What is the very first tool any DIYer or maker must have? It is a random orbital sander. It is one of the most powerful tools that can be used for a project involving wood. The design of a typical sander is simple and they move in circular motion or pattern that is random to sand wood. Involving a pad also known as orbit sander is a huge improvement as the individual can use specials kind of sandpaper to get smooth fast results with minimum swirl marks. It is much faster than hand service and requires fewer efforts.
However, things got messed up until and unless one doesn’t know the one you can pick right sort of sander. This gets worse when you avoid some of the things that must be kept in mind. A light knowhow guide is presented in the next paragraph.
Common mistakes related to the random orbital sander:
- While sanding slow down- If you are accustomed to a belt sander or hand sander where things moving constantly, then you need to take a part of the perspective shift and wrap your head. However, the random orbital sanders are specially designed so as to work slowly. You can work with a speed of snail pace. Is there any ideal speed? Yes, the ideal speed is around 10-12 seconds/ linear foot or an inch/ second. It is incredibly slow and admittedly tedious however it reduces the swirl pattern over the surface and helps in getting a uniform smooth pattern.
- Never press it against the wood- you don’t have to add extra pressure to the sander to make a proper cut. You don’t have to bear down with the help of orbit sander. You hand and tool weight is enough to get the appropriate result you wish to have. In fact, the motor can be bogged by pressing it down and this can harm the surface quality.
- Using vacuum clean up the dust-
The shop vacuum is connected to the random orbit sander so as to cut down the dust in the workspace. This will help you in improving sander efficiency. The dust layer can be reduced by keeping the suction in between the paper and wood. This thus allows the grit to remain constant and in contact with the project. This clearly implies it can work extremely faster and help you to get quicker results.
- Never tilt your sander- you might have done this once and face regrets. It is natural to provide an angle whenever you see burn mark or high spot. Avoid this temptation because the sander is designed to work on flat plane uniformly. In order to tackle the inconsistencies, you need to make use of orbit sander. You don’t have to work longer and your project will be free from a divot.
- Use a variety of grits- The sandpaper grits can be used as a professional team where every single grit helps in removing the scratch patterns from prior ones. This clearly implies that you will get a quality finish surface with no working for a longer time. You don’t have to follow the way through 80/100/120/150/180/220/320 rather 100/150/220. You can even make use of medium grit for quicker removal of stocks and get the fine surface finish.
Features of it:
There are various features of the random orbital sander. Here are some of the listed features-
- Sawdust collection-
The bag attached at the end of the sander collects ports and dust that would give it the ability to hook up sander to dust collection or to beat debris. - Trigger lock- the trigger lock allows the individual to keep the unit fully locked up in the right position and without doing it manually.
Clamps- the clamps can be used along with portable sander so as too delicate jobs and it will allow the individual to lock up the sander in various positions so as to create sanding stand
- Grips- large front grips or two-handed grips make the sander easier to guide it accurately
- Portability- random orbital sander is much easier to move and it can be easily taken up to different areas using a long cord and its case
- Pad brakes- the pad brakes over the sander will allow the individual to lift the sander and you can easily put it back with no gouging the materials.
- Tracking adjustments- the tracking adjustment such as thumbscrews and knobs tracking adjustments easy and quick
Power
The random orbital sander can be easily powered with batteries, electricity and air compressors. The electrical sanders are more portable and it is economical. The pneumatic sander would require purchasing or buying of the air compressor and it is more powerful. It can work faster.
Safety and use-
When you get to operate the units don’t apply extra pressure else it will kick back at you. The random orbital sander has higher opm or orbit per minute rate that would allow to sand quickly. The sander that has a variable speed offers control for working in the quarter. Some of the things you need to keep in mind regarding the operating sander are-
- Follow the guidelines presented by the manufacturer
- Make use of the respiratory protection for the material that develops lots of sawdust
- Always wear earplugs while operating the noisy sander in order to prevent the hearing loss
- Never ever sand near flames and sparks in order to prevent fire hazards
Conclusion-
The reliable and trustworthy random orbital sander is easy to use and gets the job done. If you want a random orbital sander for the frequent household task then you need to visit online stores. Look for a model that has an easy to grip handle, dust collection, dual sealed switching, and vacuum hose adaptor.
It should be lighter and backed with a warranty period. The price must be less and it should be less and it should be versatile to deliver best results. The features to look for are variable speed motor, wide speed range and high orbits per minute. So, choose the right power tool for the job.
