-7-
Operating Instructions
ROCKER “ON/OFF” SWITCH
TO TURN THE TOOL "ON" depress the
dust-protected switch to the number “I”
position.
TO TURN THE TOOL "OFF": depress switch
to the number “0” position.
INSTALLING ACCESSORIES
Your random orbit sander uses hook-and-
loop backed accessories, which firmly grip the
pad when applied with moderate pressure. To
change the accessory, merely peel off the old
accessory, remove dust from the pad if
necessary, and press the new accessory in
place. Be sure to align the sanding disc holes
with the holes in the backing pad to allow the
dust extraction system to function.
After considerable service the pad surface will
become worn, and the pad must be replaced
when it no longer offers a firm grip. If you are
experiencing premature wearout of the pad
facing, decrease the amount of pressure you
are applying during operation of the tool.
DUST COLLECTION CANISTER
The integral dust extraction system collects
sanding dust in canister supplied with your
sander. For maximum efficiency, the dust
canister should be emptied frequently during
operation.
Your tool is equipped with
a dust canister, empty it
frequently, after completion of sanding
and before storing the sander.
Be
extremely careful of dust disposal, materials
in fine particle form may be explosive. Do
not throw sanding dust on an open fire.
Combustion from mixture of varnishes,
lacquers, polyurethane, oil or water with dust
particles can occur if there is a static
discharge, spark introduced in the box, or
excessive heat.
REMOVING AND INSTALLING
DUST CANISTER
To remove dust canister, squeeze release
tabs on both sides of canister and simply pull
away from the tool (Fig. 1).
To install dust canister, align dust port with
hole in canister and push canister onto tool
until it locks into place.
CLEANING AND EMPTYING
THE DUST CANISTER
To empty canister, hold canister as shown
and maintain a firm grip (Fig. 2). Firmly push
upward on tab on corner of lid, and remove
from canister. Knock excess dust out of the
micro filter, or remove dust with your fingers
or a soft brush.
You may notice that all the dust may not
come out of the canister. This will not affect
sanding performance but will reduce dust
collection efficiency.
NOTE: Do not wash the micro filter with soap
and water. Dust may become more firmly
lodged in the pores, which will reduce dust
collection, and damage the micro filter.
SANDING:
open-coat aluminum oxide
sanding discs are recommended for most
wood or metal sanding applications, as this
synthetic material cuts quickly and wears well.
Some applications, such as plastics, glass, or
stone require silicon carbide discs, which have
a very sharp cutting edge. For best results,
use Skil sanding and polishing accessories
which are of superior quality and are carefully
selected to produce professional quality
results with your sander.
With the workpiece firmly secured, depress
switch while applying the pad to the work
surface. DO NOT apply excessive pressure as
this will slow the pad action, and DO NOT
start the tool and bring it up to speed before
applying to the work; swirl marks will result in
either case. In general, higher speeds and
moderate pressure will give the best results. If
faster removal is desired, DO NOT INCREASE
PRESSURE ON THE TOOL; use a coarser
grade of abrasive. Move the sander in long
sweeping strokes, parallel to the grain using
some lateral motion to overlap the strokes by
as much as 75%. The random orbit action
allows cross-grain sanding, but be careful not
to tilt the sander near edges, or undesirable
rounding may result.
If the surface is rough, begin with coarser grits
and then complete the surfacing with medium
and fine abrasives. Because the random orbit
action is so effective, it is often possible to
begin sanding with a medium grit disc and go
directly to fine finishing. To avoid uneven
results, do not skip more than one grit size
when going from coarser to finer, and do not
“Tool Tips”
!
WARNING
BM 2610918747 5/03 5/23/03 10:48 AM Page 7
