If you're interested in the pastime of woodworking, you'll have fun starting to buy the tools that you need. While you might be eager to buy some new tools, don't overlook the value of choosing used tools from your local pawn shop or hardware store. Generally, they'll be in good condition, and you can save a lot of money. While sanding wood by hand can be beneficial in some scenarios, you'll want to buy some tools to make this job quicker and easier — as well as to give you a better finished product. Here are three types of sanders to buy.
Belt Sander
As its name suggests, a belt sander has a sandpaper belt that turns at a fast pace. This is an ideal tool for doing heavy sanding projects. For example, if you have a piece of wood that has a rough surface, spending several minutes running a belt sander up and down the surface of the wood will give it the smooth finish that you desire. Several different tool manufacturers produce belt sanders, and you can find some that operate off a battery and some that you need to plug into a wall outlet.
Random Orbit Sander
The one drawback to using a belt sander is that you have to move this tool in the direction of the sanding belt; it's not designed for you to slide it from side to side. A good sanding tool that will allow you to make any movement you want, however, is a random orbit sander. This sander is smaller than a belt sander and typically has circular sandpaper discs that affix to the bottom of the sander. As its name indicates, this type of sander moves in a random motion, allowing you to sand with ease in any direction.
Detail Sander
A detail sander has a similar appearance to a random orbit sander, but its sanding disc is drastically different. Detail sanding discs are pointed — often, they're shaped somewhat like the bottom of a clothes iron. The point of the sanding disc makes this a valuable tool for sanding fine details. If you have a rough area that your belt sander or random orbit sander cannot reach, you may be able to access it with the tip of your detail sander. This is a sander that is valuable to use toward the end of a woodworking project. After you've smoothed the wood with the belt sander and refined your work with the random orbit sander, you can address any specific areas with the detail sander.
Use these tips on sander types when buying tools for sale.