Popular Woodworking 2001-10 № 124, страница 54

_PW

Recommends

occasional user

how much juice the motor uses. It's a misleading statistic, however, because efficient high-power motors draw less amperage then less powerful, less efficient motors. So take that number with a grain of salt.

Check out the pad's "offset" or "orbit size." This is the measure of the size of the swirls made by the sander. Big offsets remove lots of material but leave a more visible scratch, sometimes called a "pigtail." Smaller offsets are less aggressive and leave less visible scratches.

The number of orbits per minute is also a measure of the aggressiveness of the sander.

Pads: Go Velcro

Another critical choice is the way the sanding pad attaches to the sandpaper. You have two choices: pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) or hook and loop. PSA is less expensive, but once you remove a sanding disk from the pad, it won't ever stick to the pad again. Hook-and-loop disks can be removed and replaced repeatedly. We recommend hook and loop for all home woodworkers because you'll waste far less sandpaper.

Many sanders today have what is called a "pad brake." This feature slows down the spinning pad as it comes in contact with the wood.

It further prevents you from easily gouging the surface you're sanding.

If the sander doesn't have a pad break, it's a good idea to place the sander on your project before you turn it on.

Finally, check to see if there are replacement pads available that are softer and harder than your stock pad. These can be useful. Soft pads let you easily sand contours. Harder pads excel at things like tabletops, where flatness reigns.

Dust Collection

Also critical is dust collection. Some sanders have great dust collection; on other sanders the bag or canister is only for show. Find out how difficult it is to hook up the sander to your shop vacuum because that's the best way to suck up the dust.

Because your tool generates a lot of dust, it will last longer if you blow some compressed air through the sander's vents occasionally to blow dust off the motor's commutator.

Beyond the health benefits of dust collection, dust removal also greatly increases the efficiency of your sanding. A layer of dust can clog your sandpaper and you end up sanding a pile of dust more than your project.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is one thing actually worse than sanding itself. PW

• Ryobi RS241, If money is tight, don't buy a sanding block. Check out the Ryobi RS241. For about $40 you get a machine that is powerful and versatile.

serious home woodworker

• Makita B05010, Among all the palm-grip sanders we use, this one feels the most aggressive. As an added bonus, the dust collection is superb.

• Makita B05020, B05021K, The inline versions of the BO5010 make sanding a little more pleasant with added features, such as additional handles and variable speed on the BO5021K.

• Porter-Cable 333, This line of sanders is hard-working and available in a variety of configurations.

advanced woodworker or professional user

• Fein MSF 636-1, As far as we're concerned, the Fein MSF 636-1 is about as good as a sander gets. This thing is as aggressive as anything out there today, and it is capable of great finesse. Add a Fein vacuum to your tool and you will keep your shop free of sanding dust. All in all, it's an excellent system. If you're a pro, you also should take a look at pneumatic sanders. You'll need a big compressor, but they are capable of many hours of continual use.

These tools have been tested or used by

the editors of Popular Woodworking

and have earned their recommendation.