Every project needs to be finished off in some way shape or form and the rough wood or material left on something after it’s finished is never appealing. Sanding machines, better known as sanders, use a gritty paper to help remove some of the roughness and extra debris that’s left on a piece of wood after it’s all said and done. Sand paper is very tough paper that’s covered in a gritty sand and dust mixture. You can get very coarse sand paper and very mild sand paper depending on the job you’re trying to accomplish. More coarse paper will really grind the edges down and give you a less rough finished surface, but it still won’t be completely smooth.
To get a very soft wood feel you’re going to have to use a very fine sand paper that will help you get rid of all of the extra sawdust on your piece. Sand paper is attached to sanding machines that move the paper back and forth extremely quickly to remove the process of rubbing with your arm. Some sanding projects can take hours to complete, so having a sanding machine on hand to help you do some of the work is a big plus. Let’s take a look at some of the different types of sanders there are and what each of them does.
Sheet Sander
Sheet sanders are there to essentially replace your arm movements. They work by attaching a piece of sand paper to the sheet sander and flicking a switch. The sander then vibrates very rapidly, often faster than you can see, and makes the paper shake back and forth. When the paper is placed on a surface that needs sanding, the vibrating motion helps move the paper vigorously across the wood and make it smooth. You can then move the sander around, just as you would your arm, and get it to cover the whole piece. Sheet sanders are the most popular type of sanders and can be found in the $50 price range. Any good carpenter should have one of these on hand to complete projects.
Belt Sander
Belt sanders are almost the same as sheet sanders except that instead of a vibrating plate of sand paper they instead have a rotating belt beneath the device that has an oval shaped piece of sand paper attached to it. Just like a wheel on a car, a belt sander spins the belt of sand paper and adds a different option to finishing a project off. There’s not much different between a handheld sheet sander and a belt sander, but belt sanders also come in a stand up version. Belt sanders that remain stationary are a little more useful for small items. You can turn the sander on and have it spin below you as you move the piece around the rotating belt as you want to get into all of the different crevices you need.
Detail Sander
Lastly, a detail sander is used for those final touches. Detail sanders are designed to work in small areas of space that normal sanders can’t quite reach. Once the surface is sanded down you can take a detail sander to the crevices to really make things shine. Detail sanders work on the same vibrating plate principle as the sheet sander but use a much smaller plate, often with a point, to get the job done.