A love hate relationship, similar to ambivalence is having mixed feelings towards a person, place or in this case, an inanimate object. Shelwes Automatic Contour Sander has been praised for its comfort and convenience but also rejected for its “banality”. Here at JMC Automotive Equipment we’ve been carrying the Shelwes Automatic Contour Sander for over two years now and although it is currently our highest selling Sander, it is also our most talked about. The following is everything you need to know about the Shelwes Automatic Contour Sander and why it is both lauded and criticized.
Shelwes Automatic Contour Sander: What is it and Why its different
For those of you unaware, the word contour signifies “mold into a specific shape, typically one designed to fit into something else.” and that is exactly what our star product of the day does. It takes the shape or form of the machine it is working on making it easier to sand in a more efficient manner.
These contours are difficult with traditional sanders which is why Shelwes designed a sander that automatically conforms to the shape of your car and fits on your air sander. It conforms automatically not only to concave and convex curves but also to any type of irregular surface.
It was designed with the bodyman in mind and helps get those hard to reach places, helping your techs save time and making your shop more money. It connects easily to your power sander allowing installation to be a as easy as it is quick. It also doesn’t require a lot of strength as it conforms to all contours automatically.
Features and Benefits
It was engineered and developed by leading experts and it was built to reduce work time for professionals and do-it-yourselfers alike. It features quality craftsmanship and conveniently attaches to standard power sanders. Whether its work surface is curved or flat, the Shelwes Automatic Contour Sander will conform. It also features cutting-edge patent pending technology and it is 100% made in the US.
You no longer need to stop workflow to manually adjust or change tools. It replaces several pieces of old technology with one tool which saves time, increases your profit and it is reasonably priced.
Feelings of Ambivalence
As we mentioned earlier in the article, the Shelwes Automatic Contour Sander has been a top seller on our product list since it won “Best New Collision Repair and Refinish Product” and “Best New Tools and Equipment Product” back in 2013 but regardless of its accolades and sales, it still stirs up quite a bit of controversy among auto repair enthusiasts but, why you ask?
Many argue that bodywork is a dying art that needs to be appreciated and preserved, which is completely true. But times change and everyday there seems to be less time. In this fast-paced world, people seem to be more impatient and seem to have less time on their hands. For that reason any product that manages to permeate the automotive industry promising to save time should be given a second look. The Shelwes Automatic Contour Sander is that product and it is a time saving piece of equipment that cannot be overlooked.
Professional bodywork enthusiasts accuse the product of being apt for lazy people and claim the product cannot perform the same functions as a regular sander with a little elbow grease. However, I bet the same was said when alignment computers, automatic wheel balancers and state of the art tire changers were invented. Sure, there is more merit in doing things the hard way and really loving your profession by doing things the old fashioned way. But the old fashioned way isn’t always the best way and if it was, man wouldn’t constantly be working on improving methods and techniques to fit the modern world we live in.
Hate it or love it, the Shelwes Automatic Contour Sander continues to turn heads everywhere because of its practicality and who can argue with a $235.00 price tag? Click here to view the full specs.