If you are refinishing furniture, building shelves for your home or adding an outdoor deck you will need a power sander. Sanders come in a variety of styles and price ranges and you will want to choose the correct one for the job. Because sanders vary so much you should definitely try before you buy - especially if you are going for a high end high dollar one. Many home improvement stores will unpack it for you. Hold it to see if the handle configuration is comfortable, plug it in to hear how noisy it is and how it feels. Some of the higher end sanders have really done well at minimizing the vibration to your hands. Pay attention to whether it comes with a dust collection system and how that works. Some sanders have disposable bags while others are reusable.

Types of Power Sanders

Random Orbital Sanders are generally helpful when you want to sand large areas quickly. They do not leave the typical swirl pattern of common orbital sanders and can be used for finishing work with fine grit paper. They are not intended to remove large quantities of material. They require specific sanding discs that you will have to buy for your particular sander. The sanders usually have 5 or 7 holes and the discs will have to match that configuration.

Belt Sanders are the sander of choice for taking off a lot of material quickly and efficiently. They have a wide sanding belt that runs on a roller in a continuous revolution. They are great for sanding decks, floors and porches. This is not the sander for fine finishing work. Belt sanders can get away from you so be sure that you have a good firm grip on it.

Block Sanders sometimes called finishing sanders are used for more detailed fine work. They are square or rectangular and take regular sandpaper that can be cut to size and attached to the sanding pad. The benefit of block sanders is that they can get into corners. There are different handle configurations so be sure to test them out to see what fits your hand best.

Detail Sanders are also in the category of finishing sander. The sanding pad is triangular and is specifically made to get into tight corners and niches. Some accessories are available to extend the sanding pad to get into small tight spaces.

Wide Belt Sanders are used by individuals that are professional cabinet makers and serious craftsmen. They are floor mounted with a movable bed that moves your wood closer to the sanding belt as you sand more material from the board. They are great tools for larger shops but may not be practical for the home hobbyist or casual do-it-yourselfer. Cost and space will be considerations for this machine.

For information on different types of power saws and their uses visit https://knoji.com/different-types-of-power-saws-and-their-uses/