Whether you're trimming a window with molding or framing a set of kitchen cabinets, no job reaches its final stage until its surface has been sanded smooth. Paint, stain, or varnish spread over rough wood looks downright sloppy, and the job of properly preparing the surface belongs to an orbit sander.
Its cousin the belt sander is fitted with a loop of gritty paper that can grind big gouges in wood if held in place too long, like a car tire that's spinning in the mud.
Orbit sanders maneuver with greater delicacy and are more forgiving. Fitted with small pads of sandpaper, they buff the surface of wood rather than strafe it. And by moving through a succession of grits, beginning with coarse and moving on up to superfine, it's possible to produce a wood surface as smooth as glass.
Orbit sanders come in two distinct varieties:
- Sheet sander
- Random orbit sander
Sheet Sanders
The sheet sander, which has been on the market for 50 years, is fitted with square or rectangular pieces of sandpaper that are cut to size then clamped into place. When turned on, the pad moves in a small circular pattern. When in use, the tool has to be pushed along with the grain of the wood to minimize surface scratches exactly as is done with hand sanding. Try pushing it against the grain, and the sander will leave a trail of tiny spirals that require even more sanding to remove.
