Ryobi DE18 Operator's Manual page 8

SANDING
See Figures 4 - 5, page 11.
Clamp or otherwise secure the work to prevent it from mov-
ing under the sander.
WARNING:
Unsecured work could be thrown towards the operator
causing injury.
WARNING:
Keep your head away from the sander and the sanding
area. Your hair could be drawn into the sander, causing
serious injury.
NOTICE:
To avoid damaging the motor from overheating, be careful
not to let your hand cover the air vents.
Hold the sander in front and away from you, keeping it clear
of the workpiece. Start the sander by pressing the switch
button to ON position and letting the motor build to its maxi-
mum speed. Gradually lower the sander on the work with a
slight forward movement. Move it slowly using forward and
backward strokes.
Do not force. The weight of the unit supplies adequate
pressure, so let the sandpaper and sander do the work.
Applying additional pressure only slows the motor, rapidly
wears sandpaper, and greatly reduces sander speed.
Excessive pressure will overload the motor causing possible
damage from motor overheating and can result in inferior
work. Any finish or resin on wood may soften from the fric-
tional heat. Do not allow sanding on one spot too long as
the sander's rapid action may remove too much material,
making the surface uneven.
Flush sanding can be performed with the sander. The front
edge of the sander allows flush sanding in corners. Always
remove the sander from the workpiece before turning the
sander off.
WARNING:
Do not wear loose clothing or jewelry when operating
sander. They could get caught in moving parts causing
serious injury. Keep head away from sander and sanding
area. Hair could be drawn into sander causing serious
injury.
OPERATION
ORBITAL MOTION
See Figure 6, page 11.
Orbital motion is ideal for fast cutting action when removing
old finishes, smoothing rough wood, cutting stock down to
required dimensions, or for finishing surfaces to be painted.
The sandpaper moves in tiny circles at a very high speed,
allowing the sander to move easily.
REMOVING PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE
(PSA) SANDPAPER BEFORE STORAGE
Do not store the sander with the sandpaper installed. Heat
generated from sanding causes the pressure sensitive
adhesive to flow and form a tight bond between the backing
pad and sandpaper.
Removing the sandpaper soon after you have finished a
sanding operation avoids letting the adhesive set up. If the
sandpaper is left on the backing pad for an extended period
of time after use, the adhesive will set up and cause the
sandpaper to become difficult to remove.
It may also tear when removing. When this situation occurs,
it becomes difficult to clean the backing pad for the next
sheet of sandpaper.
NOTE: If you forget to remove the sandpaper after a sand-
ing operation, sand for a few minutes to soften the adhesive
backing before attempting to remove sandpaper.
USING THE DUST BAG
The dust bag provides a dust collection system for the
sander. Dust is drawn up through holes in the sandpaper
and cushion and collected in the dust bag during sanding.
ATTACHING THE DUST BAG ASSEMBLY
See Figure 7, page 11.
 Remove the battery pack.
 Push the dust bag onto the dust exhaust port on the
sander using a slight twisting motion.
CLEANING THE DUST BAG
See Figure 8, page 11.
For more efficient operation, empty the dust bag when it is
no more than half full. This will permit the air to flow through
the bag better.
To empty the dust bag:
 Remove the battery pack.
 Remove the dust bag.
 Thoroughly clean the dust bag by shaking out all debris.
 Replace the dust bag.
8 - English