PART 2: Orbiter Update - Practical Test and Outlook
The Orbiter came to our training workshop as a loaner and impressed us straight away. In practical testing, it showed what it could do and delivered excellent results. This robust device from the USA is a real workhorse, designed for professionals and experienced users, such as table manufacturers looking to achieve a perfect oil finish in a short time. Its substantial weight, due to its all-metal construction, is a plus for achieving a perfect oil finish, as the machine’s own weight works the oil deep into the wood.
Together with Bressel Home, we tested the Orbiter and applied our 2K Worktop-Oil to a large solid oak slab. This linseed oil-tung oil blend protects the wood with just one coat and perfectly enhances its color depth and texture. For applying the oil, we used a beige 12-inch pad, which allows for significantly faster and more efficient work than the usual 6-inch pads—a major advantage when working on large wooden surfaces. This also makes it easy to oil them on your own.
After a short dwell time, the fresh oil was buffed with the white polishing pad—and that was it. Despite its substantial weight, the Orbiter is exceptionally smooth to guide and provides a secure grip thanks to its two handles, even for more demanding tasks. Testing the oil was great fun—no wonder we went on to oil all sorts of things, from a European beech panel to an old whisky cask lid from Slyrs.
The orbital sander from the USA is designed for the American market and can be customized with various options and packages. However, extensive modifications are needed for Germany to meet safety regulations and obtain CE marking, which increases the cost of the machine. We expect to provide more detailed information soon about prices, technical specifications, and where to go for service, repairs, and maintenance in Germany. So stay tuned!
PART 1: The Orbital Sander: First Impressions
Wow, we’re smitten! We get to test the 11-inch, all-metal, two-handed orbital sander. Its sturdy metal housing gives it plenty of weight and helps the oil penetrate even deeper into the wood - perfect for a first-class finish. It fits 12-inch pads, allowing for a super-efficient oil finish. The hands-on test is coming this week. Find out in the blog post what our first impressions are and whether the orbital sander will be our new game changer in the training workshop.
“Man, polishing XXL tables with a 6-inch random orbital sander can be really exhausting,” thought André Bressel as he gave a huge monolith table the perfect oil finish in the OLI training workshop. “You use bigger machines to polish parquet floors, after all!” A large orbital sander for big pads - like they have in the USA - would be an absolute game changer right now. And that’s when the idea was born: We needed an XXL Orbital Sander & Polisher!
Today was finally the day: We got our hands on the Orbital Sander & Polisher - or rather, both hands, since this is an all-metal, two-handed orbital sander that we’ll be testing over the next few weeks. Even at first glance, we’re impressed - somehow, it reminds us of our beloved Defender TD5. Why? Because both are minimalist, purpose-built, and focused on the essentials. But what really sets this machine apart? In this blog post, we’re sharing our first impressions and look forward to reporting more on our hands-on experience soon.
Robust and Purpose-Built: First Impressions
The 11-inch Orbital Sander & Polisher impresses with two handles for a secure grip and a sturdy metal housing that gives it plenty of weight - exactly what you want in an orbital sander for wood finishing with high-solids oils. Its solid construction reminds us of our trusty Defender TD5, not only in appearance but also in function. There are no unnecessary frills here, just pure, honest performance.
The ultimate in wood finishing
Our Orbiter Sanders & Polishers weighs a hefty 9 kg, bringing plenty of power to the wood. Its weight practically presses the oil deep into the wood pores, while the powerful motor generates frictional heat, increasing penetration and creating an even, rich finish. This is important because the deeper the oil penetrates the wood, the better it is protected.
The 11-inch disc with hook-and-loop fastening makes it super easy to attach the large 30.5 cm massaging and polishing pads, which are otherwise intended for floor machines. This makes applying oil to large surfaces really efficient and saves a lot of time - we were already convinced by the theory.
Applications and target audience
Originally developed for the automotive sector, the Orbiter Sanders & Polishers has been specially adapted for demanding wood finishing. Its territory? Large surfaces such as XXL tabletops, monoliths and wood-epoxy resin tables - right up its alley. It naturally reaches its limits on smaller furniture pieces or parts with complex geometries due to its size. The Orbiter Sanders & Polisher is designed for continuous professional use and is aimed at specialists and knowledgeable users such as table manufacturers who want to achieve a perfect oil finish on wood in the shortest possible time.
Practical use on a monolith table
Now things are getting exciting: the practical test! We can’t wait to try out the Orbiter Sanders & Polishers with André Bressel this week. The combination of minimalist design, powerful motor and large pads makes us eager to see the machine in action. We’re curious to see how it performs and what results we can achieve in practice.
Conclusion: Stay tuned!
We’ll keep you updated and report more on our experiences soon. One thing is already clear: This XXL two-handed Orbiter Sanders & Polishers made entirely of metal is a real powerhouse and could soon become an indispensable tool in our OLI training workshop. So stay tuned and look forward to the detailed test report! 🔧✨
