SCT versus random orbital sander?

[Woodsman341]

Some DA's can be locked so it just spins instead of wobbles. It essentially becomes a grinder and shouldnt be used on sheet metal. It will strip paint in a hurry but also can chew into the metal quickly.
The SCT is made mostly for stripping metal and prepping for body work. If you want a really good DA, check out Hutchins. Expensive but in my opinion well worth the investment.

Yeah , I'm just going to be stripping paint. I think I'll buy the Harbor Freight version on their upcoming sale and try it. It's only $100, which isn't much in the grand scheme of tools and body work.

 

[1MeanA]

So far, if you’re stripping a car, I think it is probably the better method if you’re sanding down. It is definitely quicker. And it rides the body lines much better than a DA or wire wheel.

That said, if I had to do it again, I’d found the the 1200 bucks to have the thing chemical dipped.

Yeah no stripping companies around here anymore. There used to be one on the west coast that could do a body....it was $3500 and that was over 15 years ago.

I will try and use the stripping disc around body lines. It won't take any metal off if I get careless. The 40 grit disc won't be kind.

 

[toolmanmike]

DA and random orbital are 2 different sanders. Dual action is a forced pattern used for knockdown of rougher material and removing paint. The guys would call them "Mud hogs". Random orbital is a finish sander and some can be purchased with a tighter pattern for fine work. A lot of the old guys remove paint with a high speed grinder. you have to keep it moving though. 36 grit can tear stuff up pretty easy.

 

[mopowers]

I've been weighing these options myself. Here's an interesting comparison:

 

[gzig5]

I'm no body man but as i recall from my best friends dad who was when I was 16ish, a D/A is not the best thing to use either. He used a 7 or 8 inch grinder with a 60 grit disc and no backer. Ripped the paint right off. A D/A can heat the panel or some such thing. Obviously don't stay in one place too long. Long sweeping movements.

Hopefully someone more qualified than me (literally ANY bodyman) will chime in and set us all straight.

My dad used a 7" two-speed Craftsman grinder for most of his rough work. It would strip paint like nobodies business, and knock the layers of bondo down to speed things up over using a rough file or grater. I still have his 7" grinder as well as the 4" Craftsman grinder he used for dressing welds down. Have had to put new cords on them but they are still working well on my 73 Cuda restoration.

 

[Rob R]

I use a polisher with a 7" disk 24 or 36 grit, quick and fast.

 

[dukeboy_318]

That would be great, except there's nothing like that anywhere near us.

Same, I’d have to haul it 3 hours away round trip

 

[Cuda416]

Same, I’d have to haul it 3 hours away round trip

Anyone know who dips cars in south TX?

 

[dukeboy_318]

Anyone know who dips cars in south TX?

No clue

 

[Cuda416]

These folks seem to have their act together ..

Metal Dipping | Classic Car Acid Dipping to remove paint & rust

| Classic Car Acid Dipping to remove paint &rust

metaldipping.com

But they are up in the PNW and way too far to go for me. $2,100 for an e-body though.

 

[Woodsman341]

These folks seem to have their act together ..

http://[URL]https://metaldipping.com/

[/URL]

But they are up in the PNW and way too far to go for me. $2,100 for an e-body though.

That's a bit pricey, plus I'm in middle South Carolina, and that would be one loooong haul.

I think I'll take the slow, sanding and stripping route.

 

[Cuda416]

That's a bit pricey, plus I'm in middle South Carolina, and that would be one loooong haul.

I think I'll take the slow, sanding and stripping route.

It's pricy but when you consider the cost of materials, labor etc. For my car it might be overkill. It's mostly rust, then again, it might be the ticket.

 

[dukeboy_318]

That's a bit pricey, plus I'm in middle South Carolina, and that would be one loooong haul.

I think I'll take the slow, sanding and stripping route.

Honestly, your money ahead to have it dipped in the long run. Yeah it’s a high cost but man the time savings would be worth it right about now.

 

[Woodsman341]

Honestly, your money ahead to have it dipped in the long run. Yeah it’s a high cost but man the time savings would be worth it right about now.

Except we don't have anything local, and I'm retired so time is currently in abundance.

 

[mgoblue9798]

Hi everyone,

In the next week or two, I'm going to start sanding body panels to get ready for body repair, primer, filler, paint and all that. I have a pretty good dual action sander but I've seen so much lately about the Eastwood SCT. For those who have used both, which would you recommend and why?

Thanks!

DA only for finish work. The Eastwood strip tool is more for stripping heavy paint, rust, or old bondo from the metal.

 

[JDMopar]

That would be great, except there's nothing like that anywhere near us.

There's Carolina Chem Strip in the Upstate. Fountain Inn, SC

Carolina Chem-Strip

chem-strip.com

 

[demondaddy]

Hi everyone,

In the next week or two, I'm going to start sanding body panels to get ready for body repair, primer, filler, paint and all that. I have a pretty good dual action sander but I've seen so much lately about the Eastwood SCT. For those who have used both, which would you recommend and why?

Thanks!

Do you have a dustless blaster guy in your area? I would wet blast it and save lots of time for other work. It will cost a little but if you make more than 50 cents an hour it’s worth it.

 

[Woodsman341]

Do you have a dustless blaster guy in your area? I would wet blast it and save lots of time for other work. It will cost a little but if you make more than 50 cents an hour it’s worth it.

Well, I'm in "early, forced retirement" you might say, after being injured on the job, so I have to make good choices with the money I have. Yes, I see the irony: "good financial choices" and "working on a 50 year old car."

 

[Dale Davies]

Hi everyone,

In the next week or two, I'm going to start sanding body panels to get ready for body repair, primer, filler, paint and all that. I have a pretty good dual action sander but I've seen so much lately about the Eastwood SCT. For those who have used both, which would you recommend and why?

Thanks!

Using a sander to remove paint is time consuming and messy with all the dust.
A grinder will remove the paint much quicker, but again the dust.
Either way you need to wear a dust mask.
I would recommend a chemical paint remover to soften the paint and scrape off into a pail. Then you can sand or use a grinder to cut the last down. Then you can use a long board to find the highs and lows to bodywork into shape. This produces way less dust. Whether paint, body filler, abrasives or steel removed, you produce dust doing body work. The less dust the better.

 

[forphorty]

Some DA's can be locked so it just spins instead of wobbles. It essentially becomes a grinder and shouldnt be used on sheet metal. It will strip paint in a hurry but also can chew into the metal quickly.
The SCT is made mostly for stripping metal and prepping for body work. If you want a really good DA, check out Hutchins. Expensive but in my opinion well worth the investment.

I use a locked in DA with 80 grit to strip almost everything. You have to move around to keep the heat down and be careful around body lines . In tight spots I use a 2 inch brown Roloc disc on a angle grinder.

 

[Jim Lusk]

I bought a SCT a few months back (Bauer from HF). It does its job very well, especially on steel I'm using to build my gates. It also makes quick work of old Bondo. It does not, however, replace a DA or orbital sander. They are for very different jobs. Pic of my new gates. I'm going to be building something similar on the south side of our house.

 

[NudeHemidude]

I have the Eastwood SCT and love it. The machine is very well built and should serve me for a long time (I hope).
I used to use a 3M strip disc on a 7" buffer to scuff the paint and then paint stripper, but I like the SCT better.
The wheels are expensive but they seem to last a while and the option of using a narrow wheel lets me use the one tool in many places.

 

[Woodsman341]

Using a sander to remove paint is time consuming and messy with all the dust.
A grinder will remove the paint much quicker, but again the dust.
Either way you need to wear a dust mask.
I would recommend a chemical paint remover to soften the paint and scrape off into a pail. Then you can sand or use a grinder to cut the last down. Then you can use a long board to find the highs and lows to bodywork into shape. This produces way less dust. Whether paint, body filler, abrasives or steel removed, you produce dust doing body work. The less dust the better.

I'd love to use a chemical stripper, but apparently, the formulas are no longer allowed to use MEK, the thing that made it actually work well. I may still try the newer, friendlier type, but I have my doubts.