How To Choose A Sander For Wood

How to choose a sander for wood What to look for when choosing a sander, their types and advantages.

Belt sander

The belt sander is ideal for professional use.

The belt-type design includes two rollers (leading and driven), which, in the course of their movement, actuate the belt attached to the tool sole. Depending on its pricing policy, this tape can be made of various materials.

An important technical characteristic of all grinders is their speed of operation, which depends directly on the power of a particular model. For LSM, this value can be in the range from 500 W to 1200 W at a speed of 75-500 m per minute. Most of the manufacturing companies equip their products with a special regulator to control the belt speed.

The dimensions and other features of this tape also depend on the capabilities of the tool. Therefore, in the selection process, the following factors must be taken into account:

  1. Lenght and width. The more their values, the more functional the model is. However, with the growth of these indicators, the weight of the machine, as well as its parameters, increases.
  2. Granularity. Usually, professionals recommend keeping in stock several of their varieties, which are designed for fine and rough grinding. Thus, you can count on the expected result of the work.

In general, LShM are industrial units with a sufficiently high power. With their help, large areas can be processed in a short period of time and, as a result, a perfectly smooth surface is obtained. It will be difficult for a person without experience to operate the grinder, which can lead to damage to the wooden surface.

The belt-type machines are ideal for rough and fast processing of wood, metal and plastic surfaces.

This type of sander is designed for processing surfaces not only made of wood, but also metal, plastic and stone. According to principle

Compact and versatile delta sander.

They work similar to vibration models. Their peculiarity is the shape of the plate, which makes it possible to perform high-quality grinding work even in hard-to-reach places.

The movements of the sole are carried out at high speed and have a reciprocating appearance. For both home and professional use, it is advisable to choose a powerful model with the ability to adjust the speed of its operation. Thus, it becomes possible to work with several types of surfaces.

A wide range of modern products allows you to choose models with special holes for removing dust, the ability to install additional attachments, rotating soles and other features of work.

The delta sander is designed for polishing and cleaning any surface, even in hard-to-reach places.

How to choose a sander for wood

The wood sander is an indispensable tool for finishing work. Thanks to its use, the process of polishing and grinding wooden surfaces is significantly accelerated. The unit itself is convenient and compact, which makes it possible not only quickly, but also to level the walls, floor, furniture and other wooden surfaces with high quality.

how to choose a sander for wood

Using belt sanders for wood

It is advisable to choose a belt sander for wood when you need to quickly remove a significant layer, for example, to remove old paint or when sanding an unplaned board. Sanders of this type are also preferred for trimming the mowing line of the cut in lumber and for more precise fitting of parts.

The material is processed by means of a looped emery belt stretched over the rotating rollers of the grinder. During rotation, the strip of abrasive strips off the layer of material, in much the same way as an electric plane does. The thickness of the removed layer of material directly depends on the grain size of the tape.

When deciding which wood sander to choose for the house, and stopping at the belt option, you should pay attention to the width and length of the abrasive strip used, as well as the speed of its rotation. The area of ​​the processed surface directly depends on the width of the belt, and the degree and aggressiveness of sawn timber processing depends on the rotation speed. In belt sanders, abrasive strips of standard sizes 76×457 mm, 76×533 mm and 76×610 mm are used. The belt speed is 150-500 m / min, and the power is 400-1200 W. Also in the belt sander there is such a rather useful function as smooth adjustment of the speed of rotation of the abrasive strip and its automatic centering, which prevents the belt from sliding off the rollers.

Abrasive belt for sander can be of two types with a layer of zirconium or aluminum oxide. Zirconia abrasive belt allows for deeper, but more aggressive processing, during which a large number of surface scratches occur. Subsequently, additional processing will be required using a fine-grained tape. If it is necessary to grind a metal surface, it is advisable to choose a belt with a zirconium abrasive layer, moreover, it can be used to sharpen the cutting edge of the tool.

Application of orbital sanders

Despite the fact that there are several varieties of vibration grinders, the principle of operation is almost the same. The grinding process occurs due to slight oscillatory and circular movements of the working grinding surface. For sanding, a sheet of sandpaper of various grain sizes is selected, which is fixed to the sole with Velcro or clips. Quite often, the choice of vibration grinders is due to the fact that they allow you to achieve high quality processing, and are used to work with almost any type of material: metal, wood, plastic, putty, and so on. Orbital sanders are widely used in car body repairs because they are good at removing old paintwork and rust.

The degree of processing directly depends on the amplitude of the oscillations. For rough processing of the material, it is preferable to choose a vibration amplitude of 4-5 mm, and for a thinner one, 1.5-3 mm. The adjustable speed of rotation in household models of grinding machines is from 2000 to 5000 rpm, and the oscillation speed can be up to 25000 per minute. Adjusting the rotational speed, vibration and amplitude of the eccentric are quite useful options for vibration type sanders.

A rather important parameter when choosing this tool is the power of the orbital sander, the range of which is 150-600 W. It should be noted that the higher the power of the tool, the correspondingly higher productivity and continuous work time. Another rather important factor taken into account when choosing a tool that makes it advisable to use vibration-type sanders for repairing cars is the area and shape of the sanding pad. The sole can be rectangular, square or deltoid.

Which wood sander to choose

At least once in my life, but there was a need to use a grinding machine to perform repair or finishing work. There are several main types of grinding equipment, whose purpose is determined by the principle of operation and design feature. For repair, construction, joinery and carpentry work, the following types of grinders are chosen:

  • A belt sander should be chosen for rough and aggressive processing of metal, wood and plastic surfaces;
  • The orbital sander has a rectangular sole and is used for a more gentle finish;
  • Delta sander is a type of orbital sander and is characterized by a triangular shape of the sole;
  • The eccentric sander allows the material to be processed to a polished state due to the oscillatory and rotational movements of the sanding pad. However, this sander is not suitable for working with interior corners and small areas.

Application of orbital sanders

The principle of operation of these tools is similar: grinding is carried out due to light circular and oscillatory movements of the grinding surface with an amplitude of up to 5 mm. As an abrasive material, sheets of sandpaper with various grain sizes are used, fixed to the sole with clips or Velcro.

Oscillating sanders provide high quality processing and are used for sanding almost any material: wood, plastic, metal, plaster and putty, as well as for removing corrosion products and old paint coatings.

The degree of processing depends on the amplitude of vibrations: for rough processing, an amplitude of 4-5 mm is chosen, for fine grinding, 1.5-3 mm. In household models, the rotation speed is usually regulated in the range of 2000-5000 rpm, and the oscillation speed can be in the range of 25000 per minute. The ability to adjust the eccentric amplitude, rotational speed and oscillation are very useful options for GSOM.

An important parameter is the power of the VSHM, usually it is in the range of 150-600 W. The higher the power, the greater the productivity and uptime of the tool. Another important factor that determines the use of GSM is the shape and area of ​​the sanding pad. It can be square, rectangular, or deltoid.

Wood sander: application, varieties

A sander for wood is an indispensable tool for finishing work in a country house. The use of a grinding machine allows you to speed up the process of grinding and polishing wooden surfaces of wall cladding, flooring, furniture, and decorative elements. Grinding machines for wood are convenient and compact, they allow you to perform high-quality leveling of any wood surfaces.

There are several main types of grinders for household use, their different design and principle of operation determine their purpose. For construction and repair, joinery and carpentry works, the following types of grinders are used:

  1. Belt sanders (LSHM) a tool for aggressive and rough processing of wood, plastic, metal surfaces.
  2. Vibratory grinders (GSHM) allow for softer processing due to circular motions with a small amplitude. The grinding surface of the orbital sander is rectangular, making it easier to grind corners.
  3. A type of flat orbital sander is a delta sander, it has a triangular shape of the sole. The delta sander is handy for small and hard-to-reach areas, corners, recesses and depressions.
  4. An eccentric sander refers to a tool that allows you to grind a surface to a polished state due to the combination of rotational and oscillatory movements of the grinding pad. But the eccentric sander is not suitable for small surfaces and interior corners.

Application of belt sanders

Belt sanders are used where it is necessary to quickly remove a fairly thick layer of material, for example, for sanding non-planed boards or removing old paint from surfaces. Also LShM is used for precise fitting of parts and processing of cut mowing line.

Material processing is carried out using an abrasive belt closed in a ring and stretched over rotating rollers. When moving, the tape removes a rather thick layer of material, comparable to the operation of an electric planer. The thickness of the layer to be removed depends on the grain of the abrasive belt.

When choosing an LSM, you need to pay attention to two parameters: the width and length of the abrasive belt used and the speed of its rotation. The area of ​​the processed surface depends on the width, the aggressiveness and degree of processing depend on the speed. Standard tape dimensions for LShM are as follows: 76×457 mm, 76×533 mm, 76×610 mm. The width of the belt for semi-professional grinders can be more than 100 mm, but they are rarely used for domestic needs. The belt speed is usually in the range from 150 to 500 meters per minute, the power is from 400 to 1200 watts. Useful functions are smooth adjustment of the belt rotation speed and an automatic belt centering device that does not allow it to slide off the rollers even during rotational movements.

Abrasive belt for LShM is of two types, with an abrasive layer of aluminum oxide or zirconium. Zirconium tape provides a deeper, but more aggressive finish, contributes to the appearance of scratches that must be treated with a less grained tape. For processing metal surfaces, it is better to choose a zirconium tape, with its help you can sharpen the cutting surfaces.

Surface treatment with a belt sander is carried out as follows: the machine is installed on the surface to be treated without distortions, and, without exerting pressure on the machine, they make smooth longitudinal or circular movements along the surface of the material. If it is necessary to fine-tune the parts, grinding is carried out with short-term translational movements or using a bounding frame.

Wood sander

Wood sanders are an important and multifunctional tool used for renovation, construction and restoration work with abrasive surfaces. The equipment presented on the modern market differs in many parameters, depending on the purpose and application.

Grinding machines for wood

In terms of technical characteristics, grinders differ in power, configuration, speed and pressure control, dust removal or extraction system, body material.

According to the method of surface treatment, grinders are divided into several types: eccentric, belt, brush and vibration.

Content of step-by-step instructions:

Rules for working with tape equipment

Rules for working with tape equipment

  1. When sanding a surface, the machine must be constantly driven at the same speed. If the operating equipment is not taken away from the surface to be treated, a depression may form in the tree, spoiling the appearance of the part.
  2. If the ends are machined, then the sanding belt of the power tool should be located strictly perpendicular to the surface to be treated.
  3. You cannot use this type of equipment for fine grinding and polishing of expensive types of wood.

Belt Sanders

This type of grinder is not suitable for curved surfaces. The equipment is used for rough sanding of wooden surfaces, for removing old layers of varnish, paint or for leveling bumpy and uneven surfaces.

Belt Sanders

The sanding paper of linear sanders is made in the form of a looped belt stretched between rollers located on the sole of the power tool. When the machine is turned on, the guide roller starts to move, driving the sanding belt in a circle. The belt width for different models can vary from 60 to 110 mm.

Belt sander Watt WBS-850

For professional work, it is recommended to choose a power tool with a power of more than 800 W, otherwise the machine will overheat during prolonged work. It is also desirable to give preference to professional models that have a high speed of the sanding belt from 250 to 400 m per minute. It is advisable to pay attention to the weight of the grinding machine, often powerful models are noticeably heavy and work with them requires significant effort.

Depending on the productivity, the tool is equipped with various devices for removing dust: vacuum cleaners, dust collectors or a special blower that removes dispersed particles during grinding.

The performance of belt sanding equipment also depends on the consumables: sanding belts with different abrasive values ​​on a polyester, fabric or paper backing.