Important to get it right
When providing the finishing touch to the furniture, it is rather important that you make an effort to ensure that the job is done to perfection with no traces of negligence apparent on the final product. To make this certain, it is of utmost importance that every piece of equipment that you use for the job is of profound quality. Among the various tools that are used by furniture makers, one is a sander.
The objective of a sander is to make it certain that when you are putting the finishing touches on a piece of furniture or similar other project, no trace of sanding mark is left behind. This is a rather handy tool that can be used to ensure that the final product is nothing short of perfection and is devoid of any blemishes. There are different types of sanders present and one that is in use rather frequently is a disc sander thanks to its effectiveness and precision.
What to take into account
Before we move on to discuss the options that you have when it comes to disc sanders, let us first take a look at the factors that should influence your decision when you are contemplating buying a disc sander.
The first thing that needs to be taken into consideration is the power of the sander that you get your hands on. The higher the power, the easier it will be to sand the wood. However, simply relying on power would not suffice. Precision is another thing that the sander must offer. Accuracy is rather important when it comes to woodwork and this is certainly an important factor that should be taken into account when you are wondering which sander should be worth your money. The sander that you get your hands on should have the ability to collect the dust. At the end of the day, you are using the sander to provide finesse to your woodwork and thus, you need to ensure that the one you end up using is such that it would enhance the beauty of your work.
Some options
Let us now take a look at a review of some of the top disc sanders that you can find in the market so that you get an idea as to what you should be looking for.
Rikon 12″ Disc Sander
This is a rather efficient disc sander that you can use to get the job done. The sander is equipped with a manual brake and would instantly stop once your job is done, thereby ensuring that things do not get out of hands. It also allows you to tilt the detents either way up to 45 degrees. The equipment comes with a large working table that ensures that you do not face any difficulty in supporting your work piece while you use the equipment. It can be attached to a vacuum that would ensure that maximum amount of dust is removed. With the power of up to 1/2HP, the sander requires a voltage of up to 120V to work. It is quite efficient and you will not be disappointed with the results you get.
Delta Benchtop Disc Sander
This equipment has a heavy duty cast iron construction with an equally heavy bevel assembly that supports the table. With the power of up to 1/2HP and voltage requirement of 120V, the equipment is quite efficient as well as convenient. It has been equipped with a manual brake that is quite responsive. It has a dual purpose lock as well as bevel table adjustment handle. It is also quite effective when it comes to dust collection. It ensures that bench mounting is not a problem for you thanks to the pre-drilled base holes.
Shop Fox W1828 12″ Disc Sander
This highly efficient sander is just the thing you need in order to shape and smooth the edges. You would find it to be of great help in squaring the end cuts as well. It is quite precise, ensuring that you get just the result that you are hoping for. The bevel sanding can be adjusted up to 45 degrees. It has a power of 1HP.
Grizzly G0702 12″ Disc Sander
This is one of the most effective sanders that you can hope to find. It ensures that you do not face any difficulty in getting the result you want. It has been equipped with a motor brake that stops the disc from spinning when the power is disconnected, which takes care of the matter of security. It has a large tilting cast iron table with a strong steel base. A keyed safety switch makes it a safe equipment and the cast iron table offers great precision in your work. With the power of up to 1HP, this equipment runs on a voltage of 110V.
Do not compromise on quality
When you have to get your hands on an equipment such as disc sander, it is of great importance that quality is your priority. There is no doubt that budget is something that you need to consider. However, it is the bigger picture that you need to focus on. You need to understand that if you settle for substandard equipment, it is your work that will suffer. Therefore, endeavor to get your hands on the best disc sander you can find on the market that has all the right features and is within your budget.
How to Use a Disc Sander
We use a disc sander to create shapes and smoothen wooden and plastic shapes. It may also be used to get rid of tiny waste pieces from the edges of objects after attaining the desired shape. In summary we may say a disc sander is a tool we use to make beautiful carvings more beautiful in texture and feel.
This sounds quite easy and such a smooth ride when explained this way. However it may be a completely different case. A disc sander can be more than just that. It can be quite a hazardous tool when not used in the right way. It may cause much more harm than the beauty it is intended to bring out. It should therefore be used with as much caution as any other dangerous tool. Here are some guidelines and safety measures one needs to take when using a disc sander at wiork.
- As any other harmful tool it should be kept away from children. It should not be operated by children unless under strict supervision by an adult who knows how to use one.
- The device should be kept off and unplugged when not in use. You may need to save power and avoid any accident or damage that may be brought about by power voltage fluctuations. This will also ensure your sander has a longer life as it is less prone to damages caused by wrong connections and explosions.
- Goggles MUST be worn at all times when operating a disc sander. Your eyes are the most important ‘tools’ on your body and you would never want to live even a day without perfect sight.
- The rotating disc is a harmful part of the disc sander. Owing to the fact that it rotates at very fast speeds and the rough surface, the disc can bruise and even cut deep into the skin. Keep your hands as far away from the disc when using the sander at any time.
- A disc guard must always be in place. This will cover the part of the disc that is not being used at any given time.
- Always ensure that the dust extraction unit is well fitted to the sander at all times. This not only saves the strain of cleaning too much after work but also makes it easy to maintain the machine. Less particles will be found at the surfaces of the disc and the rotating bearings. Therefore the rotation of the disc will have no obstacle and this gives your tool quite an extra life time.
- Any hanging clothing or hair should be held well away from the tool. This goes hand in hand with keeping the right distance between you and the sander. Any loose hanging cloth or hair may cause quite serious damage to the person using the sander.
- Always stay alert when using any power tool. Be aware of where the switch is in case of any emergency that may need you to switch of the machine. Always leave it switched off when not in use. It does not matter how short a period you will take away from the machine. Accidents take a second to happen and the consequences are quite durable.
- The machine usually rotates anti clockwise. This is to say that in most cases the left side is the only side that will be in use. Always use the side that rotates downwards and never the side that rotates upwards.
- Always place the object being grinded on the table surface and hold it still to prevent it from escaping your grip and causing any harm to you or any other person or object around the workshop.
- Only use the disc sander to smoothen and not to cut. The disc sander should not be used to take off more than an eight inch of substance. This is due to the fact that too much friction would cause burning of the object being smoothened.
- Always keep the objects being sanded in constant motion. Leaving any one point of the object for too long in one position may have the same effect as above. It may result in too much friction and cause flames.
- For starters and amateurs, it is advisable to use the inner edge of the disc as compared to using the outer edge. The inner edge rotates at slower speeds than the outer edge of the disc. It is also easier to control and hold firm the object when grinding in slower motion that when it is in a faster motion.
- At any one time ensure that the workshop is not crowded. Stay away from any distractions at any time. This includes but is not limited to; children playing around, loading activities or any other activity that may need motion and force.
- After turning the sander on, allow for sufficient time to attain full speed. And do not switch it off using any other object but the switch. Do not use any other object to slow down the disc. In summary, never touch the disc using your finger or any other object when not in full speed.
- The table must always be at a right-angle with the table or surface. When working make sure the object is lying flat on the surface.