RYOBI R18PS-0 Cordless Delta / Corner Palm Sander, 18V ONE+, 100 x 140 mm, 22,000 opm, Bare Tool - 5133002443

RYOBI R18PS-0 Cordless Corner Palm Sander (Delta Sander), 18V ONE+, 100 x 140 mm, Bare Tool

The RYOBI R18PS-0 (article number 5133002443) is a cordless delta sander - a machine with a triangular 100 x 140 mm pad from the ONE+ 18V platform. The orbit diameter is 1.8 mm and the manufacturer quotes an orbit rate of 22,000 opm. The "-0" suffix in the model code and the word SOLO in the name mean the same thing: the tool is sold as a bare unit, without a battery and without a charger. RYOBI's own data for this article states "No. of batteries supplied: 0" and "Charger supplied: No". The box contains the machine itself and 6 sanding sheets (2 x 60, 2 x 120 and 2 x 240 grit). This version is for people who already own an ONE+ 18V battery.

What it is for

The triangular pad is the whole point of this machine. Its tip reaches where a rectangular sheet sander and a random orbit sander stop - into the corners of a window frame, between the spindles of a chair, into the groove of skirting boards and cornices, over louvre doors and shutters, into the corners of drawers and cabinets. RYOBI describes the tool as suitable for light to medium duty work: fine finishing and paint removal.

Typical jobs are preparing wood before painting and varnishing, stripping old paint from window frames and furniture, levelling filled patches, and reviving weathered garden furniture. For removing a lot of material from a wide flat panel a delta sander is the wrong tool - that work belongs to a random orbit or belt sander, and the delta comes at the end, for the corners and the detail.

1.8 mm orbit and 22,000 orbits per minute

The pad travels in small circles with a diameter of 1.8 mm. The smaller the orbit, the finer the scratch pattern the abrasive leaves - which is why this class of machine is used for finishing and detail work. The manufacturer itself describes the 1.8 mm action as "efficient and fast sanding". The frequency is high: 22,000 orbits per minute according to the manufacturer. RYOBI's data sheet for the article also carries a second figure - a no-load speed of 11,000 min^-1. The two numbers describe different things and some retail listings quote them interchangeably; here they are given exactly as the manufacturer gives them.

The manufacturer's data for this article lists a single speed figure and a large lock-on switch - no speed dial is described. The switch latches in the on position so you do not have to hold a trigger down for the whole job.

0.6 kg, one-handed grip and hook-and-loop

The machine weighs 0.6 kg without a battery and 1.06 kg with a battery according to the manufacturer (the French data sheet rounds the same figure to 1.1 kg). The whole tool sits in one palm, with no auxiliary handle, which tells when you work overhead or spend hours on window frames. The top is wrapped in a two-material GripZone overmould with a micro-cellular structure, so the grip stays secure even with dusty hands. Sheets attach by hook-and-loop: press on to fit, pull off to remove, no clamps and no tools.

Dust extraction

The machine has a dust extraction port which, in the manufacturer's description, connects to most household vacuum cleaners. An abrasive working in its own dust clogs up and stops cutting far sooner. In RYOBI's official data for article 5133002443 the only supplied accessories listed are the six sanding sheets - so if your vacuum hose does not fit the port directly, have an adaptor ready.

The ONE+ 18V platform

RYOBI ONE+ is an 18V platform on which the same battery powers the entire range of the brand - from drills and sanders to garden equipment and lighting. Any ONE+ 18V lithium-ion battery fits this delta sander. A larger battery (4.0 or 5.0 Ah) extends the time between charges without changing the speed, but it also adds weight - for overhead work the smaller pack is more comfortable.

Technical specifications

What is in the box

• Cordless delta sander RYOBI R18PS-0 - 1 pc.
• 6 sanding sheets - 2 pcs. 60 grit, 2 pcs. 120 grit and 2 pcs. 240 grit
• NO battery - an ONE+ 18V battery is bought separately
• NO charger - an ONE+ charger is bought separately
• NO carry case - the article is supplied in a cardboard box
• The battery visible in the application photos is for illustration only and is not part of the delivery

Working tips

• Do not press. Orbital sanders work under their own weight. Heavy pressure stalls the pad, overheats the abrasive and leaves swirl marks.
• Work through the grits. For paint removal start with 60, go through 120 and finish with 240 - the three grits in the box are exactly that sequence. Skip a step and the scratches from the coarse sheet stay visible under the paint.
• Keep the pad flat. If you only use the tip, the tip wears out first while the rest of the sheet is still good. Guide the tool on the whole pad where the surface allows, and save the tip for corners and mouldings.
• Connect a vacuum cleaner. The abrasive cuts visibly longer when the dust is not left sitting between the grains.
• Change the sheet in time. A polished, shiny sheet no longer sands - it only burnishes and heats the surface.
• Mask and goggles. Dust from old paint may contain lead if the building predates 1980 - that work calls for a filter mask.

Questions and answers