[DML] Re: Proto 1 Looking for flap sander

["David Teitelbaum" <jtrealty@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

You can do the job by hand, the power tool just makes it go faster. If
you don't have any experience with it it can do a lot of damage faster
too. My advice would be to just do the job slowly, one panel at a time
by hand. You only really need a tool like that if you are going to
regrain the car. To take out some scratches and "blend" the finish
with a blending pad you don't need it. Professional shops use such
tools because time is money so they won't spend the time an owner
would doing a job like this by hand. All you need is some sandpaper,
some blending pads, some Windex, a lot of paper towels AND TIME! If
you prefer to do it with a flapwheel it can be air driven or
electrical. You can use a flexible shaft driven by a motor with a
flapwheel on the end or you can use an air tool. If you try to use the
origional one that the Delorean dealers had be aware that the
snadpaper is old and the grit will just fly off. You must find a
source for new sandpaper to replace the strips on the flapwheel, they
are replaceable (if you can find them). There is nothing magical about
that flapwheel. You can by one (the flaps are not replaceable you have
to just replace the whole wheel) in any large industrial supply. YOu
can even use an electric drill. It takes practice to be good though.
Even though doing it by hand is slower if you are making a mistake you
can correct it before it is a big mess. Use masking tape on the door
seals and the rub strip so you don't hurt it. Use making tape on the
facias too. Stay far away from the glass, the grit from the flapwheel
can pit it. Place blankets over the glass jsut in case. Eastwood also
sells a flexible shaft you can hook a motor up to and a flapwheel.
Even if you are sure you want to go with a power tool you should at
least start the job by hand so you have a feel for what you are doing.
You don't have as much feel when using a power tool. When I learned
carpentry you had to use hand tools to learn. The theory is you must
learn the process, the power tool makes it harder to get the feel for
what needs to be done and when used by a novice it generally gets
overdone. Anyway you can't always use a power tool. Sometimes there
are places it can't get into so you HAVE to do it by hand. Like around
the rear view mirrors and the door locks. Do the Stainless Steel last.
You may scratch it during your restoration. Take it slowly and have fun!
David Teitelbaum
vin 10757


--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "dmcproto1" <DMCPROTO1@xxxx> wrote:
> 
> 
> Before the restoration of Proto 1 starts I would like to find an
original DMC 
> dealer flap sander. I was told that it is an air tool that all the
dealers had. If 
> anyone knows of one I could buy it would help out a great deal.
> 
> Thanks,
> Tony








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