It’s not just a typical sander but it has different variations that can be overly helpful with any woodworking project. Wood sanders in general have come a long way from where they started. And now, you can practically spot different kinds that can suit the needs of your project. But on the contrary, even if there are already a lot of wood sanders in the market, most men and women won’t even know an electric wood sander if it’s sitting right under their noses!
This is probably because we still see wood sanders as mere papers with rough sides. However, this is the traditional kind. The sanders that we know of today are much more advanced in a way that holds benefits for both the user and the project.
Why do we need to sand wood?
It’s not just simply “polishing” although it has become a popular opinion of most. But truly, a wood sander is all about refining the rough textures of wood and not just polishing it. It is used to soften sharp edges and remove unrefined wood fragments and splinters. Moreover, a wood sander plays a crucial part in all woodworking projects because of its ability to perfect wood textures.
Let’s face it, nobody wants to feel rough wood underneath their hands when touching finished woodworks. For one, it’s very unprofessional work and also unsafe. Unrefined wood can cause people to get hurt or injured. Therefore, wood sanders are an absolute must in the woodworking process that must never be skipped.
More reasons to sand wood…
- Avoid splinters.
- Smoothen the surface.
- It prepares the wood for painting.
- Rounding or refining sharp edges.
- Stripping and prepping floors.
Different kinds of wood sanders.
As we’ve mentioned, over the years, sanders have been innovated starting from literal papers to power machines. Now, let’s take a closer look at each one of them and know their special functions.
1 Belt Sanders
Beautifully constructed belt sanders are a huge advantage if you’re planning on removing big bulks of excess wood materials. It is preferred by most construction workers or DIYers because of its effectiveness to do this in a short period of time. When you’re working in a construction environment, unwanted downtimes can be the bane of every worker’s existence. But with the help of belt sanders, they can make a quick turnaround with the project. That is, of course, considering that the machine is used by skillful and capable hands.
2 Random Orbital Sander
A power wood sander is a favorite of all woodworkers. Random orbital sanders are the most versatile sanders in the construction world. They are known for their capabilities of producing insane woodworking results. Random orbital sanders are a favorite in the industry because they can be fierce in removing rough wood particles and can also polish wood to shine! Plus, it doesn’t even leave any scratch marks as other sanders do. Technically, the random orbital sander can give you a feel of having two sanders in one.
3 Disc Sander
They are commonly popular for their unique look and their wide variety of woodworking applications. But as all things possess, disc sanders have specialty uses. They are much preferred for work that entails rougher work than usual. These kinds of sanders spin in a very fixed motion which makes them ideal for the job. Stripping paint from old furniture is a good example of what regular disc sanders do well.
4 Sandpaper
The OG wood sander that everyone is fond of. Sandpapers don’t require any electrical wiring or any electricity in general. It is mostly known for its straightforward design that usually requires manual labor. It is very efficient, handy, and can totally do the job right. On the flip side, one of its downsides is literally burning a lot of the worker’s energy. This is why sandpaper is most ideally used in small projects these days.
5 Finishing Sander
A fine shine is what we aim for when we are finishing off the woodwork. In every operation, expect that you need a good finishing sander to put a dot at the end of every project. Why? You see, there are certain things that belt sanders, disc sanders, and random orbital sanders cannot pull off. One of them is a high-quality wood shine. And this is where finishing sanders come in. Their main purpose is to make sure that rough woods reach an evenly toned shine.
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Much appreciation to Construction Fasteners and Tools and Woodworking Street for providing insight into our topic today.