Sanders

[woodwizzard]

When you guys are sanding wide milled boards for benches and coffee table tops etc, what type of sanders are best, belt , orbital or discs on angle grinders?

[Jamespepperpot]

I usually start off with a smoothing plane then go straight to hand sanding or belt sand then hand sand with a decent sanding block. Depends how good the finish is after planing. On some straight grained timber like cherry you can pretty much finish off a smoothing plane if it's set up right

[TheHungrySquirrel]

Either hand or power plane to get it flat then go to an orbital sander.

If your buying a new sander go for a pro model as it will take the abuse better

[Haironyourchest]

Nuts. I thought this was going to be another controversy filled thread about US politics...oh well.

[gobbypunk]

Hi , I have a 9 and 4 n 1/2 inch grinders with backing pads and 24 grit discs ideal if the boards are a bit rough from milling electric plane and hand but dont use the hand one much and also orbital andbelt sanders it all depends on the board to start with but mostly for me its grinders and orbitals but have been thinking about router planing but it looks like it takes ages

Cheers Mark

[woodwizzard]

I have an electric planer and also 9" and 41/2" grinders, so I may try those first. I have just milled a lump of elm and made some 3" thick boards that are about 22" wide. I'm thinking coffee table tops. The finish off of the chainsaw is pretty good as the wood had been standing dead for years.

[se7enthdevil]

as long as it's fairly flat to begin with or you have achieved the level of flatness you require then hit it with a 4" wide belt sander 100grit and after get a palm sander and go to the finer grits.

[Lazurus]

as long as it's fairly flat to begin with or you have achieved the level of flatness you require then hit it with a 4" wide belt sander 100grit and after get a palm sander and go to the finer grits.

 

What he said :thumbup:

[Haironyourchest]

If you have a lot of very rough boards to do, you could hire a walk-behind floor sander. Foot wide belt, savage power.

[Ghettoblaster]

Festool rotex by a mile. Removes stock faster than a belt sander, and does fine finishing etc. Only downside is the price and the dust extractor, which you need.

But it really is the best all round sander you can buy!