Wood Machine: Planers and Sanders

Planers and Sanders are used to prepare the surface of wood panels for projects. Planers prepare wood for building a project, a sander finishes the wood for the project. Proper use and maintenance of sander and planers will allow your piece to be finish as close as possible to your original design.

Sander and Planer

Introduction to the Planer A planer is a wood machine used turn raw lumber into panels that are of the same thickness throughout it's length, and flat on both sides.

Planer Tips

A Planer is a multipurpose machine designed to perform several functions, it is suitable for reducing the thickness of lumber to the size needed for an project, or to smooth a rough side of wood.

Using a Planer

There are a number of different types and styles of planers on the market. Learning to use one right will allow you to correct board thickness, so that all boards are sized to work with every other board in your project.

Random Orbit Sander

Random orbit sanders have been around since the 1940's in the automobile and other metal finishing industry as air driven models. It was only when they were converted to electrically run tools twenty years ago, that they gained dominance, as the finishing sander of choice with woodworkers.

Wood Machine: Guide to Sanders

There are many sanders to choose from, know exactly what you will be use one for, and what each can do, will tell you which if any you need to purchase.

Sanding Equipment

A sander can be a hand-held tool or a large machine that is used to smooth and form wood. Picking the sanding system that is best for you is based on the projects you plan on completing.

Using a Sander

A sander can be a very versatile tool for use with woodworking project and for many DIY projects.

Belt Sander

A belt sander is a wood machine used to finish wood by sanding. It consists of a motor that turns drums with a seamless sheet of sandpaper. Belt sanders can be either hand-held (the sander is moved over the material), or stationary, (the material is moved to the sanding belt).

How to Use a Belt Sander

A belt sander allows the operator to quickly sand the surface of a piece of wood with a minimum amount of physical effort. Because the belt sander is a power tool and the belt moves at such high speeds, it does not require as much pressure to strip off the top layer of the wood as it would if you were using a sheet of sandpaper. Belt sanders, like all power tools, are especially important for large home improvement projects, like building a deck or refinishing cabinets, because they can sand a lot of surface area very quickly.