Hand-block sanders, electric sanders, belt sanders, orbital sanders, and cordless sanders can be used for a variety of jobs. Hand-block sanders are the cheapest to use because they require no outside source of energy other than your arm! Cordless sanders are very convenient to use but are generally heavier than electric sanders and hand-block sanders because they require batteries. Cordless sanders also are available in all types of sanders the same as the electric ones. Cordless will also need to be recharged so extra batteries will be needed if you do not want to be idle while the battery charges. Electric sanders are nice because of the power they supply but you have to drag a cord around with you. So which one is best for my job? It really depends on the job and your preference. On some jobs you will not be able to use an electric or cordless sander. Some people like using hand-block sanders or simply sandpaper without a block.
If you are looking for finer finishes and want an electric or cordless sander you will want a variable speed sander with a very low speed on it. The higher speed gives you a rough finish but removes more material with less exertion and the low speed will give you the finer finish. Hand-block sanders are ideal for detailed work, small jobs and intricate moldings. Hand-block sanders can be made from just about anything. You can wrap a piece of sandpaper around a toothpick to get into very intricate areas.
If you have a lot of material to be removed from a very large surface a belt sander would work best. If you do not have a belt sander you can use an orbital sander with a very coarse paper to remove a lot of material from large areas. If you are working overhead it is good to use small orbital sanders that can be held in one hand. Disk sanders are used for removing paint and metal. Auto body shops use disk sanders.
Before you begin any type of sanding job it is best to make sure you know how to use the sander. If it came with a manual read it! If it didn’t and you do not know how to use it go to your local hardware or lumber store and get help. It is best to know what you are doing before you ruin your project or injure your self. Always be sure to wear safety goggles and a dust mask while sanding even if sanding in an open area.
Now, no matter what type of sander you use it will only be as good as the user and the paper. If your project came with instructions and gave you a type of sandpaper to use then that is the type you should use. If it didn’t then you should always start with a medium grit and go from there. The grit refers to the abrasiveness of the paper. The most abrasive (takes off the most material) is 36 grit, and 600 grit is the finest. For most jobs you will be using between 100 to 220 grit paper. Start with the coarser grit paper lower number and go to the finer paper. Coarse paper removes lots of material and leaves a rough finish. Fine paper removes very little material and gives a finished look. Always sand with the grain of the material you are working on. As mentioned earlier with high-speed sanders even fine sandpaper can remove more material than desired so be cautious and practice before actually starting your job.
