Using the Flex as an orbital sander?

[Siorus]

Hi all,

I'm going to be using my XC3401 to repair some large acrylic aquariums that were left sitting in some guy's garage with their protective masking paper on for about 15 years.

I know the Flex is quite capable of buffing them out after I get the paper off, but the paper has bonded to the acrylic at this point, and it's going to have to be sanded off first.

To that end, I'm wondering if I couldn't just throw one of the 6" 3M Hookit interface pads on the backing plate with the appropriate grit sanding discs and have at it.

I can't see any reason why it wouldn't work just fine. Would I be able to use the stock 5.5" backing plate, or would I be better off buying Autogeek's backing plate kit that has a 6" plate?

Also, if anyone's got an opinion on using the Flex as a sander vs. buying a dedicated orbital sander that's got vacuum ports so I can hook it up to the shopvac for something like this, I'd be interested in hearing it. I think that once I get over about 400 grit, wet sanding (carefully, obviously) with the flex would get me better results than depending on the vacuum to evacuate the acrylic dust.

And hopefully when I'm done with this I'll actually be able to find time to use it on a car! I've had it for more than a year and I have yet to actually use it for what I bought it for.

[Mike.Phillips@Autogeek]

My guess is it's going to be too aggressive of a sanding action and it's going to be difficult to control.

Just a guess...

Since you have it, take one for the team and give it a try and let us know how it goes so the results, negative or positive can be shared with others into the future...

[BobbyG]

To Autogeek Online!

I've never tried it specifically on the Flex 3401 but my guess you'll be fine. The Porter Cable 7424xp is a platform machine and a slight configuration change you have the Porter-Cable 7466 Variable-Speed Random-Orbit Sander

Set the speed at 3 and go easy.

[Siorus]

Thanks guys. I'll go ahead and give it a shot on some scrap acrylic first when I get the tanks home. Will the 6" 3M interface pad be fine on the stock 5.5" Flex backing plate, or does it need to be on a 6" backing plate?

Nice Vette btw, Bobby. I just bought an '03 Z06 myself. Fantastic car. I actually like how the C5s drive more than I like the C6s, personally. Mine is black, though (with the way I drive the last thing I need is one in "arrest me" yellow ) and the orange peel is driving me absolutely nuts. I haven't decided how I want to tackle it yet; that's (hopefully) fairly close to the top of my "to do" list.

[BobbyG]

Originally Posted by Siorus

Thanks guys. I'll go ahead and give it a shot on some scrap acrylic first when I get the tanks home. Will the 6" 3M interface pad be fine on the stock 5.5" Flex backing plate, or does it need to be on a 6" backing plate?

The only real way to find out is try it and go from there.

The Flex 3401 is a heavy machine and might get somewhat aggressive so be careful on how course a paper you use.

Originally Posted by Siorus

Nice Vette btw, Bobby. I just bought an '03 Z06 myself. Fantastic car. I actually like how the C5s drive more than I like the C6s, personally. Mine is black, though (with the way I drive the last thing I need is one in "arrest me" yellow ) and the orange peel is driving me absolutely nuts. I haven't decided how I want to tackle it yet; that's (hopefully) fairly close to the top of my "to do" list.

HAHA,, I got Yellow so I wouldn't lose it!!