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less likely to get the circular scratches you can get with an orbital.
Random orbit sanders are designed to minimise the "pigtail" scratches that occur when sanders are used. If you are getting them when using a random orbit it would imply that either:
- You are pressing too hard and the pad cannot spin (downward pressure should be little more than the actual weight of the unit).
- You are using a cheap sander or an old knackered sander that is not up to the job.
Sheet sanders are good but will give you more pronounced pigtail scratches than a random orbit and will not follow the grain as the pad moves in a circular movement. The only sanding machine that will move the paper in a linear fashion is a belt sander and they are super aggressive.
- You are pressing too hard and the pad cannot spin (downward pressure should be little more than the actual weight of the unit).
Bobbo-
The only sanding machine that will move the paper in a linear fashion is a belt sander and they are super aggressive.
Festool make a linear sander - ie a pad sander that moves back and forth, rather than in little circles. Fairly specialist, and priced accordingly.
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Thanks for that.
I haven't had those scratches with the orbital, but I have bad memories of getting them with the edging sander and assumed that the random orbital might be similar on long boards.
If not I'll stick with it - it's only an Erbauer one but it's been great so far.
Nef
tbc
I've got a random orbital sander and it's done well on the stairs but I thought a sheet sander would be better for slightly big areas of floorboards so you can go with the grain and you're less likely to get the circular scratches you can get with an orbital.