Sanders

Whether you're a professional, an occasional DIY-er, or just about anything in between - a sander is a vital tool to keep at your disposal.

Sanders provides an efficient and effective way to quickly sand surfaces - and can virtually eliminate any labour-intensive aspect of achieving impressive high-quality finishes.

Cromwell stocks a huge range of sanders from trusted brands used by professional around the globe, including 3M®, Bosch®, Chicago Pneumatic®, Hikoki®, Dynabrade®, and many more.

What are sanders?

Powered by an electric motor or compressed air, sanders utilise detachable rotating belts, discs, or sanding pads to quickly sand, polish, finish, or more.

Why a sander?

Sanding machines allow users to achieve professional-quality finishes in a mere fraction of the time required to get these results by hand. Professionals or hobbyists alike who work with wood save an extraordinary amount of time and effort by using a sander as opposed to a regular piece of sandpaper.

Sanders excel at removing imperfections and blunders in wood, smoothing out rough surfaces or preparing surfaces for painting, to name a few.

When are sanders used?

Sanding machines are designed for effective sanding, smoothing, and finishing of metals and woods - all without the need for excessive manual effort. Different types of sanders excel and different things, but most sanders can be used for:

• Sanding - Sanders utilise a powered abrasive pad, belt, or disc to make sanding tasks a breeze.

• Surface preparations - Easily smooth, finish, or prepare common surfaces with a sander. From removing paint on walls to sanding doors and other surfaces, sanders are highly versatile tools.

• Material removal - The electric or air power from a sander results in incredibly fast stock removal with the correct attachment when compared to manual sanding. Use a low grit and remember to wear dust protective equipment.

These are only a small selection tasks easily completed with sander. If you are looking for the right type of sander for your usage, feel free to ask our experts for specialised advice.

Types of sander

With several types of sanders available, it can be confusing to know which is the right choice for you. Below are the most common types of sander we stock:

• Belt sanders - Belt sanders utilise a mechanism that drives an abrasive belt on a continuous loop. They are primarily used for line trimming, sanding rough surfaces, levelling flat surfaces, and freehand shaping or stock removal.

• Burnishing machines - Burnishing machines use a thick abrasive wheel that allows easy grinding, smoothing, brushing, and tarnishing.

• Orbital sanders - These sanders feature a disc shaped pad that rotates and spins on a random oscillation. Because of this, they do not leave sanding marks and are valued for their ability to quickly sand and remove large amounts of material.

• Disc sanders - Similar in function to a regular orbital sander, disc sanders comprise of a smaller body to work in awkward, inconvenient places.

• Polishers - As the name may suggest, polishers excel at polishing surfaces of all kinds, creating an excellent finish.

Considerations when choosing a sander

• Power source - Electric sanders must be plugged into a wall to work, and cordless models require a charged battery for usage. Air sanders require an air compressor that provides a minimum flow of 150 - 450 litres per minute depending on your sander and application.

• OPM/RPM - The orbits per minute, or rotations per minute (depending on sander type) rating determines the performance of your machine. Higher OPM/RPM ratings perform better on heavy-duty tasks and tougher materials.

• Dust-free sanding - As the name suggests, dust-free sanding has multiple health, productivity and workplace benefits and has become increasingly popular amongst professionals in recent years - especially those regularly working on drywall. Look for dust-free sanders to improve your sanding experience.

• Soft start - Reduces kickback during sander start up, aids sanding precision.

• Sound - Look for sanders with 72dB or less if a quiet sanding experience is important to you or those around you.

• Vibration control - Vibration can affect your sanding experience and impact your overall finish. Look for models with vibration absorption for smoother sanding.

FAQs

Will a sander remove paint?
Sanders are capable of removing paint from flat surfaces. Ensure appropriate PPE (face mask, safety goggles) are used. Do not use electric sanders of any kind on lead paint.

What sander is best for walls?
Drywall sanders offer the best sanding performance on walls.

Which sander is best for decking?
Random orbital sanders are ideal when it comes to sanding or refinishing a deck.