How to choose a sander according to the work to be done?

Choose one sander It is a task that is not as simple as it seems. We previously saw an introduction to this tool, but we did not want to advance on the subject without first providing you with a complete guide for its correct choice.

Choose a sander according to the work to be done

The sander electric is a tool with many years of history; That is why there are hundreds of different models on the market, each with different virtues and defects; some have an industrial application and others are for more home use.

Choose one sander It will then depend on the type of work we have planned: will we just use it to sand some wooden furniture or will we use it to polish pieces in a metal workshop? Will its use be casual or daily? Will we work in the comfort of our workshop or will we need to transport it to remote locations?

Workshop uses

Carpentry

The main objective is to achieve a good finish in the woods, and for this we must think that all surfaces of this material will be subjected, to a greater or lesser degree, to abrasion with sandpaper.

It is also important to bear in mind that in the sanding process we will use different grains: coarse, medium and fine, so the clamping system must be practical and versatile, and allow the replacement in an agile way.

For this trade, orbital sanders are excellent investments, band, the delta and the eccentrics; They cover almost all needs and are portable, which makes them especially practical to take them to different work benches.

An interesting option for small carpentry is the acquisition of a multifunction sander: allow you to perform the functions of the delta sanders, orbitals Y eccentric just by changing the head and turning a dial.

Multifunction sander

Metallurgical workshops

Emery cloths are generally used and sandpaper in medium and wide bands, to carry out the polishing of metals such as aluminum, steels, bronzes and titanium alloys, among others. For this, it is necessary to choose an industrial belt sander, whose priority is power work and not portability.

Belt sander

The grinder is used a lot in metal shops, and it is a good idea to choose one sander who also possesses this ability; thus, we combine two tools in one, thus saving space.

It is also useful disc sander, especially for finishing the sharpening of cutting tools such as drill bits, milling cutters, goblets and lathe bits.

Others

Other industries where the sanders They have use are the glassworks (cutting glass and glass for doors and windows), blacksmiths, zinguerías and to a lesser extent, the industry of plastic. Mostly homework sanding They occur in specific areas, such as welds and edges.

To do this, the most convenient thing is to choose a belt sander or a eccentric, in the case of glassworks, where it is more convenient to work with the tool in hand rather than the other way around.

Field uses

Brickwork

For on-site work, i.e. on construction sites, the sander is a tool indispensable; drywall installation (plasterboard) and painting work require the use of this the most tool, followed by plaster and openings.

Due to the nature of the work to be done, it is imperative to choose a portable sander for each task. In this case, being portable means that the tool It can be used quickly, regardless of whether it has batteries or works connected to the electricity supply network.

For the installation of drywall there is a sander special that allows abrasion at a distance by means of an extendable arm, which makes it particularly useful for working on the roof without the need to climb stairs; It is also possible to work in high areas of the walls, or in hard-to-reach corners.

Painters, on the other hand, will welcome the circular sanders and orbitals, especially to prepare the walls after the stucco work and repair of the plastering or plaster; the speed of work with respect to the traditional sandpaper on a wooden block is abysmal, and allows to accelerate work times, thus minimizing operating costs.

Others

Types of sander

The circular sanders They are highly appreciated in automotive paint shops, since their small circular movement (of about 2 mm on average) allows great control over the surface finish; Combined with suede, it allows for a professional finish with little effort.

Home, DIY and Crafts

In the home environment or the DIY or craftsman’s workshop, the sanders they are also a good idea.

At DIY —Where wood is widely used as a raw material— the most versatile models are often used, such as the multifunctional ones, which allow, by simply changing the head, to obtain both coarse abrasion and fine finishes (it is even possible to achieve mirror polish on some metal surfaces ). It also finds great use in delta sander, which allows you to reach the most inaccessible corners.

Craftsmen can take advantage of this tool when choosing one multifunction sander, which allows working on wood, plaster, marble, glass, aluminum, nickel silver and some plastics.