Rupes TA50 Mini Sander - First look...

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Rupes TA50 Mini Sander - First look...


Autogeek now stocks the Rupes TA50 Mini Sander so after Nick placed one of these tools in the box on my desk I figured it's time to see what's in the box....

Before we take a look two comments....

1. Rupes does NOT recommend using this tool as a paint polisher. The reason I've been told why is it was not designed for long use under load which is what most of you guys will do once you attach any type of buffing pad to this pocket rocket. That said, knowing detailers and the detailing industry like I do I already know this tool is going to be abused as a paint polisher and I think Nick is working on getting pads into stock for the 2" backing plate but in this specific instance... don't quote me on that.


2. I'll be giving this tool a real world test in a few weeks on a real car with exactly what this tool is designed for and that's damp sanding a custom paint job. Check it out here...


Jay's new muscle car projects - Wetsand, cut and buff...

Jays_1971_Chevelle_004.jpg


Jays_1971_Chevelle_005.jpg



Stay tuned for this project.


Now on to the tool....


:)
 
Re: Rupes TA50 Mini Sander - First look

Here's everything fresh out of the box....

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The fit and finish are supurb....

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The TA50 comes with a small rod that you insert into the hole you see below and this is how you lock up the spindle to attach the backing plate.

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:)
 
Re: Rupes TA50 Mini Sander - First look

Pick your poisen... or in this case, your favorite brand of sanding discs.... 3M Trizact or Meguiar's Unigrit....

Not sure what the future holds for 2" sanding discs but I'm a guy that lives by the philosophy,

"Whatever it takes"

So I just made my own using some scissors and an ink pen. I drew the circles quickly and cut them out just as quickly, I already know some guys will freak out because the perimeter isn't a perfect circle or the edge soft as velvet but when you're sanding in a tight area, up and down an A-pillar or along a raised body line or edge of a panel you're already supposed to be paying attention and being careful.

The big picture to me goes like this,

It already takes a long time to completely wetsand, cut and buff an entire car, why would I want to do anything that would make it take longer?

So of course, be careful, if you like take more time cutting out your own custom discs and maybe even do more steps to refine the edges. While you're doing that I'll be sanding. :D



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:xyxthumbs:
 
Re: Rupes TA50 Mini Sander - First look

I'm very excited for this sander Mike! Can't wait for a full review. I can see this being popular for Motorcycle refinishing.
 
Re: Rupes TA50 Mini Sander - First look

Very cool! This could be a real labor saver for the professional detailer!
 
Re: Rupes TA50 Mini Sander - First look

Here's the technical specs for this tool right off the Rupes website, I just took a screenshot....


800_Rupes_TA50_Mini_Sander_019.jpg



And if you're attending the May Detailing Boot Camp Class you'll have a chance to use one of these tools when we go over machine wet sanding, technically it's called,

Machine Damp Sanding



:xyxthumbs:
 
So would the main benefit be that you can now machine sand closer to an edge, rather than having to go back through the area by hand? The backing plate is much too small to do the entire car with it, right? That's where a 3" Griot's, PC, or Rupes Duetto would come in? But next to the edge, to get a faster and more consistent cut and finish, it's worth grabbing this out and utilizing the 1" or 2" disk?

Also, is the 3mm orbit similar to the Griot's 3"? If sanding with this while using, say a Duetto for the main areas, would you have to go over the area multiple times with the TA50, since the less orbit gives less cut?

Thanks for the education!
 
I believe the TA30 is roughly 1 inch and the TA50 is roughly 2 inches

I believe the TA30 does not orbit and the TA50 does orbit

In the videos I have seen, the TA30 was used to polish very slim pieces of trim that were adjacent to painted areas.
 
Radarryan said:
So would the main benefit be that you can now machine sand closer to an edge, rather than having to go back through the area by hand?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't do any hand sanding anyway unless it was absolutely necessary. The 3" Griot's mini polisher is great for sanding next to edges because it's very easy to control when sanding, by control I mean keep the sanding disc right where you want it and not on an edge or raised body line.

This new Rupes enables you to machine sand even smaller panels, tighter more intricate areas and like the 3" Griot's, sand along edges with safe control.

The benefit to machine sanding as compared to hand sanding is it's always easier and faster to remove machine sanding marks than it is to remove hand sanding marks.

I demonstrated this at Mobil Tech on a black demo hood in my machine sanding class.


The Chevelle project is coming up real fast and it's the real deal, not a demo panel or a rental car but exactly what a tool like this is intended for...



Radarryan said:
The backing plate is much too small to do the entire car with it, right? That's where a 3" Griot's, PC, or Rupes Duetto would come in? But next to the edge, to get a faster and more consistent cut and finish, it's worth grabbing this out and utilizing the 1" or 2" disk?
Click to expand...


Yes. Think of a master mechanics tool chest, inside there's the perfect tool for any job.


Radarryan said:
Also, is the 3mm orbit similar to the Griot's 3"? If sanding with this while using, say a Duetto for the main areas, would you have to go over the area multiple times with the TA50, since the less orbit gives less cut?

Thanks for the education!
Click to expand...


Any tool that is less aggressive means making more passes than a more aggressive tool but keep in mind, when sanding by hand or machine, "normally" the goal is to remove surface texture or orange peel and you only sand as much as you need to and then stop and that's to preserve as much paint on the car as possible.

Always keep in mind,

  1. Sanding removes paint.
  2. Compounding removes paint.
  3. Polishing removes paint.

Thus always use the least aggressive products to get the job done and the big picture reason for this is it means you'll leave the most paint on the car and that is vitally important for the service life of the paint and the car.


:)
 
From this thread,

Rupes TA50 Mini Sander - First look...


Mike Phillips said:
2. I'll be giving this tool a real world test in a few weeks on a real car with exactly what this tool is designed for and that's damp sanding a custom paint job. Check it out here...
Click to expand...


Here's what this tool is designed for and intended for and that's machine sanding into tight and intricate areas.


Jay's new muscle car projects - Wetsand, cut and buff...



***Update***


The Chevelle is at the upholstery shop getting a new custom interior. When it comes out of the upholstery shop it's time to wetsand, cut and buff for a show car finish.

Here she is all assembled after painting....


Jays_1971_Chevelle_008.jpg



Jays_1971_Chevelle_009.jpg




:xyxthumbs:
 
At my last detailing boot camp class a few of the students tested out the Rupes TA50 to machine sand on a 1963 Impala SS.

Didn't get to all the pictures from this class, processing pictures so they don't disappear is kind of time consuming but here's one picture showing the Impala being sanded.



Using the Rupes TA50 with #3000 Trizact to edge a panel on a 1963 Impala SS
May_2014_Detailing_Class_022.jpg




:)
 
I have been thinking about buying one of these, does it use much air? Got a 60 gallon air compressor now..

Wanted to use it for places my Rupes 21es cant get into and when i paint cars any spots that need to be sanded down..

Got a laser table at work was gonna have it cut foam circle pads and Trizact to make things easier..
 
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