highlander]

The compressed air connections and the persistant running of the compressor - when you turn off a power tool, it's off...

Desoutter is a name I remember with a certain degree of wistfulness...

There advantages to both systems but the small and flexible nature of a "power-flex" tops it by some distance - handy if spraying to have some tools though...

[drbassman]

I don't care for the noise and the hose dragging you have to do with air tools.  My only future air tool will be a sprayer.  The rest I just prefer electric.

[dadagoboi]

When I had my small furniture manufacturing shop I gave air sanders a try.  Incredibly noisy and the compressor ran all the time due to the high cfm.  Porter Cable 330 Speedblocks became the workhorse sander.  I used some fixtured air drills and air powered hold down clamps but the compressor basically ran the spray guns.

[Lightyear]

I love my air tools!  Mainly nailers and a blow gun but I will not live without them.  As to running all of time that does indeed have to do with CFM usage of the tool and any rotatry tools uses a more air than, say, a nailer.  The trick is to get the right compressor.  Some are much quieter than others and if you get the right one it won't run constantly.  As for the hoses I plan on running a some piping and installing maybe 4 or 5 connections points in my garage shop.  The new polyurethane hoses are thin, durable, light and flexible.  Couple that with an articulated connector at the tool and the hose isn't such a PIA!

All this comes from a guy that loves hand tools above all else - there's nothig like the hiss of a razor sharp plane on wood.

[dadagoboi]

Yeah, I forgot about  nailers and staplers.  All 5000 sq feet of the shop was plumbed with properly pitched pipe and water coalescers.  My brother's a steamfitter and did that for me.  The older I get the more I appreciate hand tools and how efficient they can be.

[Pilgrim]

Fella I know with a transmission repair shop in Denver plumbed the entire circumference of his large shop with about 6" pipe, connected to his large air compressor. There were connectors spaced around the perimeter of the shop.

The idea was to use the delivery piping to create a huge reservoir of air in addition to the compressor tank.  It worked nicely.  He said the first time he fired up the compressor it took about a day of running the compressor to fill and pressurize the whole system, but after that he never came close to losing pressure or air capacity.

[birdie]

I' sure I can find a minipolisher that will run of the wall.Once in NYC I will be in a 10x14 basement w/  very low ceiling, no windows, and as of the moment no ventilation either. Need to keep the clutter down most def. And cut a window or something ASAP!

[Lightyear]

Leslie the trick on the polisher will be one that's slow speed.  The foam pads and compounds are easily found.

Are you setting up shop in NYC proper or in one of the burrows?