Buying Guide for Sanders

Power sanders are essential for all sorts of do-it-yourself projects. They can remove large amounts of stock or finishing material quickly and put a glass-smooth surface on your projects. But with so many different types of sanders out there, how do you know which one will fit your needs?

Types of Sander

Detail Sanders are small handheld sanders designed for sanding around odd shapes and small nooks in woodwork. They are also referred to as contour sanders and used frequently for craft projects and millwork, such as window and door casings. Detail sanders are available in corded and cordless models and usually come with multiple attachments.

Pad or Palm Sanders are available in models that use 1/4 or 1/3-sheets of sandpaper. Depending on the model, you can attach the sandpaper to the sanding pad with hook and loop fasteners or simply use precut sheets with peel-and-stick backing. Palm sanders vibrate in a slight circular pattern and must be moved in the same direction as the wood grain to avoid scratching the stock. A palm sander that has a dust collection bag or a hookup for a dust collection system helps to maintain the air quality in the work area. Palm sanders are versatile-handy in many different applications.

Random Orbit Sanders have round pads that move in a circle. The pad is attached to an offset bearing that gives a random pattern to the pad's motion. The random motion lets the operator move the sander in any direction without scarring the work surface. Some random orbit sanders have variable speed control allowing the operator to customize the tool to the material. For example, if you are working on a soft species of wood or have little sanding left, you can easily switch the sander to a slower speed which provides better control. Random sanders require special sanding sheets that vary between manufacturers. The pads have holes through which sanding dust is removed during operation. In order for the dust removal system to be effective, the holes in the paper and the pad must line up. If you're looking for a multipurpose tool for most sanding jobs, check out random orbit sanders.

Belt Sanders have a continuous loop or belt of sandpaper that stretches across two wheels. When the drive wheel is engaged, the belt spins and removes stock. They are excellent for the initial phases of rough sanding jobs. Since belt sanders remove a lot of material quickly, some have variable speed controls, which allow the operator to adjust the sander to run at a more comfortable level.

Disc Sanders are bench-mounted tools with a circular pad that accepts specially-made sanding sheets. Most disc sanders also have a belt mounted vertically or horizontally on their frame. Some disc sanders have tilting tables with sliding miter gauges. The tilt feature is for sanding angled edges, and the miter gauge helps maintain specific angles during sanding operations. A disc sander finishes end grain and angled edges quickly and efficiently.

Spindle Sanders are bench-mounted tools with a cylindrical spindle located in the center of a large worktable. The spindle holds special sanding tubes of various grit sandpaper. Some spindle sanders have an oscillating feature that raises and lowers the spindle as it rotates. The oscillating feature increases the rate at which the sander removes stock. Spindle sanders are good for edge sanding, especially around curves and circles.