Page 40 - Australasian Paint & Panel Magazine Jan-Feb 21

Sanding
40
PAINT&PANEL JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021
HAPPY TRAILER DAYS
SICK OF SPENDING VAST AMOUNTS OF
time sanding the large, flat surfaces on heavy vehicles? MIRKA’s all new LEROS gets it done in a fraction of the time.
What if you could slash that labour time by 50% or even more and take the load off staff?
LONG ON SPEED, POWER
AND FLEXIBILITY
Short for ‘Long Electric Random Orbital Sander’, the LEROS features a powerful, 350W brushless electric motor driving a 225mm sanding head, with 180° flexibil- ity and a 5mm random orbital movement. It’s all mounted on a long, ergonomically designed shaft that gives it plenty of reach and the total weight is just 3.5kg. Commonly used for sanding walls and ceilings in buildings, it’s also perfect for any large, relatively flat surface. Local trials showed the clear potential LEROS has to revolutionise the sanding opera- tion on trailers, boats, trains, trams, yachts and even curtains for curtain-sid- er trailers, says Jason Salmon, PPG Prod- uct Specialist, Associated Products.
“LEROS really shines when it’s faced with a big, flat surface so we trialled it on a Pantech-style trailer. We were told the traditional method took a day a half for a person to complete using a scissor lift and a conventional sander. I’m a total layman and it took me only
around 30 minutes to complete using the LEROS and just three abrasive discs. That is a huge productivity increase in anyone’s language. At the same time, the 5mm random orbital motion delivers the exact scratch pattern we want for auto- motive paint preparation applications. Because a cherry-picker, scaffolding, etc. is, typically, no longer required, it saves cost and extra time, as well as reducing the potential for falls. There is even an optional extension shaft to extend the reach of the LEROS even further.”
PARTNERED WITH IRIDIUM
To maximise performance, a range of 225mm discs (80 grit to 320 grit) have been launched in MIRKA’s state-of-the-art, paper-backed technology, Iridium. Not only is it capable of very quickly remov- ing stock over a large area, the dust repelling abrasive surface and computer designed, laser-cut multi-hole pattern, gives Iridium super-efficient dust extraction, vir- tually clog-free performance and ex-
ceptional lifespan.
COMFORTABLE FROM ANY ANGLE
The dual vacuum suction point design, light weight and ergonomic layout of the LEROS means forces are transferred to the sanding head which makes life much easier for the operator, says Salmon. “The strain on the operator is reduced immensely compared with conventional sanders. The vacuum suction actually helps keep the head firmly against the surface so the LEROS is very light and manoeuvrable. All the operator has to do is guide the tool across the surface. Com- bine this with the 180° flexibility of the head, its featherweight 3.5kg and its nicely balanced design and operators should find they can comfortably sand for long periods without fatigue.”
DEMONSTRATED ADVANTAGES
“We see the LEROS as being perfectly suit- ed to the CT repair and re–livery sector”, says Salmon. “The best way to understand the advantages of this new MIRKA tool is to see it in action so contact your PPG Ter- ritory Manager or the PPG Customer Ser- vice Hotline (13 24 24 Aust or 0800 320 320 NZ) to organise a demonstration.”