Types of Hand Sanders for Woodworking

When asked about the different types of handheld sanders, I'll start with this short answer. Buy a random orbital sander and make it a good one. Then you can buy other types of sanders as needed. I have been woodworking for over 30 years and have bought a lot of sanders.

Each has its place and performs different tasks, but if I could only have one it would be the random orbital sander. If I could only have two sanders it would be a corded and a cordless random orbital sander. Others are used in special cases. Buy what you need.

hand polished

We all love our power tools, but don't forget about hand sanding as an option. My advanced wood technology teacher will have you use a power sander for your projects. Yet when you're done, he'll take a red pen and draw on it and say, "Now sand it by hand until you can't see the red anymore." In the three decades since, Sanders has It's gotten better, but hand sanding is still a necessary skill, especially between top coats.

Palm Sanders

Hand sanders are also called sheet sanders because they use 1/4 the size of a sheet of standard sandpaper. You used to be able to buy a 1/2 sheet size sander, but I haven't seen one in years, except at garage sales. These small sanders work by vibrating, usually in small circles. They don't work well and collect dust poorly. The best reason to use one is as punishment for your teen being out too late! They won't do it again!

detail sanders

A detail sander, sometimes called a mouse sander, is a handheld sander that works similarly to a plate sander, except it has a triangular-shaped tip for getting into hard-to-reach places. They use a Velcro backing and have more holes so they collect dust much better than a sander. They're not very effective for large areas, but are great for getting into corners. At least they are cheap. The Skil is a great tool, but if you have a wobbly multi-tool you can use that instead.

Editor's note: Check out our best oscillating multi-tool review articles.

Random Orbital Sanders

In most cases, this is your go-to sander. Available in corded, cordless and pneumatic (air), random orbital sanders are the most important type of handheld sander. They are suitable for all types of materials from wood to metal to plastic. Arguably, they leave the best finish of any sander due to the randomness of the scratch pattern they create as they sand. With 60 grit sandpaper, they are pretty good for heavy-duty chipping. With 220 grit sandpaper, they are especially good for fine sanding or sanding between coats of topcoat.

One trick, though, is to avoid the temptation to lift the sander up and sand off the edge instead of laying the sander flat. It looks like you're going faster. What you're actually doing is digging up your material. Most random orbital sanders come in 5-inch models, but there are some 6-inch models as well.

We do not recommend purchasing the 6-inch model. We found it hard to find sandpaper for them as they are so rare. When it comes to sandpaper, don't buy the cheapest you can find. It pays to buy better paper. We reviewed the Diablo sanding discs and found them to be excellent.

belt sanders

Among the different types of handheld sanders, belt sanders excel at heavy-duty cutting on large surfaces. These can be used to flatten the board if you are not used to planing by hand. It also excels at removing large areas of paint with the right belt. They come in two common sizes: 3” x 21” belt and 4” x 24” belt. Considering what you want to do with one, it seems to me that you should go for the larger 4" x 24" size. Ditch the smaller ones unless you're physically unable to handle them.

When you open them, they will try to escape, so hold on! Always keep them moving as they remove material quickly. As soon as you stop moving, they'll start digging a hole in your workpiece!

Mini Belt Sanders

When it comes to types of handheld sanders, there is a separate category of mini belt sanders, sometimes called stick sanders or file sanders. They are available in 3/8", 1/2", 3/4", 1" and 1-1/8" widths and are available in cordless, corded or pneumatic versions. They are designed for reaching hard-to-reach areas and small details Design. These can be used to smooth and shape small areas.

Online Sander

Inline sanders are often found in auto body shops for smoothing large areas. This is strictly an air tool that requires a large compressor to keep it running. They are used in woodworking applications to flatten large panels, but a strainer must be used to keep oil from splashing onto the wood, which can ruin your finish. Inline sanders move back and forth in a straight line, just like you would sand with your hands, except they are 15 inches long and run at 3000 strokes per minute.

Ingersoll Rand 315 is a popular model. Inline sanders typically require 6 cfm (cubic feet per minute), which is much more air than most air compressors can displace. So make sure your compressor can handle it before buying one. These sanders do a good job of leveling all materials if you can. As a sculptor's apprentice, I spent a lot of time using an online sander to smooth aluminum panels that were welded together.

Angle Grinder

When it comes to types of handheld sanders, you might not think of an angle grinder as a sander, but if you buy a $15 4-1/2-inch support pad, it will turn your grinder into a One of the fastest wood removal tools I know of next to a chainsaw. If you use 24 or 36 grit sandpaper, you can remove years of paint in no time. Practice it first so you don't dig into the wood underneath. With 24 or 36 grit you can actually carve wood or fillets. Anything it touches disappears instantly. With an 80 grit and a little practice, you can smooth out rough wood or sand welds.

The sculptor I used to work with taught me to use a sanding disc instead of a sanding pad because we could sand the weld and flatten the surrounding area in one step. Then we'd use a random orbital sander or an inline sander, and when we put the car finish on the sculpture, you'd never know there was a weld there. Pneumatic sanders are used to sharpen stone because of their speed, power, and dust resistance. An eclectic grinder will do, but stone dust will kill them quickly.

As the name suggests, an oscillating multi-tool can do a lot. It saws wood, metal, and plastic, removes grout, and cuts holes in drywall. It can also sand wood. One of the attachments you can get for a multitool is a triangular head, like the detail sander mentioned above. It's smaller, so it goes into smaller places. The head vibrates back and forth to sand wood, plastic, stone or metal. The sandpaper is secured with Velcro. It usually has no dust collection function. Here are our picks for the best oscillating multitools.

One of the last handheld sanders to discuss is the rotary tool, popularized by Dremel. The oscillating multitool does a great job of getting into small detail areas. However, they need to be flat or concave. Use the rotary tool on raised or very small areas. It can be sanded, ground, and polished using its myriad of drum sanders, drills, and other bits.

drum sanders

A handheld drum sander is a specialized tool for shaping wood or stone. While you can use them as attachments for power tools, or even drills, they are usually air tools with handles on both ends, like a rolling pin. In fact, they look like rolling pins of various sizes, depending on which size you get. Most also require the purchase of an inline air drill to operate, or at least to work well. You can use regular walkthroughs, but the experience will be terrible. They're great for doing things like eye-shaping the raised part of the seat on a wooden chair. Use a sander with a sanding disc to finish the recessed part of the seat.

Disc Grinding Attachment for Drill Bits

Are you kidding me! Don't waste your money. I know they're only $10, but the Skill Detail sander is $25, at least you have a real sander.

Types of Handheld Sanders: Conclusion

As you can see, there are many different types of handheld sanders to choose from. A random orbital sander will do the best job. Whether you need wireless and/or wired models depends on how hard you're driving them at any given time. My next choices would be a sander, belt sander, or oscillating multitool, depending on the type of work you do. The other tools in the list are specialized and not required unless they solve the specific problem you have.