Klingspor's Stearate discs, with the most aggressive and durable abrasives in the test and the lowest cost per disc, proved the perfect storm of material removal. I speak from experience here. I can't find any comparisons or recommendations for these pads anywhere and really don't want all three to do my own testing. They can also be used to sand joint compound so that it matches the surrounding drywall. The only thing to watch out for is that the holes in the sandpaper line up with the holes on the sanding pad. Orbital sanders have so many uses that I cant imagine not owning one. You can still receive delivery on qualifying items for a fee. Connecting the random orbital sander to a shop vacuum not only cuts down on airborne dust in your workspace, but it can also actually help improve your random orbital sanders efficiency. Register with an email address and password. Additionally, some orbital sanders can be used for polishing, but they need to be variable speed, and additional attachments are recommended. Keep your favorite wines, stemware, and serving accessories handy in this stylish unit. Regardless, be sure your sander is a random orbital sander, otherwise you risk purchasing a palm sander. Then, we repeated the test with two more discs of each brand and averaged the results. Sand with the grain until you have bare wood remaining. Note: This blog contains affiliate links. Sola Wood Flowers Review Create Flower Bouquets Meant To Last Forever, What is the Best Cyclone Dust Collector? Thanks to the Velcro-backed adhesive, the sandpaper stays on the orbital sander without pulling out during use. L X 5 in. Well, you can use regular sandpaper on one, with no need to use a finishing sandpaper. Unfinished garage becomes a woodworking haven. If youre accustomed to sanding by hand or using a belt sander where you constantly keep things moving, this one can take a bit of a perspective shift to wrap your head around. But for a tool I use everyday, it would be nice if it was cordless. W Hand Sander, Diablo Hook and Lock 5 in. Just let the paper do the work. Participation and delivery area vary by store. L X 3 in. How To Join Wood Without a Biscuit Joiner. But it causes the sandpaper to break down faster, and when done repeatedly, warps the sanding pad of the orbital sander. W Aluminum Oxide 100 Grit Very Fine 1/3 Sheet Sander, Norton ProSand 7 in. Well, at least faster than sanding by hand, and with much less energy. These assortedMiady 5-Inch Sanding Discssatisfy all demands, thanks to the diverse grit sizes. Anything else, and youre just asking for a forehead slap. That depends on the price of the disc. L X 5 in. Really. Difficult? For international returns, please click here. So while adhesive orbital sanders tend to be a little cheaper, youll end up spending more money in the long run if you have to change discs often. L X 3 in. What kind of sandpaper do you use on an orbital sander? are measured by their coarseness or grits. If, like me, its one of the most frequently used tools in the shop, then yes, go cordless. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. This means you cant just toss on a super fine grit disc and get a finish-quality surface without working your way up. Otherwise, its probably worth saving the money with a corded version. The random orbital sander is one of the firsttools any maker or DIYer should own. W Aluminum Oxide 165 Grit Medium Open Mesh Abrasive Cloth, Norton 9 in. Random orbital sanders are designed to do one thing: make a flat plane uniformly smooth. If youre asking about using a hand-held orbital sander on a floor, this is also a poor choice. L X 9 in. Adhesive backed discs are really difficult to reuse, largely because its difficult to pull of the disc without getting it covered in sawdust. Not a member? If I have one regret from my sander purchase, its that I bought a corded sander. Our delivery program lets you get the qualifying items delivered from the store to your door by a helpful Ace associate. You do not need to add any pressure to the tool to make it cut properly. If this is what you want your sander to do, I don't think you can go wrong with the hard pad. You might think that with a name like orbital sander, the power tool would be round. Yes. Sandpaper grits are designed to be used as a team, where each progressive grit removes the scratch pattern from the last one. When you use a palm sander, you have to cut sheets of sandpaper to the right size before attaching them to the sander. sander is mostly used for flat work. An orbital sander will produce as smooth a finish on wood as a fine finishing sander, leaving only a very fine cross-grain mark on occasion and giving your project the smoothness you want. Once the adhesive is covered in sawdust, it wont stick to the sanding pad, and the disc is useless. L X 4-1/2 in. W X .2 in. . The only thing I dont love is that its corded. If you have a variable speed sander, select the appropriate speed. Whether for automotive or woodworking applications, this 50-hole pack meets your various needs. Probably the "medium" one that came with the sander. So, if cost is a major issue and a palm sander is the only sander you can afford, then go for it. I am always near an outlet, so in terms of actually using the sander its not a big deal. Sand away any remaining stain after stripping furniture (Particularly on tabletops. If you need some, heres our quick and easy tutorial for making the ultimate sanding block. However orbital sanders can also be used to remove paint, polyurethane and stain, as well as prep objects for painting. Frankly, I see little reason other than cost to ever purchase a palm sander over an orbital sander. For DIYers looking for the best orbital sandpaper discs for the money thats great for various polishing tasks, the S SATC 72 PCS Sanding Discs set will suit your purpose. Password must be a minimum of 6 characters. Here's what we learned. W Drywall Hand Tool. Used only to contact you about your order. We observed better-than-typical dust collection from two distinctly designed discs, shown at right: Mirka's Abranet and Norton's MultiAir. I have a 5 sander with a hook and loop pad, so I buy 5 sandpaper discs. Blessed with an eye for potential, David Willett looked at his dark, unfinished 112-car garage built in 1956 and saw the bones of a workshop. Sanders are difficult to use on non-flat surfaces. But by the end of the first five minutes, Bosch had slipped to the middle of the pack. Repeat until youve sanded with 240 grit sandpaper. (We could see the dust path on the back of the discs after use.) But thats what it takes to let the random oscillations do what theyre designed to do. We proudly stand behind all of our products. And during the final five minutes, most discs leveled off, removing 3-10 percent less than in the middle five minutes. Orbital sanders are more efficient, and can do just about everything a palm sander can do, just better. So, for our money, we'd use Klingspor Stearate for initial sanding and then switch to one of the disc brands that left no visible scratches at 180 grit: Bosch, Gator Power, Makita, Mirka Abranet, or Norton 3X or MultiAir. L X 3-7/8 in. Be prepared for that, and have extra sandpaper on hand. The good news is: youll know when theyve given their all. The design is simple, and right there in the name they move, in a random circular pattern, to sand wood. If you click and make a purchase, I may receive compensation (at no additional cost to you.). L X 3 in. Ace Rewards members spending $50 or more are eligible to receive free Next Day delivery on in-stock orders. This allows the grits to be constantly in contact with your project, not the dust that you just removed. It is a 2009 Nissan Versa thats missing all four hub caps, has a giant dent in the passenger side, and lacks a working stereo. L X 6 in. I tend to buy bulk variety packs off Amazon (such as this one,) which are considerably cheaper than purchasing sanding pads from a home improvement store. The primary difference between a random orbital sander and a palm sander is that random orbital sanders vibrate in two directions, while palm sanders only vibrate in one direction. Orders must be placed on days the store is open, before 4pm local time or 2 hours before store closing time, whichever is earlier. L X 9 in. Sanding discs only cost around 50 each. Thats the primary mechanical difference, but there are a few other trends that differ as well. Dont do it. A sanding plate with the hooks part of the Velco system can be attached to the sander in just a few steps. Which hand planes should a power-tool woodworker buy first? I keep a pile around and use them whenever I dont have a sheet of paper already torn up, and I find theyre often all I need for little tasks. W Ceramic Blend 220 Grit Ultra Fine Drywall Sand Pad, Diablo 5 in. This is largely because the sander is a tool I use every time I walk into the shop. And, attaching sandpaper to an orbital sander is an easy task no matter which type of sandpaper you are using. Hi there, I'm Lindsay Fay- Math teacher on temporary hiatus to transform my 100 year old house into the perfect home. Chris Marshall: You're thinking along the same lines as me about this, Roger. And as youve just read, attaching sandpaper to them is a pretty easy and quick task. Youre never going to get a finish-quality surface with a sanding machine, at least on most hardwoods. If you want to achieve your desired finish with the right sandpaper, our professional woodworkers shared their tried and tested picks in the market. Our woodworkers rank this set of sanding discs top on this list due to its installation and wide range of uses. The Miady 5-Inch Sanding Disc Set set not only comes with various grit sizes for a wide range of applications but each sanding disc is labeled to avoid complicating the user. While Ive certainly done the two examples I listed, my single speed orbital sander performed just fine. With only basic woodworking skills, a tablesaw, and a few simple tools, you can make custom cabinets for your home or shop. Refinishing floors is an absolutely miserable DIY; dont make it harder on yourself by renting the wrong sander. About ten to twelveseconds per linear foot. 2022 Ace Hardware. Ace Rewards members are eligible to receive free delivery on orders of $50 or more. The soft is the original, but would there be an advantage to using the hard pad? Rest assured, we'll call to confirm. For screen reader problems with this website, please call. W X 3 in. It works just like Velcro. The difference between a variable speed and a single speed orbital sander is that variable speed orbital sanders have slower speed options. Otherwise, I recommend a random orbital sander. Sign in for faster checkout and to redeem and earn rewards! L X 3-7/8 in. Avoid the temptation. There are some times when you might want to use slower speeds, such as when removing paint. The time you spend moving sandpaper around that doesnt work anymore is much more valuable than the couple of dimes you paid for the disc. The right tool for the right job holds as true for orbital sanders as it does anything else. While you might make progress in a small area, itll be difficult to refinish the wood so that it matches the surrounding wood. I tend to use a spindle sander and disc sander for contours, or sand them entirely by hand, so my R.O. Ace Premium 5-1/2 in. When purchased in a box of 50 at the time of our test, Klingspor Stearate costs about 25 cents for every gram of wood removed if you used the disc for 10 minutes, making it a terrific value compared to the similar-performing Craftsman Professional discs at $1.10 per gram of wood removed. Click here to view our recommendations on which random orbit sander you should buy. It seems fair to say that the hard pad would be equal to my hand sanding block and would be less likely to follow the differences in early/late wood. The fee is determined at checkout. The higher the grit, the softer the sandpaper, and the finer the sanding result. I love my orbital sander, and am so excited to show you why its my favorite tool in the shop! Each of these grit sizes comes with some labeling that makes it convenient for the user to identify the disc in use. Be the first to hear about special offers, events, popular new items and helpful home improvement tips. L X 9 in. If youre doing a simple touch-up, 30 seconds to a minute of sanding is probably enough. The sanding plate is the part that has the hooks; the sandpaper discs have the loops. As you would probably guess, variable speed orbital sanders are more expensive. Remove the paper backing of the sandpaper, exposing the self-adhesive, and attach it to the plate by pressing it evenly, smoothing out any folds or bubbles. Copyright 2022 A Butterfly House | Bamboo on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, Remove saw marks and other imperfections from cheap wood (, Quickly scrape up used furniture before painting. Softer pads will not be good at sanding to reshape a rough surface. Aside from that, it comes with eight punched holes for dust removal, ensuring that you wont have to put up with specks of dust. Make a light pencil scribble on the wood, then sand with the next highest grit until the pencil mark is gone. Of course the softer pads would conform better to contours. W 220 Grit Fine Sanding Pad, Ace MicroZip 1 in. We are proud of the quality of our products, and we stand behind them 100%. L X 3 in. That means you can work faster, and get to smooth quicker. The square shape allows it to reach into corners and along straight edges. This grit range strips painted wood to its bare. (That's more than 11 hours of sanding for those of you keeping track at home.). The sanding pad of your orbital sander will either take hook and loop discs, or adhesive backed discs. W Drywall Pole Sander, Mill Rose Blue Monster 5 yd L X 2 in. Can You Use Regular Sandpaper on Orbital Sanders? If you consider using a sander on a surface other than wood, our team suggests a versatile sandpaper disc. In fact, though, they are square, and it is one of its great advantages. heres our quick and easy tutorial for making the ultimate sanding block, How To Get Rid Of A Sewer Gas Smell In Your Home, How To Safely Install a Flagpole That Will Last, How to: Make DIY Instagram Coasters with Your Own Photos, How to Remove Permanent Marker From Any Surface, How to Refill A Grease Gun [Without Making A Mess]. In that case, I recommend using Citristrip instead to strip the paint first. Dont bear down, even the slightest bit. The results will start to speak for themselves. Someday, I may upgrade to this variable speed cordless version, but that day isnt here yet. If there are multiple layers of paint, there is the possibility of the friction between the sander and the paint melting the paint instead of removing it (see this disaster.) I use it on every single project, and it was a splurge when I bought it. Palm sanders are also marketed as orbital sanders. Your order will come with a return form with convenient instructions, or you may send your returns directly to Returns Department, Rockler Woodworking and Hardware, 4365 Willow Drive, Medina, MN 55340. L X 9 in. Ace Hardware and the Ace Hardware logo are registered trademarks of Ace Hardware Corporation. We reduced 2 cubic feet of poplar to dust -- literally -- to find the top-performing abrasives for your random-orbit sander. In the second five-minute interval, all of the discs removed less wood than in the first five minutes as they began to dull or load with dust. But to the best of my understanding, yes, you can use orbital sanders to polish a car. Once youve taken your project to 220 with the sander, finish with the same grit by hand using a flat sanding block. I recommend looking for an orbital sander that takes hook and loop (velcro) discs. You must choose the an orbital sandpaper disc set thats most appropriate for the job and the sander. But is an aggressive, durable disc a good value? Continue this until youre using high grit sandpaper, which creates swirl marks too thin to be seen. Most hook-and-loop sanding discs look alike except for their color, so how can you tell which ones give the best value? How To Apply Rubio Monocoat Maintenance Oil. W Ceramic Blend Assorted Drywall ROS Disk, Diablo SandNet 9 in. You can't unless you test 'em, so that's what we did with 15 popular brands. When you see a high spot or a burn mark, its natural to want to angle that sander a bit and bear down on the problem area to get it gone fast. Typically, harder pads will produce a "flatter" surface whereas softer pads will copy an irregular surface or increase the contours where there are hard and soft spots in the wood. So, even regular sandpaper will give you the finish you want for your project. Sand down wood filler and drywall joint compound so that it matches the surrounding material, Sand with your lowest grit until all the marks or stain have disappeared. For DIYers, selecting the ideal sanding disc is troublesome, given that its tough to differentiate one hook-and-loop sanding disc from the other. How Do You Keep Sandpaper on an Orbital Sander? Manufacturer guarantees/warranties for power tools, CNC and laser products will supersede the Rockler Guarantee if these items are damaged or defective. Inefficient sandpapers take long to smoothen surfaces and some only last a few uses. W Ceramic Blend 120 Grit Medium Sanding Pad, Diablo SandNet 5-1/2 in. So if youre looking to purchase an orbital sander and not a palm sander, be sure its a random orbital sander. Orbital sanders do leave swirl marks, but if you sand correctly these wont be visible. But for anyone who needs to change the sandpaper on the orbital sander regularly, the hook and loop style is the best option. Orbital sanders are versatile and wont remove wood as easily as a belt sander can and often does. It comes with various grit-size options for a wide range of high-precision sanding and fine finishes. Above all, its made from aluminum oxide material that makes it robust enough to withstand pressure. Press the sandpaper disc against the sanding plate evenly, aligning the disc with the sides of the plate. W Silicon Carbide 320 Grit Coarse 1/3 Sheet Sander, Norton ProSand 9 in. I have the money to fix these things. L X 4-1/2 in. Which will be the better choice for general sanding a softer or a harder pad? 120 Grit Medium Sanding Sponge, Diablo 9 in. Heres a general guide of purposes and the sandpaper grit I tend to grab: Whether you have a hook and loop sander or adhesive sander, attaching the sandpaper is typically as simple as sticking it on the sanding pad. You can use the medium 100 for quicker stock removal, and the finer grits to prep the surface for finish. L X 3-7/8 in. Its also durable, as the discs have a tear-proof cloth for longer use. He has since built an enviable workshop for himself and an equally impressive online accomplishment: an extensive resource site serving old timers and novices alike. W Ceramic Blend Assorted Grit Assorted Drywall ROS Disk, Diablo SandNet 5-1/2 in. Sand with the grain only. 80 Grit Coarse Sanding Sponge, 3M Sandblaster 7 in. To quantify the aggressiveness and durability of the discs, we sanded a single poplar board with 100- or 120-grit abrasive (depending on what the maker offers) for 15 minutes with each disc, weighing the board after every minute. How Much Weight Can a 2 x 4 Hold Horizontally? The weight of the tool and your hand is enough to get the results you want. W X .2 in. Plus, the hole design removes dust effectively for more productivity. If you're particularly sensitive to dust, these discs may be worth the extra money. Most orbital sanders spin at 12,000 OPM (oscillations per minute.) The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Make sure the sanding plate is clean and clear of accumulated dust and fine sanding debris. Scribble a light pencil mark on your wood. S SATC 72 PCS sanding Discs are made of aluminum oxide grain known for their sturdiness and anti-static nature [1]. W Ceramic Blend 180 Grit Fine Drywall Sand Pad, Diablo SandNet 9 in. So, which is best? When I refinished my floors, it took multiple (like 10,) passes with the drum sander to get the finish off. When working with wood, start by sanding with a lower grit to remove material. Battery-powered orbital sanders are typically more expensive, and require purchasing a battery and charger as well as the sanded. To name just a few popular brand names: With prices ranging from around $50 to well over $300, the home shop woodworker has lots to choose from, and what you purchase depends on the types of projects you work on. All that said, I have a single speed orbital sander, and Ive never missed the slower speeds. This chart shows the results of that test. I dont do this regularly though, so I didnt want to list it above! Service Fee may apply, see cart for details. Turn on the sander and gently press it to the material. Instead, use hand sanding or, if you have one, a hand plane to tackle inconsistencies. Buy your sanding disks in 100, 150, and 220. L X 3.7 in. Palm sanders tend to be rectangular in shape, and use clamps to attach the sandpaper to the sander. Its designed with aluminum oxide to offer maximum sanding efficiency while helping you get around tasks faster. Really? These discs save you time by not having to sand to a higher grit.
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