I used to avoid furniture sanding machines. I believed that the purist achieves a better finish using hand-planing, scraping and a small amount of hand-sanding. Based on my experience with random orbital sanders and their quality, I have changed my mind. The orbital sander is a great tool that I use to make electric guitars.
This article will review some of the current products and offer some advice based upon my experience to help the reader make the right purchase. I tried 15 different sanders, and was pleased to find that they all did the job. Some were better than others and some had more fun features.
Top 10 Best Orbital Sander Black Friday 2023
Random orbit sanders come with a palm grip design. You can grasp the handle at the top of the pad with your palm and control the direction of tool. The overall design is ergonomic and reduces hand fatigue. Some models have a larger palm grip than others. This makes them more difficult to grasp by people with smaller hands.
Because of their lightweight and compact bodies, palm sanders work well for small projects. You can also use the palm grip to give you more control. Random orbital sanders equipped with D-handles offer greater control and a secure grip. For a more intuitive operation, some models have the trigger switch right below the handle.
An auxiliary handle is a great option if you are looking to reduce arm and hand fatigue, while still maintaining a firm grip. An auxiliary handle on a random orbital sander is easier to use and allows you to apply the correct amount of pressure while you work. An auxiliary handle makes it easier to use the tool overhead or vertically.
Some units come with auxiliary handles built in, while others can be adjusted or removed as needed. The bumper is located at the front of your machine. This bumper prevents you from damaging the sponge pads by preventing you from sanding the edges. The pad is 6 inches/150mm in size and holds the paper using the hook and loop system.
Hook and loop makes accessory changes much faster and more efficient. There are many different hole configurations. Depending on what type of sandpaper, the holes will always be in their correct place. This helps to extract dust from the sandpad, which prevents it from clogging up.
This machine is powered by mains power so you don’t have to worry about it running low on charge. My Porter-Cable is approximately 10-12 years old. I have rebuilt and repaired it many times over the years. It was 8-9 years ago that I misplaced it in my Jeep “war wagon”, which I used to drive to go from job to job performing trim carpentry work.
My defense is that the back of my Jeep was full of everything I could reach from the tailgate. I needed an orbital sander for a specific job site so I stopped by the DeWalt. That tool has been a great help. I have spent 150 to 200 hours using it since then. The Jeep was eventually sold and I discovered my Porter-Cable missing.
Both are still my primary tools for the majority of the work that I do today. I was curious about how I could best use the Makita LXOB01 Orbital sander 18V in my carpentry work when I first got it. The majority of the sanders tested in this test have a five- to six-inch round pad.
Random orbit refers to the pad spinning and oscillating in a random motion. This reduces the chance of leaving swirl marks on your surface and allows you move the sander along the grain. An orbital sander equipped with a square pad, also known as a quarter-sheet or square sander, was also tested.
These tools have a consistent orbital motion, and are slower than random-orbit models. They can also reach corners thanks to the square pad. The random-orbit sanders attach a sandpaper disk to the tool’s base using a hook and loop. Orbital sanders can use either precut peel-and stick sandpaper or one that you cut yourself.
You also have the option to attach an abrasive sheets to the tool using the clamps at the sides. A random orbital sander is a great tool for cleaning old paint from furniture or smoothing down decks in preparation to applying a stain. It also makes it easier and smoother to sand the surfaces with a piece sandpaper.
Random orbital sanders rotate in small circles unlike orbit-sanders which only move in small circles. They also have a slight wiggling motion that allows them to rotate. This means that they don’t have a pattern and the resulting sanding action can be very fine and smooth.
The best thing about random orbital sanders is their ability to move in any direction you choose. It won’t leave marks or scratches on your wood, no matter how you move it. You should consider power source and disc size when selecting a random orbital sander.
There are many power options available, such as those that use batteries or plug into an electrical outlet. A sander that has a disc of 5 or 6 inches is preferred by DIYers. However, heavy-duty work may require an 8-inch disc. Also, you’ll want to think about the speed. This is measured in orbits per minute.
Top 10 Best Orbital Sander Black Friday
The average obm of these tools is approximately 12,000 but some have variable speed controls that allow you to go slower if needed. The orbital sander by Black and Decker has a strong spin rate (12,000 OPM), but it is not very powerful and is best used for light sanding.
This sander produces a high-quality finish on small jobs thanks to its random orbit motion. Random orbit action prevents the formation of gauges or other marks on the surface while sanding. Black and Decker’s orbit sander uses the hook and loop system to attach sanding pads.
This makes it easy to attach pads and remove them when needed. Black and Decker’s BDERO100 orbital sander includes a compact but powerful dust container. You also receive 1 sanding sheets and a 2-year manufacturer warranty. The ROS20VSC is an excellent choice for random orbit sanders.
The Bosch orbit sander impressed us greatly with its great design, wide variety of features, and ease-of-use. We would rate the ROS20VSC the best random orbital grinder if we only rated these products based on their features. This makes it perfect for DIY experts or anyone who wants total control over their sanding.
