FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Your SurfPrep 3″x4″ Electric Ray is a very versatile sander and can conquer many sanding chores. However, trying to strip heavily painted items that have been brush painted over the years with multiple coats of paint is a tall order and better suited for our 5” or 6” orbital dual action tools or through chemical stripping.
Your 3″x4″ Electric Ray will remove most factory finished clear coat finishes and many older factory painted finishes but, at a slower pace than the 5” or 6” inch orbital. This is best accomplished with our sanding screens and films using the lower grits such as 80 and 100. Remember all sanding operations to be completed with paper, film or screens must be used with a pad saver.
When you put abrasive grain on a piece of foam, and then that foam hits a surface, some of the grain will push back up into the foam itself causing the grain to be less aggressive. For example, our FINE pad has a 100 grit abrasive grain on it, though it will give you a scratch more like a 220 grit-240 grit paper would. Check out our grit conversion chart:
Yes! All SurfPrep vacuum compatible sanders have a 1″ swivel port on the back of the sander. This means they all take the same 1″ ribbed hose or accessory. All vacuum accessories work with all vacuum compatible sanders we offer.
If you find your abrasives are not sticking to your backup pad, there is a good chance it is time to replace it. The hook and loop fastening system will wear over time, especially on the corners. The primary cause of this wear is the heat created from friction during the sanding process. Putting too much downward pressure on your sander creates excessive heat and causes the hook part to melt, shortening the length of the hook. You may want to order the longer J-hook and loop for your next replacement pad to try.
When you purchase a SurfPrep Sanding System Kit, you will get your sander along with a large assortment of all the various abrasives including stearate coated film sheets, 5mm (closed cell) foam sanding pads, 10mm (closed cell) foam sanding pads and ½ inch (open cell) foam sanding pads.
In addition, you will receive each of the abrasives in all the various grits. That way, you get a chance to try them all and determine which ones will best serve your sanding needs when you need to reorder.
If you are purchasing your Surfprep Sanding System Kit to be vacuum compatible, we recommend buying a section of Surfprep hose and an adapter to connect to your shop vacuum for dust-free sanding.
SurfPrep’s tools are made from durable, high quality, light-weight materials to provide the user with a long-lasting efficient tool that is comfortable in the user’s hand and to provide the best user experience possible. Our sanders have brushless motors and high-quality sealed electronics to eliminate parts that can wear out in ordinary sanders that you will find in big box stores. The red foam backup pad is the only thing you will ever have to replace on your tool, and you can easily perform this task yourself in about 5 minutes with the proper 2.5mm Allen (hex) wrench. The backup pads found on lower cost DIY box store sanders tend to wear out rapidly, due to lesser grade materials, and can be difficult to obtain parts for and replace. Should your SurfPrep tool require further maintenance for some reason, you can send it directly to our facility right here in the USA for expert tool repair service. We keep all the OEM parts on hand at our facility to provide you with fast reliable turnaround time in order that you can get your tool back into use.
In addition to these features, our tools come with many other features not found on big box store sanders. Some of these include: extra-long cord on our electric tools for versatility, multi-speeds for different sanding tasks and better control when needed, comfortable ergonomic grip specifically designed to prevent hand cramping and fatigue when using your tool for extended periods, super low profile to get into tight places such as between chair rungs, in tight corners and under shelves in cabinetry and furniture, easy to operate on/off paddle type switch (efficient for when you stop using the sander, it goes into rest mode and you don’t have to keep turning it off and on when using), less moving parts to wear out, hook and loop sanding pad to hold your abrasives firmly in place with no pesky clamps to fumble with when attaching abrasives. Surfprep also makes a large variety of high quality abrasives and sanding pads to facilitate sanding flats, profiles, molding and trim in order to eliminate as much hand sanding as possible and easy connection to most any shop vacuum for dust free sanding in your shop and client’s homes. In addition, we strive to provide the best customer support for our users. We do this by providing a live online chat feature on our website, fast e-mail response and providing a phone number on our website where we can be reached should you have a question that you cannot find on one of our many resources. In addition, our web page has many helpful videos and links to YouTube videos so that you can see and hear someone using our tools in workspace settings. Our social media group pages are also a reliable source for posing questions to other experienced users and often someone directly associated with the company will help answer questions on these pages. You may even get a reply from the owners!
There could be a few reasons for this problem. It may be that you are pushing down on your tool with too much pressure while sanding, increasing internal heat in the brushless motor, thus heat radiates out through the composite/grip housing to your hand. Applying too much downward pressure will slow your tool down and put a strain on the motor resulting in it getting hot. The smart control board (like a motherboard in a CPU) monitors the excessive heat from the motor and is designed to place the tool in preservation mode, slowing down and eventually shutting down. Keep in mind that your sander is most efficient while maintaining just enough light pressure to control the sander while moving at a rate that allows the sander to do its job without trying to rush. Always select the correct abrasive grit for the job at hand and avoid “driving” ANY sander into a substrate.
Another reason may be that you are using it without a vacuum attached and not removing the gray rubber side vent covers on each side of the tool when doing so. Removing them when using without a vacuum will allow more air flow into the tool so that it operates at normal temperatures. If you do remove them, please keep in mind that they need to be put back in when using your tool with a vacuum to create suction for dust free sanding as well as move air through the body of the sander keeping heat down.
A third reason this could be happening is if you are using your tool with an improper extension cord. With power coming through so much length, you will need to consider an extension cord at a 16 or 14 gauge. Any extension cord that is not up to par will increase the resistance in the electric cord, increasing heat build up. Any sort of plug adaptors can also cause heat in tools.
Keep in mind that it is normal for any and all power tools to become warm during use. Maintaining basic care for your tool is very important as well. Regularly blow out the body of your tool with compressed air to ensure dust does not build up in the motor and bearings (especially if your tool is vacuum compatible). Should your tool begin to overheat from misuse, SurfPrep’s sanders have a built-in shutoff feature to keep your tool from damage. Should this occur, give the tool sufficient time to cool off before restarting it for use. You may need to recalibrate your tool if this occurs.
Your Surfprep sander was designed to be energy efficient and draws less than 1 amp when turned on in idle mode. When you depress the paddle switch, the amperage reaches 1-2 amps. The moment the sander touches a surface to be sanded, amp draw increases upwards of 2 amps and should activate the vacuum. Various brands of auto on/off vacuums require a minimum of 2 amps to detect an attached sander signaling it to cycle on or off. If you continue sanding, with sanding pressure applied to a surface, the vacuum should continue operating.
SurfPrep uses 2 different densities for our foam abrasives. The 5mm and 10mm foam abrasives are a gray closed-cell foam with a firm density. 5mm pads are great for flat surface sanding. 10mm pads are great for flat surface sanding, dropping into cabinet faces, and working on soft profiles.
The ½” foam abrasives are a light faint white colored open-cell foam and are “squishier” to conform to complex details, moldings and profiles.
From a woodworking/finishing aspect, both the 3/16″ and 3/32″ are good for sanding wood. In some instances, you may need to use a lighter touch with the 3/16″ orbital sander because it’s more aggressive than the 3/32″ random orbital sander and will remove material at a faster rate. Applications such as outside edge details or following steps in moldings on a line are much easier to tackle with the tight 3/32” random orbital sander.
There can be a few reasons why you are seeing swirls or “pigtails” when sanding. One of the most common is too much downward pressure on your sander or moving at too fast of a rate. Keep in mind that your sander requires just enough pressure to control it. Pressing down hard on your tool will not help sand your substrate any faster and can overheat your tool. Moving your sander rapidly back and forth will also cause swirls. When final finish sanding raw wood, keep in mind that you want a slow, steady advance of your tool with the grain of the wood. Because of the nature of orbital sanding, small circles will be evident when using coarser grit abrasives. As you move through your order of grits and progress to higher numbered grits (finer abrasives) it is necessary to move your tool at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per second to allow the finer grits enough time to totally remove the swirls made by the coarser abrasives and eliminate them.
For example, when sanding raw wood for stain, a good basic order of grits would be: 120, 150, 180, with SurfPrep Paper being the best choice for surface finish.
When sanding veneers, 150, 180, 220 and 320 (if necessary).
Another cause of sanding swirls is when you get buildup on your abrasive from sanding off an existing finish or sanding raw wood. One small piece of old finish attached to your abrasive surface can cause even the most experienced woodworker to experience sanding swirls. When this happens, grab that fingernail brush to remove these attached pieces or, switch to a new piece of abrasive.
A great timesaving tool to add to your Surfprep arsenal is one of our LED inspection lights. These high-powered LED light bars will show imperfections or swirls in your substrate that are often overlooked with the naked eye. It can be very discouraging when beginning to stain your project and you see the stain accentuate swirls that you may have missed. Examination under one of our inspection lights resolves this issue and will up your sanding game and your finished product quality. Inspection lights can be found at this link: https://surfprepsanding.com/product/led-inspection-lights/
SurfPrep offers a wide selection and variety of abrasives. Many times, there is not one “correct” answer to this question, but in some cases there is.
If you are new to finishing, the primary thing you should know is that sanding tasks require an order of grits, also called a ” sanding schedule”, to achieve the best results. This is true whether using the sandpaper, film, or screens when sanding. To do this, you need to understand why sandpaper is numbered as such, 80, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, 320 and so on. The lower numbered grits are coarser, or more abrasive, and the higher numbered grits are finer and less abrasive. When sanding any substrate, you start with a lower grit and move successively higher in number, preferably moving to a higher grit in single increments and not skipping any. You can occasionally skip one grit and still achieve good results, but we recommend progressing one numerical grit at a time.
SurfPrep’s foam abrasives, though designated as Coarse, Coarse+, Medium, Medium+, Fine, Very Fine, Super Fine, and Super Fine+, follow the same principles.
The more coarse and medium foam abrasives are used primarily for finish removal or scuff sanding on things like chair spindles, rungs, profiles, and detailed trim. The finer abrasives are best utilized when sanding in between sealer, primer, and finish coats and smooth out nibs and imperfections in your coats. They also provide a scratch to these coats to provide a good mechanical bond for your next coat to adhere to. Although available in a wide range of grits, foam sanding abrasives were not designed to “level sand” or aggressively cut or strip sand.
If you have recalibrated your tool and it is still jumpy, there is a good chance that it is time to replace your red foam backup pad. You can do this yourself with the 2.5mm Allen (hex head) wrench that came with your sanding kit. Simply remove the 4 machine screws that hold on your pad and replace with a new one, being sure to firmly tighten down the screws. You should tighten them all down to where they start to firm up and then move from screw to screw and tighten them down hard as opposed to tightening each one individually as you go. Much in the same matter as when changing a tire if you have ever done so.
Video for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azbKpsCohfU&t=278s
SurfPrep vacuum hoses that screw into the exhaust port of your tool are threaded counterclockwise. This means that when screwing the hose into the vacuum port, you turn it in the opposite direction than the old phrase ” righty tighty, lefty loosey.”
Line up the hose end into the port and apply medium to firm pressure and turn it from right to left, counterclockwise. You can also hold the hose firmly and turn the blue swivel collar on the tool in a clockwise direction.
Yes, you can! Just be sure to remove the two small rectangular rubber plugs covering the breather vents on each side of your tool or overheating may occur. Should your tool overheat, it has a built-in safeguard and will slow the motor down by pushing it into a preservation mode until the heat subsides. A recalibration may be in order if this happens. Should you continue sanding in this mode, damage may occur to the motor. When using with a vacuums, be sure to put the vent plugs back in place.
When sanding without vacuum, the dust will simply settle on the surface you are sanding (the sander has no suction power).Be aware that when not using your tool in conjunction without a vacuum, there will be no dust containment and you will be inhaling sanding dust. Wearing a respirator or good quality dust mask is a necessity should you elect not to use a vacuum with your tool.
Standard hook and loop fastening systems, often referred to as Velcro, consist of a hook (stiff plastic side), and a loop (softer fuzzy side), that when paired, create a fastening system.
The J-Hook and loop does the same but, the J-Hook is a longer hook with a J-shaped curve at the end for a stronger connection. Both work on the same basic premise.
Excessive heat created from friction when sanding can melt the plastic hook part of the system and make it ineffective. This is caused by applying too much downward pressure on the tool when sanding or, by keeping the sander in one spot too long. If this happens, you will most likely see it occur on the corners of your RFBP (Red Foam Backup Pad) first. When the area of the damaged hooks on your sanding pad increases, your abrasives will not stay firmly attached to your RFBP and it should be replaced.
ELECTRIC
With SurfPrep’s electric sanders, maintenance consists of blowing out your sander with compressed air occasionally, replacing your RFBP (red foam backup pad) and not aggressively pulling the cord from an outlet. You do not need a lot of air pressure to blow out your sander and 10 to 20 pounds of pressure of compressed air should do the trick nicely. Simply blow air into the 4 intake holes on your red backup pad, into the vent on each side of your sander and, after disconnecting your hose from the sander, into the exhaust port. This should all take about 15 seconds.
AIR
SurfPrep’s air (pneumatic) sanders require oiling as all air tools do. Instructions will come with your pneumatic tool showing you where to oil it and how often. It is recommended that you oil your pneumatic tool w/ one drop of lite weight, rust inhibitor tool oil available in an eye dropper bottle every 4 hours of run time.
If you are experiencing any issues with your tool that a recalibration did not fix, please email toolrepair@surfprepsanding.com
Your Surfprep sander has either 3 or 4 speeds depending on the model. The sander is generally used on the higher speed but, the lower speeds can be used while performing various other sanding tasks. The primary reason you might want to use a slower speed is to better control your rate of cut, or finish, removal while sanding. Other uses for a lower speed would be for better control when working on delicate trim pieces on furniture or when working in a confined area with space and movement limitations. For those that use their tool for distressing painted furniture, the lower speeds are great for better control of your sander while doing so. I often will use the middle speed when sanding filler so as not to remove too much too fast. In summary, the lower speeds are used for better control and slower removal of material when using your sander.
When using any abrasive, the abrasive minerals that are attached to the backing will begin to wear and “round-off” as you sand. This decreases their effectiveness, and their cutting effect will decrease notably the longer you sand. The moment you feel you are putting more effort into sanding and not seeing a noticeable difference of material removal is an indicator that your abrasive is worn and ready to be changed out.
You may also notice that as they wear, they may begin to clog with sanding dust between the small abrasive grains. In either case, when this begins to happen, you should replace your abrasive.
TIP from a pro: When using the 3×4 Electric Ray, flip your abrasive 180⁰ after you have been using it a while. It will wear more evenly and result in a better sanding job.
Another time clogging can happen is when using your tool for finish removal. As you sand, small bits of the softened finish can accumulate on your abrasives. This is caused by heat and friction melting some existing finishes that then attach in small bits to your abrasive. When this happens, these attached pieces will cause bad sanding swirls and your abrasive should be replaced. If your abrasive is still good but caked with finish, grab a short, bristled fingernail brush, and use your sander to sand the bristles. The bristles lift the particulates off the surface, freeing your abrasives from loading. In cases where the finish is soft, this will happen frequently, and the finish on the part you are sanding may best be removed by chemical stripping. Sanding in one place for too long when trying to sand off an old existing finish can be a primary cause of this problem also.
SurfPrep abrasives are made from the highest quality raw materials made to resist clogging, topically applied and fused stearates, helping to enhance and extend life.
If you are currently using a non-vacuum SurfPrep sander and want to make the change to become vacuum compatible, all you need is a vacuum conversion kit! Find them here:
https://Vacuum Conversion Kits
Recalibration is a simple step that you can perform on your sander if you should notice that it seems a little wobbly or off in its performance. This typically occurs if you do not use the power switch to turn off your sander before unplugging it.
First, make sure your sander is unplugged. Hold down the minus button for about 5 seconds and plug the sander in. You will hear a series of 3 audible beeps. When you do, release the minus button, and press down on the paddle on/off switch. Next, press the on button and run through your different speeds to check that it sounds correct at each speed.
Need a video for reference?
When sanding with vacuum in cold, dry, low humidity climates, some users have found they are experiencing a small shock to the hand. This is caused by static electricity building up in the vacuum hose. This happens from a combination of two things: the sanding dust moving rapidly through the exhaust hose connected to your sander and by the sanding hose being dragged across the ground repeatedly when going through the motions of sanding. This problem can be solved in one of two ways…
You will need a piece of flexible wire about 4 feet long. Unscrew your 1” black highly flexible, wire re-enforced, hose from the exhaust port on your sander. Take one end of the wire and hook it over the end of your hose and reverse screw it back into the blue female threaded swivel off the rear of the sander. This will hold the wire in place on that end where the static starts to build. Next, wrap the remaining wire around the outside of you sanding hose away from the sander using several wraps and extending a few feet down the hose, you can use some black electrical tape to secure it in a couple spots if necessary. Doing this will allow the static buildup to be discharged through the end of the wire instead of you.
Recommendations
- You can also use static free hoses to remedy this problem if the vacuum you are using is completely static conductive.
- Invest in a vacuum with fully integrated static conductive properties.
- Protect yourself with a comfortable low-profile glove.
A pad saver is the thin black Velcro pad that comes with your sanding system to help prevent damage to your RFBP (red foam backup pad). It should always be used whenever you are using any of SurfPrep’s paper, film, or screen abrasives on your sander. It is not necessary to use it with the padded foam abrasives. Using your pad saver will help prolong the life of tiny nylon hooks on your RFBP.
Interface pads come in various thicknesses and foam densities. They can be used in conjunction with any of SurfPrep’s abrasives to create a stacking effect to level sand profiled surface areas to compound curves and unique profiles often found on furniture and custom cabinetry.
SurfPrep’s air (pneumatic) sanders require a large compressor that is typically found in production facilities in the commercial cabinet industry. To power a pneumatic sander, your compressor needs to have an air tank of at least a 90-gallon capacity and capable of producing a constant 3.4 CFM of air at 90 PSI. (A tank of this size will still empty in less than two minutes and cannot catch up to maintain the 3.4 CFM requirement.)
The electric sanders are more versatile as the only requirement is an electrical outlet. For that reason alone, they are the smart choice for using in client’s homes when doing cabinet refinishing and for DIYs at home or in your shop.
The decision on which SurfPrep sander to choose is going to depend on what types of sanding you do most. The 5” and 6” sanders are best suited for flat surfaces. They are both dual-action (DA) sanders and are great for fast removal of existing finishes and for sanding and smoothing raw wood for stain or paint prep. In addition, Surfprep’s foam abrasives can be used on both the 5” and 6” for sanding or buffing clear, primer or paint coats.
Surfprep’s 3″x4″ is primarily a finishing sander but is also extremely versatile. It can be used for sanding and smoothing raw wood, clear, primer or paint coats and for sanding and smoothing existing finishes for recoating. When used in conjunction with the various foam abrasives that SurfPrep offers, it is valuable tool for sanding contours and profiles in between coats of finish. This little powerhouse in a small package is a cabinet and furniture refinishers dream come true.
Many of our users start with the 3×4 Electric Ray kit and will add our 5” or 6” orbital kit soon thereafter.
We also make a 3″ sander that is great for tight spaces and touch up work. This little workhorse is also great for polishing out finishes with compounds and polishes to achieve mirror-like surfaces for a high-end look. In addition, we have a large footprint, 3″ x 8″ electric sander and 3″x7″ air sander. (3″x8″ electric sander currently available to use with foam abrasives only).
Let us start with the simplest type of abrasive, paper-backed abrasive. SurfPrep’s sandpaper is yellow and is a conventional paper-backed abrasive that people are most familiar with. The lower and middle grits are good for sanding and smoothing raw wood for stain or paint prep, and for the removal of some existing finishes. The middle and higher grits are good for sanding veneers in preparation for stain or paint and when sanding between primer or clear coats on flat surfaces. Some of the best prepared surfaces for stain are achieved with SurfPrep’s yellow paper.
SurfPrep’s film abrasives have a durable and thick plastic backing and are faster cutting and longer-lasting than conventional paper-backed abrasives. The abrasive itself is a green/blue color with a white sacrificial stearate coating to prevent clogging. This is a long-lasting abrasive and similar to the conventional paper-backed abrasives, the lower and middle grits are primarily used for sanding and smoothing raw wood in preparation for a stain or a painted finish and for existing finish removal. The middle and higher grits are for sanding veneers for stain or paint prep and for sanding between primer or clear coats on flat surfaces.
Lastly, SurfPrep’s screen abrasives are designed to be a fast-cutting abrasive and because of their design, resistant to clogging. Due to the entire abrasive having small holes, screen abrasives are great for vacuum compatibility. The lower and middle grits are great for fast removal of existing finishes and the middle and higher ones for sanding raw wood, veneers or for between coats of primers or sealers.
When you purchase your Surfprep Sanding System and want to attach it to a vacuum system for dustless sanding, you have the option to purchase an adapter and a section of 1″ Surfprep hose.
One end of the Surfprep hose will reverse screw into your Surfprep sander and the other end will couple to your existing vacuum hose using the proper adapter. To determine the adapter you will need, measure the diameter of your existing vacuum hose and select the appropriate adapter using that measurement.
*Another option is to get a reducer that attaches directly to your vacuum’s suction port, reducing it to 1 inch. You can then attach a section of SurfPrep’s 1″ hose to it.
To select your adaptors, please visit our vacuum accessories page: https://surfprepsanding.com/product-category/accessories/vacuum-accessories/
This can only happen for a few reasons. Keep in mind that proper maintenance of the vacuum you are using will have a great effect on suction, and that the sander creates no suction, all of that comes from the vacuum as the sander is simply a pathway.
First, check to see that the holes in your abrasive are in line with the holes in the red sanding pad. Next, make sure there are no holes, cracks, kinks, or damage to your vacuum hose and that both ends are securely attached (the one going into your vacuum port and the other going into your sander).
Check to make sure that your hose is not clogged with debris, that the collection bag in your vacuum is not full and that your filter(s) are clean and not blocked or damaged.
One other reason that this could occur is that when sanding, your sander is not maintaining full contact with the surface you are sanding or when the sander goes beyond the edge of your substrate. When this happens, the suction “breaks” and becomes less because one or more of the pre-cut holes in your abrasive has extended beyond the edge of your sanding surface.
This can also happen on curved surfaces. To remedy this on curved surfaces, use one of the foam interface pads with your film, sandpaper, or screen or use the foam abrasives. Both will allow your abrasive to better conform to the surface you are sanding and maintain maximum suction for dust-free sanding.
Your sanding cadence or speed of sanding, if with rapid back & forth movements, will not allow enough dwell time for sanded material to be removed efficiently and can build up momentarily until the sander passes over the previously sanded area at a proper speed.
SurfPrep sanders can connect to almost any vacuum you have or want. One thing to remember when considering the vacuum you are going to connect to is that the sander generates NO suction, all the suction will be coming from the vacuum itself! When using something like a shop vac, making sure the bag and filter are in good condition is a very important step in ensuring good suction. If you’re using a vacuum other than a SurfPrep branded vac (shop vacs for example), it’s likely you will need some additional vacuum accessories. Feel free to contact our team if you need help selecting what is right for you.
If you are ordering your sander to be “non-vacuum,” it simply means you will not be able to connect to a vacuum and your sanding will not be dust free.
When you order your sander to be vacuum compatible, that simply means it will come with a built-in vacuum port on the back of the sander to connect a vacuum hose for CLEAN SANDING. All vacuum accessories are purchased separately! None can come with the sanders because everyone has a different vacuum requiring different accessories.
If you purchased a sander that was non-vacuum and have now decided you want to add vacuum capability, you can purchase the vacuum port attachment on our website and easily install it yourself.