A Guide To Sanders

This is probably a bit of a lesser-known tool for those not that familiar with woodworking but it is an important one.

Something that always happens to wood is a problem called mill marks. These are rough cuts into the boards that are caused by woodworking machines.

One of the main functions of the sander is to ensure that these marks get smoothed down so that the wood isn’t bumpy and irregular.

By the sander will deal with any sort of dent or gauge that’s been caused to the wood during handling.

While you’re cutting it up yourself, these things will happen. There will be splinters and notches all over the wood itself that you’ll have to get rid of.

You might think that you can be careful enough to prevent this sort of thing but there’s really no way to ensure smoothness without the use of a sander.

It doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect though. You’re not expected to spend hours and hours sanding it to make sure that there’s not a single bump in sight.

A coat of some kind of film-based varnish will ensure the actual smooth feeling. It has to be film-based though, you’ll still be able to feel roughness through an oil-based covering.

There are a couple of different types of sanders. There’s the drum sander which is a large powerful machine that is mainly used for much larger pieces of wood.

It would often be used to sand doors or tabletops. So while it might be a good investment if you’re very into woodworking, the right option for you is probably the orbital sander.

This is a much smaller device that is handheld can be easily used on smaller boards or shelves. We’ve got some more information about these useful tools here: