Sanders Now

Are you thinking of purchasing a new sander but aren’t too sure of what type you need? Or perhaps you know what type you need but seem to be unsure of the features it should have.

Here’s a brief description if the eight varieties of sanders available in the market. You would understand the specific benefits of each kind and the features you should look for in that.

It may help you to learn that electric drywall sanders with dust collection attachments are available!

1. Belt sanders: Their size varies from 1″ finger sanders to 37″ wide, freestanding 15HP sanding machines for the shop. The most common size is 3″x21″ (named by belt size). You should especially consider the dB of motor output (it’s a noisy machine) and its balancing, followed by the location of handle grips for speed control switch, type of platen for a flat sanding surface, and arrangement for dust collection.

2. Disc and belt sanders are combination machines. These are largely used in workshops for sanding woods, most plastics and non-ferrous metals. When choosing a belt and disc sander you need to check these features: size of sanding discs and the required belts, tilting mechanism of table, HP of motor, convenience of belt changing and if it has belt tracking.

3. Disc sanders come in a range of sizes from a 5″ handheld sander for working at jobsite, and goes up to a 20″, 3HP – 3 phase motor, freestanding sander for the shop. You should check for these features while buying a disc sander: ease of disc changing, capacity of motor needed for the type of work you undertake, convenience of belt alignment, wrench storage and dust collection arrangement.

4. Drum sanders are employed to flatten, smooth, finish and polish. You may use them as a substitute for a wood planer to finish stock but unlike a planer it removes the sniping on the ends of your job. Apart from the capacity of the motor to suit your kind of job, you should look for convenience of changing belt, dust collection arrangement and footprint.

5. Finish sanders also known as palm sanders are required for the final sanding of a fine wood project. For fine finish sanding you should opt for a high OPM (oscillations per minute) machine with variable speed motor and an ergonomically designed handle for comfort. It is important to have dust collection bag attachment.

6. Random orbit sanders are employed for removing old paint from furniture, preparation of new molding. They are also used to clean up between finish coats, and to smooth and clean metals or composite materials like solid-surface countertops.
Random orbit sanders have a distinctive dual motion. In their case the sandpaper disc moves in a circle whereas the whole pad moves in an oval loop, which delivers a swirl-free finish even when sanding across the grain. Though Random-orbits work faster than vibrating sanders, they don’t remove so much of material. For that kind of work you should check: belt sanders for flat surfaces and disc sanders for curved ones. When buying a random-orbit sander, check that the capacity of its motor, body configuration, and pad size (5- or 6-inch fits your work. Make sure that the model you choose has the option of a dust collecting attachment.

7. For smoothing of curves you need Spindle Sanders. You get them in both a hand-held and a tabletop model. Once you have removed large amount of material employing a belt sander, you need to use spindle sander for getting a superior finish. A freestanding spindle sander should include: well-machined tabletop, sanding drum/spindle storage, emergency stop, and arrangement for dust collection. An Edge sander should include these features: well-machined steel platen, easy accessibility of controls, single knob for adjusting belt tension, user-friendly belt changing.

8.Drywall Sander’s are especially needed for finishing sand drywall. Compared to hand sanding, an electric drywall sander can finish the job 3-4 times faster. Some of the Drywall sanders are also provided with a dust collection system that sucks most of the irritating fine dust that almost goes to cover everything in the area. The Porter-Cable 7800 is a Long Reach Variable Speed Drywall Sander. It’s a lightweight sander weighing eight pounds and can sand up to a height of ten feet from ground level. The vacuum hose of 1-1/4 inch has a length of thirteen feet, making it very convenient for the operator to cover a large area without any need to move the vacuum. Priced at $430, it sounds expensive for such a specific tool but considering the resultant savings in time it is worth the price.