Sanders

Sanders Product Finder

• Tool Test: Sanding Disks

  by Andy Beasley

  Using a random-orbit sander is a tedious job, but essential to many woodworking jobs. A rushed job or an inferior product can ruin hours of careful woodworking, ...

• Why You Need a Benchtop Sander

  by Roland Johnson

  It may not be the star of your workshop, but a benchtop sander handles some jobs better than any other tool. Here, Roland Johnson looks at the types of benchtop ...

• Tool Test: 6-in. Random-Orbit Sanders

  by Mark Schofield

  What do 6-in. random-orbit sanders have over 5-in. models? For starters, 6-in. sanders have a larger sanding surface, more powerful motors, and many work in two ...

• Tool Guide 2009

  by Fine Woodworking editors

  Free online extras from our newsstand-only publication featuring expert tool reviews, videos, and articles

• Video: A Versatile Sanding Station

  with John White

  A rolling cart features a downdraft table and shop vacs to collect the dust

• Video: Spindle-Sander Basics

  with Roland Johnson

  Explore the anatomy and uses of an oscillating spindle sander

• Tool Test: Spindle Sanders

  by Roland Johnson

  The up-and-down movement of an oscillating spindle sander is ideal for sanding curves. The work goes faster, the abrasive drum lasts longer, and there is less risk ...

• Random-Orbit Palm Sanders

  by Andy Engel

  Random-orbit sanders are the power sanding tool of choice for many woodworkers. Their pads swirl around in a not-quite-circular manner, which makes them more aggressive ...

• Video: Random-Orbit Showdown

  with Andy Engel

  Bosch wins top spot for dust collection and aggressiveness in our review of nine sanders

• Video: Sanding Frames for Flat Work

  with Scott Gibson

  A sanding frame improves the stability of a belt sander on wide surfaces

• Choosing and Using Belt Sanders

  by Scott Gibson

  Belt sanders have long been a mainstay tool for tasks such as flattening glued-up panels, removing mill and burn marks, or evening up two joining surfaces. In this ...

• Drum Sanders for the Small Shop

  by Roland Johnson

  Roland Johnson takes a look at drum sanders to see how they sand, thickness stock, and mill out cups. He looked at cantilevered and closed frame models, and included ...

• Using an Oscillating Spindle Sander

  by Bernard Maas

  A spindle-mounted drum sander takes the pain out of cleaning up after the bandsaw and jigsaw. Bernie Maas explains the benefits of using a benchtop oscillating ...

• The Spin on Random Orbit Sanders

  by Lon Schleining

  Lon Schleining and his students assessed an assortment of sanders to evaluate dust collection, noise, and overall performance. They looked at the advertised improvements ...

• Choosing a Belt Sander

  by Sven Hanson

  Sven Hanson persuaded a James Krenov fan to try his belt sander, and the next day, the man bought his own. If a belt sander isn’t part of your tool inventory, Hanson ...