If you are planning to refinish your furniture or you want to remove paint, then one common task that you have to do is you have to sand the surface. And for that, you need a power sander.
Home users & Diy’ers want a sander that is cost-effective & gives a good performance. Luckily, a palm sander is there to help them with their work. This medium-powered sander is suitable for small to medium-duty sanding projects.
A DIY project can be great if it can be done on a limited budget. And what’s better than a palm sander to save some money on the sander. You can get a palm sander for a cost-effective price which can be a really great deal for you.
Even though power sanders don’t require manual movement, If you are using a palm sander, there’s some need for manual movement. You also have to change the sandpaper several times depending on the project.
In this article, You’ll get a detailed guide on how to use a palm sander. We will also explain how to remove paint using a palm sander.
Quick Overview
So, the process goes like this. First, pick suitable sandpaper. Give it the right shape & match it with the sander. Secure the sandpaper on the sander by clamping it. Start sanding. Keep sanding until the surface becomes smooth. Then finish it off.
How To Use A Palm Sander?
Operating a palm sander is not rocket science. If you are familiar with using an orbital sander, then using a palm sander is not a big task for you. A palm sander is the smaller version of an orbital sander. If you are a beginner, you need to follow a few easy steps & you will get full control over the sander.
1. Chose a sandpaper
That’s the basic rule of using any sander. You have to start the process by choosing the right sandpaper. Beginners may get confused in this step, as they don’t know which one is suitable for the job. As the surface may vary, there is not any fixed number of grit with which you can start.
For a rough surface, you can start with (40-60) coarse grit. Then move your way to the higher grits (80-100). Keep increasing the grits to (180-210) for better results.
If the surface you are going to sand already has a decent look, you can start with higher grit like 120-180. Then move to finer grits(250-280). Finish your job with super fine grits like (320-350).
2. Give it a Shape
As palm sander requires quarter sheet sandpaper, you have to cut the sheet sandpaper in the correct size. The sandpaper has to match the size of the sander. So, take measurements & cut the sandpaper properly.
3. Clamp the Sandpaper
Now it’s time to load the sandpaper & secure it so that it doesn’t come out while sanding. Place the sandpaper on the sander & secure it by using the clamp lock,. Tighten the clamp on both sides until it is fully secured.
4. Start the Sander
Turn on the sander’s switch. Let it get up to full speed. Don’t place the sander on the surface while turning it on. It may create gouge marks on the surface.
Before you start sanding, make sure you are well prepared & taking safety measurements. Dust mask, goggles earplugs are the basic items that you should be wearing to save yourself from any unwanted incidents.
Now slowly move the sander across the surface. You have to move the sander back & forth. The sander moves only in one direction, so you can’t randomly move the sander. Also, move the sander along the wood grain.
5. Finish it Off
Now it’s time to finish off the work you are doing. After making sure the surface is smooth enough, you should now turn off the sander. Give a close look at the project. If there are any marks left behind, sand them off manually by hand using sandpaper. Clean the dust from the surface & also from the sander.
How to Use a Palm Sander to Remove Paint
step 1: Discover the Base
Discovering the base means, removing the upper layer of paint from the surface. And for that, first, you have to clean the surface. Then use a sander to clean the layer. Many people make the mistake of using chemical paint removal which eventually harm the surface. You can also use an orbital sander to remove the layers.
step 2: Prepare the Surface
Clean the surface before you start sanding. Use a cloth or a mop for cleaning. Plan the things you are going to do. Arrange all the equipment. Basically, make sure you are well prepared to start the job.
You definitely don’t want to sand the edges with the sander. So you can cover them. You can use tape where you don’t want to sand. Sanding edges should be done manually by hand.
step 3: Prepare the Room
Cover everything in the room with a plastic cover. Remove furniture & electrical devices from the room. Also, remove what you think shouldn’t be in the room.
You can keep the window open so that the room doesn’t fill out with dust. But make sure you keep all the ventilation covered from the adjacent room. So when working on a room, the dust doesn’t spread inside the house.
step 4: Start Sanding
Now start sanding the place. Start from a coarse grit(40-60). Then move to the higher grits 80-100.
The final step makes the surface ready to be refinished. So you have to use a super fine grit in this step. finish it off with 220 grit sandpaper which will ultimately leave a smooth surface ready to be refinished.
step 5: Finishing Touch
Now give a close look at your finished work. Look if there’s any damage or any cracks in the surface. Or if there’s any place left to be sanded. Make sure the surface is fully prepared.