Tools
Power Tools: Bench Sanders
By J.S. Decker
Dec 23, 2007, 01:41

Safety Precaution:  Power sanders are made to cut by abrading material from the part.  As inanimate objects power sanders do not care if they are accurately shaping material or sanding your skin off.  If you choose to use a power sander, you are responsible for correctly and safely using the tool, and keeping others, e.g., children, away from the tool.  As with any power tool, heed the manufacture’s precautions and follow the manufacture’s instructions. 

Front left - 12-inch disk; front right - 1-inch belt sander; rear right - spindle sander.

1. Types and sizes of sanders.  I have four power bench sanders.  There are two that I consider indispensable, a 12-inch disk sander and 1-inch belt sander.  If I could live just fine without my spindle sander and 4-inch belt sander.  I could only have sander; I would choose the 12-inch disk sander.  Typically, I cut parts to approximate size using a band saw, say to within 1/32 of an inch.  Then I use disk sander to cut the part to final shape, or close enough that a sanding block or Perma-Grit can get it fit without a lot of effort.
   
   If you purchase a disk sander, get one with at least 12-inch disk if you can.  When it comes to disk sanders, bigger is better, I would like to have 20 or 24-inch disk sander if I could justify it.  Also, get one with flat table, not kind with groves in it; smaller parts are easier to work on a flat table.  And, get one with a flat disk and that the turns true.  I purchased the more expensive Delta model, which I am happy with.  I have been told that some of the less expensive manufactures models work well, but it is worth turning them on at the store to make sure the disk is flat and that it turns true, i.e., does not vibrate excessively.
   
   

   12-inch disk sander with sandpaper cleaner.

   
   
   In my work, the 1-inch belt sander is used to sand concave curved parts.  Frequently, I use a ¼-inch wide sanding belt that was cut from a full 1-inch wide belt.  Particularly, if you use cut down sanding belt, you will need to remove the platen that holds the sanding belt flat and close to the table.   A typical application for the ¼-inch wide belt is shaping foam cutting templates from phenolic materials, like phenolic paper or Formica counter laminate.
   
   For what I do, a cheap import 1-inch belt sander has been adequate.  As I recall, it cost about $40 on sale at an imported tool retailer.
   
   

   1-inch belt sander and 1/4-inch wide sanding belts.

   
   
   While I have a spindle sander, I rarely use it.  About the only time I use it is when sanding inside larger holes and sometimes when smoothing the inside canopy radiuses on plugs.  The task that I most frequently use the spindle sander for is sanding the inside of canopy openings of molded fuselages.
   
   The other bench sander that rarely gets used in my shop is my 4-inch wide belt sander.  About the only time this sander is used is when shaping plugs or other jobs where I have a lot of material to hog down.  Usually, I take this sander outside to use and make a mess, particularly when sanding around the perimeter of flanges of new fuselage molds.
   
   
2. Mount your tool.  Having a sander that is solidly mounted to a bench, helps avoid accidents, dampens vibration, and improves the accuracy of your work. 
   
   
3. Sandpaper.  My 12-inch disk sander has 80-grit on it all the time.  However, I use several grits for my 1-inch belt sander for making foam cutting templates.  For templates, I use 100 or 120 for roughing, 220 for smoothing things out in a controlled fashion, and 320 for final shaping.  Get one of the big eraser type sandpaper cleaners, they keep your sandpaper clean, cutting fast, and add life to the sandpaper.
   
   
4. Sanding composite materials.  Composite plastics dull sandpaper quickly, just as they do saw blades.  So, keep a good supply of disks and belts available.  Also, the dust from wood and composite plastics is bad for your lungs, particularly carbon fiber dust.  Use dust collection; a shop vacuum with a HEPA filter is a lot better than nothing.  Getting back to carbon fiber, if there is any way that I can, I wet sand carbon fiber.  If you think ahead, you can eliminate or at least minimize the amount of carbon fiber you sand on a power sander.
   

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