mirka ceros

Mirka CEROS sander

all of the above. I had mine delivered today. It\'s the mutts nuts. A serious tool to have for the decorator. Where was i without it:)

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CEROS sander review by GS Decoration in London and Essex

Mirka CEROS sander

Dustless sanding where do we start? Many things have already been said about the merits of the Mirka Ceros Or the Festool by some very knowable decorators from across the globe. Including Simon Spectrum Decorating (who had been telling me I was a fool not getting one for ages, it pains me to admit but he was right)

See our full review of Mirka CEROS sander

http://www.gsdecorating.com/mirka-ceros-dustless-sander-review/

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Mirka CEROS sander reiew by Spectrum Decorating in Tunbridge Wells

Mirka CEROS sander

Mirka CEROS

I was flicking through Professional Painter & Decorator magazine one day when I saw the advert for the CEROS. 

Immediately admiring its visual appeal I was keen to get my hands on one to play with so proceeded to go to my local decorating centre - Johnstones, to speak further to them about it.  After many blank faces it was left to the store manager to look into and get back to me.

Not happy with that and now very eager I went into my local Brewers only to be treated with the same response. The sales rep there said he would speak to the Mirka rep whilst I waited.  Ten minutes later he came out the office, a little stunned but with the info I needed. \"Have a guess how much Si!\" he exclaimed...

Now I had previously used a Hitachi palm square sander and Ryobi\'s 125mm Random Orbital both of which were around the £50 mark that worked ok but I was aware they could be better.  With this in mind I\'m thinking of a figure around £80 might cover it but the look on his face tells me it could be more.    When he told me the CEROS was actually £350 I laughed! 

Now I don\'t mind paying for a tool that is good but even I felt that this was a little excessive.  After dismissing it immediately and then pondering it for a few days I rang  back and said can you get me one to demo?  After he realised I was actually being serious he arranged for Amber from Mirka to come down with the CEROS & extractor for me to demo.

We set up in the warehouse some samples for me to play around with and off I went... to be honest as soon as I saw the system being set up I was almost sold.  It\'s a very neat looking unit, better than in the photos and folds away in a smart systainer with a bit of twisting and turning.  I also bought another systainer to store various papers, interfaces etc in.  Just like the Festool system these all clip together to make transporting around easier.

The actual CEROS unit you can tell is in a league of its own the very first time you pick it up.  It\'s lightweight & very compact.  The operating switch is a big black lever that you depress on top of the unit and feels perfectly natural. This can actually be set up to vary the speed of rotation from 4000 to 10000 rpm or just basic on and off function.

The CEROS uses Mirkas fantastic Abranet which if you are not familiar with is an abrasive sheet that is fully breathable meaning at all point of contact it is extracting.  This is really noticeable when you start sanding with the CEROS as the machine without the extractor switched on really can tear up a surface! I have really put my CEROS to the test over the last year that I have had it and it has performed on every level.  I have sanded  floors with it, kitchens, ceilings, walls and it just keeps going.  I have used a number of different grades of Abranet from 320 right down to the evil 40-HD. 

I also was using the Mirka extractor unit which I found very useful. You don\'t have to use it as the CEROS will work with any other Hoover but I found that the Mirka unit had a few good features on it. These were the automatic power take off, the bracket to attach the bulky transformer to it so it\'s not trailing everywhere and the built in extra filters that allow you to extract fine dust, a killer of most common used hoovers such as Henry\'s.

After a good play I was more than satisfied that this machine would work for me and ordered one straight away.  It has saved me time and money and has easily paid for itself in the jobs I have asked it to do.  The fact that I can now work \'virtually\' dust free is a massive selling point that I plug to my potential customers and puts me ahead of my competition.  The machine also allows you to work for longer maintaining consistent results as you are not having to put anywhere near the same levels of physical labour into your sanding down becoming tired by the end of the day whilst being covered in dust.

In summary - 

This is a fabulous system and should be considered by any decorators that want to be taken seriously in their trade.  Yes it is expensive but it has to be viewed as a long term investment into your business future but more importantly your health.  There is no longer an excuse to work under the conditions that many have been used to for years.  

Pros -
Small & compact feeling great to hold for long periods
Powerful motor even under load
Replaceable parts to maintain the lifespan
Increased abrasive life by extracting dust preventing clogging
Labour saving - working time & clear up time
\'Virtually\' dust free

Cons-
Can be pricey to initially get set up
Awaiting a square version to help work into the corners 
Abranet discs are not available from all decorators merchants

What to do if you want one? 
Call TDS - 01332 228130.  I was not lucky enough to know about TDS when I bought my system but if you are serious about investing into this then they would be where I would send you for the best prices and services without fail.

http://www.spectrum-decorating.co.uk

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Mirka CEROS sander review by Traditional Painter in Chester

Mirka CEROS sander

I bought my first Mirka CEROS at the Painting and Decorating Show in 2010. It is the 5\" 240v model with 5mm orbit

I didn\'t want one! but my wife made me buy it. It beat the rest of the sanders I have ever seen for pure usability. The 5\" fits in the palm of my hand and feels like an extension of my arm. Festools palm sander seems quite bulky in comparison.

Is it really 100% dust free? No! To be fair, it sucks everything most of the time, but when you get to the edge of a wall, or edge of a shelf the action will always push a bit of dust off the edge. But overall, no masks, no dusty atmosphere, and almost no cleaning up time.

The first time I used the Mirka CEROS was on a set of pine shelves. It ripped through the varnish in seconds and needed hardly any finishing to remove scratch marks, that was with 80 grit abranet and the vacuum attached, it was amazing. I think for sanding walls and ceilings, there is nothing better than the Mirka CEROS, probably advise on a 6\" if that is what you mainly do. And finer abranet does better than coarse on most emulsion paint.

I have used a Henry vacuum with great success, but now use a slightly beefier Numatic with HEPA filters. You really need to keep the bags from over-filling, and you have to check the filters very regularly. Literally 2 hours of sanding drywall and the 9 litre bag can be full. Abranet is a killer abrasive.

I mainly use 80 180 220 and 320 grades of Abranet.

Having used it, the outstanding features compared to other sanders is its ease of use. It doesnt get twisted up or feel heavy.

The most annoying problem with the CEROS that Mirka should address is the separate transformer and where is the square format one!

Does it match the hype from people like ACmasterpainter and Wayne de Wet? I think so.

I would highly recommend it to other decorators, but am glad I have had it a while as I feel like I can now keep ahead of the game!!!

In summary, for prepping ceilings and walls and flats on woodwork, the Mirka CEROS is literally a dream come true for customers and decorators, but for better or worse, if starting from scratch, a dust-free sanding solution requires a fairly hefty investment in equipment, of at least £400 and upwards. But if you are a serious professional, I think that has to be money well spent.

http://traditionalpainter.com

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