: Thanks to everyone for the input. Loud doesn't bother me what
: bothers me is when I am using an orbital and start to push on
: the sander and the pad "stalls" is my term for it . . .
: Damian any more info on the way this model handles? Does the sander
: keep going under pressure? Does it sand quickly and consistant
: or is it kinda like " man I wish this thing would just go
: already?"

putting a sander under pressure to get it to remove more material is counterproductive. As you've seen, the motor can stall.

If you need to remove a lot of stock, change to a coarser sandpaper. Use a light touch and let the abrasive do the work.

If you need to remove stock faster, you need to get more horsepower, or get a sander with a different design. Belt sanders are more aggressive than random-orbit sanders. Worrying about production speed is really not an issue with amateur builders. In a commercial shop, where labor costs have to be considered, the matters are a bit different, and buying tools with big, expensive motors can make economic sense. They pay more for the tool--save more on labor.

: . . .Finally is 3.5 amp good or should I be looking
: for more power?

More power? How much do you value keeping your arms attached to your body? My physics book says there are about 748 watts to one horsepower. 3.5 amps at 110 volts would be just about half a horsepower. At least that is the maximum potential. Probably what you get will be less due to inevitable inefficiencies. Even so, it can be a challenge to control a sander with more power than that.

A kayak or canoe has a large surface area. It will take several hours of work to sand the thing. Let the tool do its work without forcing it. A wide range of sandpaper grits can help. Start with coarse to get down to size and shape, then go up a grade at a time removing the swirl pattern left by the previous work. Eventually it will be over and you'll be paddling.

Have I mentioned today how much I hate sanding?

PGJ
: dave g