Power Sanders: An Introduction
Power sanders can achieve in minutes a job that would take hours by hand, whether it is producing a smooth finish on a wooden floor or taking the old paint off a surface before recovering it.
The different kinds of power sander work along the same lines, but their differences make them suitable for a range of jobs.
Depending on the type of sander, they may take specially-designed sheets of sandpaper (available in different grades of abrasiveness), whereas others require you to cut sheets of your own.
Because of their high speeds and the large amounts of fine sawdust produced, some sanders have a vacuum system built in. Either way, it’s best to wear goggles and a mask as they can never be 100 percent effective. You will probably need to wipe the surface down with a damp cloth to remove any dust afterwards too.
Types of sander
Orbital sanders vibrate a sanding pad backwards and forwards, making sanding very simple. One disadvantage is that they can produce scuff marks, as the same area of the pad is applied to the same part of the surface. The random orbital sander solves this problem by rotating the pad at the same time.
Rotary sanders use a simple spinning pad. Some are no more than attachments that fit in an ordinary power drill. Whilst fast and effective, they do not tend to give a very neat finish as the rotating sandpaper can leave a swirl pattern.
Belt sanders consist of a loop of sandpaper that is driven around two wheels, like a high-speed tank track. However, because they only move in one direction, you might find it pulling away from you as you work – and again, they can leave marks.
Smaller sanders like palm sanders and detail sanders are useful for smaller, precision jobs and finer finishes.
Pic credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/abbybatchelder/
