I think I'm going to buy a drywall sander

[EricU]

one of the copies of the Porter Cable sander on a stick.  Anyone bought one recently?

[toolmiser]

one of the copies of the Porter Cable sander on a stick.  Anyone bought one recently?

Consider this a bump, but I will be watching this.  I have some "popcorn ceilings" that have been painted that I would like to smooth en out.  Don't know how long I can operate a sander like that.  Popcorn definitely doesn't have asbestos in it.  Not a real bad texture, we just want it a little smoother, not perfectly flat.

[EricU]

is it really popcorn, or sand?  I think with popcorn it's best to steam it off and then sand.  I have sanded ceilings, it's not coming off, have to float it. The reviews on these things is mixed for popcorn, some people say yes, some say no.

[Snipe Hunter]

Watch this video.

I've done a few. I wouldn't dream of trying to sand it or trying to float it. It comes off pretty easily. If done right, there is very little sanding. Once it's off, hit it with a quick 80 grit and go back over it with 120 usually a coat of primer, maybe 2 make it fine for painting. I don't have the big garden sprayer but I use a smaller one from Home Depot. I was around 6 bucks. You don't need to get it real wet... not dripping, just damp. It's a little messy so put down plastic if you aren't replacing your floor coverings. It's messier doing it dry.

[fredhargis]

I rented one to do my last shop (the ceilings). Now, at the time I was 62 years old, but swinging that boom around was a real chore. The sander itself did well, and it was certainly better than doing it by hand....but buying one just doesn't seem to make sense. The rental for mine was $40, including the vac for 24 hours. They put a fersh drywall bag in the vac, and I had to buy the disks.

[EricU]

last time I looked at renting one, it was a lot more than that.  In fact, it was more than renting a floor sander.  Maybe they had bad experience with renting it out, I dunno.  I think 3 days would have bought me a Porter Cable, which is what they were renting. But that was in Lynchburg Va, not here in Paternoville.

Checked the local rental places, they don't list them on the web page.

[Robert Adams]

I have one of the cheap versions. Yes they are heavy and awkward but way easier than hand sanding. The types that have the motor in the handle are better balanced. Sanding discs last longer than I thought they would. It doesn't pick up all the dust but it does pretty good. One issue is that the vacuum hose is an odd metric size so adapters or duct tape are your friends. Also a mini cyclone is a necessity as vac filters only last seconds... I have one of the aliexpress ones for $17 and it works very well.

[rwe2156]

Anything related to drywall I hire out.

Ah, youth.........

[tomsteve]

one of the copies of the Porter Cable sander on a stick.  Anyone bought one recently?

yes- his name was gary and he did a great job.

[EricU]

taping is going pretty well, so I'm reconsidering the sander.  Maybe after I start sanding, I'll think differently