Hi. I am looking to order a new power sander for general applications. I do not want a very high end one, nor do I want to spend too much on it. What are your recommendations? What is the difference between a 1/3 sheet sander and a 5" body sander? What other different kinds should I consider?
I faced this question ealier this year while building a bed for my son. I was resuming an interest in woodworking that had been put on hold back in the 80's. I already had a belt sander from that era and a 1/3 sheet finish sander that was not much different than the one my dad used in the 40s and
50s.
I had tried to use the 1/3 sheet finish sander a few times and found it to be better than hand sanding. Reading about random orbital sanders, I went to Lowes and Home Depot to see if they carried the Porter Cable or the Makita that seemed to get good reviews. While there I noticed a Ryobi ROS (random orbital sander) for $29.95. This was less than half of what I was prepared to pay for the others. I had had good luck with three other Ryobi purchases (Table Saw, 12" Miter Saw, and a router) so I decided to take a chance. My rational was that $29.95 was so cheap that I could afford to invest that just to get a little experience with the type of equipment and if it worked for at least one project I would be OK and then could make a more knowledgeable purchase later on.
I brought the Ryobi home and tried it and was very pleased. Apparently the Random Orbital Sander is a really big improvement over what dad was using. This thing has actually allowed me to sort of enjoy the finishing process! I used to hate it.
With the bigger grits it removes wood at a very pleasing pace. After you have removed whatever wood you need to to achieve a flat surface, you can quickly move through the finer grits to smooth out the scratches from the previous grit.
Since you said you're new to WWing...I'll let you in on a secret that I _really_ wish I'd learned earlier - hand-held scrapers. When sharpened and used properly, it is really not a scraper - but rather a plane. They are cheaper than a cheap power sander, quieter, cleaner and result in a nicer finish. If you don't own any sharpening tools...then you'll have to get some...which will put you in the price range of a cheap sander...but you'll need the sharpening tools for other stuff, anyway.
Since I learned to use a scraper properly, I have not picked up any of my handheld power sanders. And I use a LOT less sandpaper. I still use sandpaper...by only by hand...and about 90% less than I did before.
Ditto that. I'm not into scrapers much yet, but hand planes and my single makeshift scraper do wonders. I mostly use my belt sander for sharpening now, and what little sanding I need to do is usually best done by hand.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.