Popular Woodworking 2002-10 № 130, страница 78

RANDOM-ORBIT

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Throw away your old pad sanders and get yourself a random-orbit tool. For less than $50 you can reduce your sanding time dramatically with these high-tech wonders.

SETUP & USE

A Light Touch and Slow Hand

Many woodworkers are under the impression that if they work harder and faster, the work will get done more quickly. This is not so with random-orbit sanders. Don't use a lot of downward pressure when sanding. The engineers who design these tools say that this actually reduces the sanding effectiveness. Also, resist the urge

to move the sander quickly over the surface of your wood. Slow and steady results in a more consistent scratch pattern. How slow? Aim for moving the sander about one foot every five seconds or so.

As you move the sander, don't use the same pattern again and

BODY STYLE Electric random-orbit sanders come in three body styles: palm grip, dual grip and right angle. The palm-grip sanders are inexpensive, easy to maneuver and are good for most woodworking tasks. The right-angle sanders are generally bulky, powerful and well suited for large flat surfaces.The dual-grip sanders are somewhere in between. Most home woodworkers purchase the palm-grip variety. POWER The aggressiveness of a random-orbit sander is determined by three things: the amperage (though this can be misleading), the orbits per minute and the "offset" (also called the "orbit" or "pad movement"). Essentially the offset is the size of the sanding swirls left on the work. Big offsets remove material faster but leave more sanding scratches than tools with smaller offsets.

HOOK-AND-LOOP OR STICKY STUFF? The sandpaper attaches to the tool's pad using one of two methods: hook-and-loop (essentially Velcro) or PSA (pressure-sensitive adhe-sive).We prefer the hook-and-loop because you can swap grits back and forth during a job. With the PSA sandpaper, once you remove it from the pad, it won't stick again. Many pros (who may have a sander for each grit) prefer the PSA.

DUST COLLECTION Except for quick jobs, it's a good idea to attach your sander to dust collection. Not only is it healthier, but it will speed your sanding by removing dust between the paper and wood. Sanding the dust is no fun.

again on the same workpiece. Sand horizontally across the work, then vertically, then at 45° to the grain (first one way, then the other). This will ensure you don't miss any spots. Most of all, sand all areas consistently.

Sometimes it's tempting to work in one area more than others or to lift one edge of the pad to sand some tearout. Resist this as much as you can. It's easy to produce depressions that you can feel and (even worse) see after you've applied a finish. So keep the sander's pad flat to the work.

Changing Grits

Many woodworkers are also bemused at what sanding grits they should use when sanding projects. Here are some basic guidelines in our shop. With solid wood, begin with 100 grit, then go to 120, 150 and finish at 180. With plywood, begin with 150 and finish with 180.

If your project is going to get a clear finish, you usually can stop sanding at 150 grit because there will be no pigment to collect in the scratches. For outdoor furniture, you can usually stop sanding at 120 grit. PW

PW

Recommends

OCCASIONAL USER

• Ryobi RS240. If money is tight, check out the Ryobi RS240. 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 ($70). As an added bonus, the dust collection is superb.

• Makita B06030. This professional 6" sander is tough and aggressive ($180). It is our favorite dual-grip sander.

• Porter-Cable 333. This line of palm sanders ($75 to $90) is hard-working and available two configurations.

• Bosch 1295D. Bosch upgraded this sander with excellent dust collection. At $70, this is a good tool for the shop.

ADVANCED WOODWORKER OR PROFESSIONAL

• Fein MSF 636-1. In our

book, the Fein MSF 636-1 ($450) is as good as a sander gets. It's aggressive as anything out there and is capable of great finesse. Add a Fein vacuum, and you will keep your shop dust-free. It's an excellent system.

• Makita BO6040. For $100 less, the Makita B06040 ($355) is an excellent option. A high-quality sanding machine.

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.

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Popular Woodworking October 2002