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SELECTING SANDING DISCS
Open-coat aluminum oxide sanding discs are
recommended for most wood or metal sanding
applications, as this synthetic material cuts
quickly and wears well. Some applications,
such as plastics, glass, or stone require silicon
carbide discs, which have a very sharp cutting
edge. For best results, use Bosch sanding
and polishing accessories, which are of
superior quality and are carefully selected to
produce professional quality results with your
sander.
START OF SANDING
With the workpiece firmly secured, place the
pad on the work surface, then switch the tool
on. DO NOT apply excessive pressure as this
will slow the pad action, and DO NOT start the
tool and bring it up to speed before applying to
the work; swirl marks will result in either case.
SANDING ACTION
This sander has optimized random sanding
action. The pad orbits and rotates freely,
duplicating natural hand sanding action for
aggressive stock removal and smooth, well-
blended surface finish. The orbit offset for this
tool is 2 mm (5/64")
In general, higher speeds will give the best
results. If faster removal is desired, DO NOT
APPLY PRESSURE ON THE TOOL; use a
coarser grade of abrasive. Move the sander in
long sweeping strokes, parallel to the grain
using some lateral motion to overlap the
strokes by as much as 75%. The random orbit
action allows cross-grain sanding, but be
careful not to tilt the sander near edges, or
undesirable rounding may result.
SANDING SEQUENCE
If the surface is rough, begin with coarser grits
and then complete the surfacing with medium
and fine abrasives. Because the random orbit
action is so effective, it is often possible to
begin sanding with a medium grit disc and go
directly to fine finishing. To avoid uneven
results, do not skip more than one grit size
when going from coarser to finer, and do not
sand in one area for too long.
REMOVAL OF SANDER
To help prevent swirl marks when the job is
completed, gently lift the tool from the work
surface, then switch the tool off.
POLISHING
For most polishing, the extra-soft backing pad
will give the best results. The random orbit
sander may be fitted with an optional foam
buffing pad or polishing bonnet to polish or
remove scratches from painted or finished
surfaces, plastics, and even glass. The tool is
operated in much the same way as when
sanding, but the following points should be
observed;
Apply the compound to the surface, and use
the sponge applicator pad with light pressure
and a circular motion to remove scratches and
restore weathered finishes. Use only as much
compound as necessary, and clean the
sponge frequently during use.
When initial polishing is completed, wipe away
any excess compound with a soft towel, and
then polish the surface to its final finish with the
polishing bonnet. Use smooth overlapping
strokes for best results.
It is important to note that the orbit speed of
the random orbit sander is not the same as the
RPM of a standard right-angle polisher. The
random orbit action is much like a powerful
hand polishing action, and therefore does not
have the high speeds at the edge of the pad
which can burn the work surface. For this
reason, it is possible to select a higher OPM
for the random orbit sander than the
recommended RPM for a standard polisher.
Practice on a hidden area or test surface until
you have determined the tool is suitable for
your polishing application.
Clean the buffing pad and polishing bonnet
with mild detergents and warm water. DO
NOT use solvents.
Tool Tips
FRONT HANDLE
Your sander is equipped with a removable
front handle when sanding in tight quarters. To
remove handle, remove screw with 5 mm hex
wrench. Always reinstall handle for normal
operation (Fig. 1).
Depending on the task, you may grip the rear
handle alone, the rear handle and the front
handle, or the rear handle and the top of the
ergonomically contoured soft grip motor
housing, which is designed for that purpose.
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