How to Use a Power Sander

While there are many types of sanders on the market, the belt sander is the best one to use if you only have the funds to purchase one. It can take most of the rough edges off any wood you are working in a short amount of time. It only takes minutes to learn how to use a power sander and it can save you hours of labor.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Power sander
• Dust bag
• Safety glasses
• Dust mask
• Power sander belt

1. Attach the dust bag attachment to the power sander if it has one. You are going to have a lot of dust no matter what, but a dust bag does catch some of it.

2. Put on your safety glasses. If you suffer from allergies, you may want to put on a dust mask. Do make sure you have plenty of fresh air available but no breeze.

3. Insert the roll of sandpaper into the belt sander. Depending on the type of sanding you are going to do, you may want to choose a medium grit sandpaper to start the job. You can finish with a finer grit paper. The higher the grit number is, the finer the sandpaper is.

4. Line up the sandpaper belt. Tighten it in place.

5. Turn the power sander on. Place it on the item you are sanding. Keep the power sander moving at all times with the grain of the wood. Also remember to keep the power sander level as you use it unless you want wavy spots to remove at a later time.

6. Keep a firm pressure on the power sander to evenly remove old varnish and to smooth the wood. Some power sanders have a continuous "On" button that you may wish to push if you are going to use the power sander for a long period of time.

7. Turn the power sander off. Run you fingers over the surface to check your work. Either continue sanding with the power sander. Or if it's a small spot, you may want to do some spot sanding by hand.

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