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Detail sanders have the power the transform–if you have any doubt, look no further than Tamara Day, a mother of four and now a star of the HGTV and DIY Network series, Bargain Mansions. What started as a creative vision and love for making things look as fresh as possible turned into an exciting career that includes not only renovation but a stunning transformation of everything from English Tudors from the 1920s to a pre-1900 Bungalow.
The day goes as far as restoring complete mansions–but it’s also important for her the retain the original style and vision. Updating full rooms can produce dazzling results.
And while none of these renovations could be accomplished without a visionary creative vision, it’s a simple tool that makes it possible and adds that extra polish: a detail sander.
Most of us aren’t looking to utterly transform a vintage mansion, but detail sanders are a must for a number of home improvement projects. This article will introduce you to detail sanders, tell you where to find them, and point you to the best detail sanders to buy for your next home improvement project.
Why is sanding in general so important?
Sanding is a critical step in many home projects, especially when painting or restoring the wood. Sanding must be done before a stain is applied and allows for even application but also overall durability and safety for that set of furniture to be used. The main reasons you need to sand anything in general include:
- Preparing for stain or paint
- Eliminating splinters
- Rounding edges
- Removing old finish
- Removing blade marks
What are some common sanding mistakes?
Sanding may seem simple, but especially with something as precise as detail sanding, there’s a lot of room for error. Many mistakes can easily be avoided and are made out of impatience, inexperience, or some of both.
Here are some mistakes to be wary of. They’re even more important to keep in mind with a detail sander since you’ll be working with smaller, finer, or more delicate areas that will be more difficult to correct:
- Sanding too quickly: About an inch per second is an ideal place for a power sander. Too quick will not only not get the job done but may risk ruining the finish.
- Pressing down too hard on wood can cause the wood to be damaged, or, in the case of a power detail sander, actually make the mower run more slowly.
- Titling the sender will result in burn marks, and can even be dangerous for you. In fact, that’s why it’s important to get the best detail sander–to make sure you have something that covers what you need to be sanded.
What is a detail sander?
Chances are, even if you haven’t taken on very many home improvement projects yourself, you’d at very least heard of detail sanders. Detail sanders are used for reaching small or hard to reach places.
Also known as thumb sanders, detail sanders are able to add a finish to jobs in tight spaces, in ways traditional sanders cannot. Because of their triangular shape, they also are often able to get into places at odd angles that would be difficult to accomplish with larger sanders. Relatively inexpensive, detail sanders are a must for a number of home improvement projects.
Put simply, detail sanders are smaller versions of traditional sanders, intended for more targeted use.
What projects are detail sanders most useful for?
Due to their size and shape, detail sanders, as we’ve mentioned, are a pragmatic tool in many cases, but they are most useful for situations such as:
- Finishing corners or edges
- For hard to reach sections or oddly shaped
- Delicate projects with a weak finish
- Small craftware
- Rungs of a chair
- The railing of a window
- Right angles and cylinders
- Small finishing touches where a larger sander would be excessive
Detail sanders are highly useful when it comes to corners and edges, which can easily be missed with other sanders.
Why can’t I just use other types of sanders for my projects? Are detail sanders really necessary?
Detail sanders are worth buying. If you use other sanders; or the wrong sanders, for that matter, for the wrong projects, you risk compromising the end result. By using larger sanders on corners or edges, you risk missing spots, wasting time, or even sanding unevenly. For anything that’s more delicate or with a finer finish, larger sanders can mar the finish or the overall product. Detail sanders add a gentler and more even touch.
At best, using the wrong sander can prove tedious and frustrating. Most sanders are not designed to work in nooks or crannies, and you’ll waste time and effort without the proper sender.
Are there different types of detail sanders?
There are a few different types of detail sanders, and depending on your project, one might be more beneficial over other options. Most sanders are now electrically operated, which ensures more efficient work with less hand grease on your end.
- Manual sanders usually are better for small projects and could be used for smoothing or for touch-ups on larger projects. With a manual sander, you’ll not only have trouble finding a smaller, detail sander but you’ll also have to consider the right position for your sandpaper and make sure you’re using the right sandpaper in the first place. Most importantly you need to make sure you’re applying even pressure.
- Power Sanders as the name implies includes electrically powered sanders are usually more favored for projects, even if it’s a detailed project. A good reason to replace a hand sander for a powerful one is that projects will not only get done more quickly but also with a finer touch. A power sander, especially for detail sanding, is more precise.
- Finger Sanders is a variation on detail sanders and is about the width of a finger, which allows you to cover odds spaces like deep-seated places or slots that are hard even for a detail sander.
Where can I find detail sanders?
You can find detail sanders either at a home improvement store or online through Amazon. Going to a home improvement store allows you, of course, to see the products in person and directly compare, while shopping online may allow you to score better deals.
Detail sanders are fairly common but less so than some other types of sanders. While online may offer more variety, many might prefer to find a detail sander in a local store. No matter where you purchase a detail sander, it’s important you have a set of criteria for your search so you end up with the best detail sander possible.
What should criteria should I look for to find the best detail sander possible?
The find the best detail sanders possible, you need to know what you’re looking for. We’re recommending first of all, a power sander over a hand one though you may also have a hand detail sander on hand for finishing touches or in case something should go wrong with a power sander. But power sanders require even more scrutiny.
Here are some things you need to keep in mind:
Corded vs Cordless
Among power detail sanders, you’ll likely have a choice between corded and cordless devices. If you think that cordless would be the obvious option, you might be wrong. In fact, there are pros and cons to both options.
While cordless offers convenience to use wherever you’d like and not be connected to a nearby outlet, a corded option actually tends to provide more power.
Still, cords can become damaged or tangled and may not be the most practical. In the case of detail sanders, though, the choice is a bit more clear: since detail sanding is finer, you don’t need as much power, so it may make sense to go cordless, just so you don’t have the fuss or risks associated with corded options.
Orbital vs Disk Sanders
For the best detail sander possible, you should favor an orbital sander over a disk one. Orbital sanders work by using a rounded, central pad which provides vibrating and spinning motion as it sands.
Orbital sanders can actually be used also for more intense work, but orbital sanders are the favored design for detail sanding. Random orbital, a variation of orbital sanders, tends to provide more aggressive motion.
As for disk sanders, they are very helpful if you have a surface you want to sand extensively and quickly, but are not as useful as fine detail sanding.
Vibration Control
The best detail sanders also have a vibration control feature, which not only keeps vibration under your own control but also prevents jumping and potentially messing up fine edges. Jumping can occur on almost any uneven surface.
Sealed Switch and Ball Bearings
Both sealed switches and ball bearings help prevent dust from collecting as you sand. Without sealed ball bearings and switches, dust can collect in the motor and eventually cause it to fail. Sealed switches and ball bearings are a must for a long life for your detail sanders.
Speed
Detail Sanders, and sanders in general, have their speed measured by rotations per minute. For detail sanding, faster is not always better. While higher speeds will ostensibly get the job done faster, too high of speeds, or the inability to slow it down may not be your best bet for detail sanding along fine edges. A moderate speed might be best.
Comfort Grips
Sanding, even detail sanding, can be hard work, and you want to make sure it’s as comfortable as possible. Comfort grips can ease the process and help protect against excess calluses and blisters.
Pad Braking Systems
Pad braking systems allow you to sand even difficult to reach areas without worry. One common problem with sanding is the swirls or uneven patterns it can leave behind; the goal of a pad braking systems is to help reduce or eliminate them, as well as help you retain control of the sanding itself.
Attached vacuum or dust canister
Dust is going to collect somewhere, so you need to make sure your detail sander will collect it safely and efficiently. Depending on your budget you should opt for either a detail sander with an attached suction system or a canister.
The canister needs to be easy to remove and clean and the suction system should be as well; a suction system also needs to have specs on power. In addition, look for microfiltration or other filtering systems.
Easy Use
Easy to use detail sanders are of course a priority for many but it can also be hard to tell just how easy something is to use. What you can tell us how easy it is to find sandpaper and sanding pads that fit it–is it an odd shape or size? How expensive are replacement pads?
Size
Size is isn’t a big deal breaker but of course you also want to consider both the size and weight of the detail sander. More compact and lightweight is normally a better way to go for detail sanders: it’s easier to store and less tiring to use.
That being said, just make sure you aren’t sacrificing too much power or quality. A two-pound detail sander is considered fairly lightweight.
Motor Power
Power for all sanders is measured in amps; one amp is considered a fairly respectable level of power. While your detail sander does not need to be quite as powerful as sanders used for more rough work, keep in mind if something is especially cheap it may be because it’s significantly lower in power.
Customer Ratings
This, of course, is a good rule of thumb for any product you buy, but unbiased customer ratings is another way to make sure you find the best detail sander possible. Before you purchase either online or at your local home improvement store, make sure it’s not just empty promises by seeing what customers had to say.
Besides the sander itself, is there anything else I need to keep in mind for the best detail sanding experience possible?
For optimal detail sanding, you need of course to pay attention to what type of sandpaper you purchase. In fact, the type of sandpaper is critical no matter what detail sander you purchase. When selecting sandpaper you need to keep two factors in mind: grit and type, as well as, of course, the proper size.
For detail sanding, opt for extra fine fine sandpaper. These sandpapers won’t risk taking the finish off and instead are used for polishing and finer edges. Extra fine sandpaper includes sandpaper with grits of 240, 320 or 400, while very fine polishing jobs should be executed with a superfine sheet with grits as high as 600. Using too coarse of sandpaper will not result in a great finished product; in fact, it can ruin it, even with the best detail sanders.
What are some of the best detail sanders I can buy online?
The best detail sanders may not have all of the features we mentioned above, but what they do have is a nice mix of them as well as high customer reviews to back them up. This list is by no means all inclusive, but these few detail sanders should get you started to find the best detail sander for your projects:
1. TOPVORK Detail Sander, 1.6A Sander with 10Pcs Sandpapers, 360° Rotating Sanding Pad:
TOPVORK offers a quality detail sander featuring a rotating sanding pad, dust container, and a powerful twelve thousand orbits per minute. The dust box is tightly sealed to prevent any problems, while use is made more comfortable with a lock switch, to complement a rubber grip.
Fewer vibrations and noise make detail editing easier and more comfortable. You’ll also get a two-year warranty and ten pieces of sandpaper with your order. At thirty dollars, it’s very affordable and comes highly rated with an average of four and a half stars out of more than one hundred customer reviews.
TOPVORK 1.6A mouse detail sander with 10pcs sandpapers, 360° Rotating Sanding Pad for sanding small corners, efficient dust collection system keep work area cleaner, Ideal for DIY and home decoration.
This is a corded option, which may be a downside for some. The cord is three meters long.
2. BLACK+DECKER BDEMS600 Mouse Detail Sander:
Black and Decker offer another great option with this detail sander, which has also been selected as an ‘Amazon Choice’. You can purchase the sander for a competitive thirty dollars, or a sander with assorted sandpaper for forty-two dollars.
This is actually a fairly versatile sander, with the option of a finger detail attachment and a three position grip both for control and ease of use. It has a powerful motor of a little over one amp and can fit both horizontally and vertically in tight spaces.
This Mouse Detail Sander features a 3-position grip for control and ease of use in multiple applications; the palm grip is ideal for sanding surfaces, the precision grip provides extreme maneuverability, and the handle grip allows you to get into ultra tight spaces.
3. TACKLIFE Detail Sander 1.60A, Advanced 360° Rotatable Sanding Pad, 12,000 OPM Mouse Detail Sander with Sturdy Dust Collection Container:
TACKLIFE offers yet another competitive detail sander with a rotating pad, powerful motor, and a dust collector. The dust collector actually has a sealed switch to keep debris away from the motor.
It’s a little heavier at just over three pounds but still light and compact enough for easy use and storage. While this was fewer customer reviews, it does come rated with four and a half out of five stars on average.
This 360° rotatable mouse detail sander is durable and can be applied to various sanding conditions; hook and loop sandpaper for more wide application. In general, you should turn on your sander and let it reach full speed before beginning work.
