Sanding is a very important part of furniture making. You want your projects to come out very smooth and pleasing to the eye. For you to achieve that, you need sanders, which comes in different types. If you need to sand flat surfaces, and you want to do it very quickly, you need a random orbital sander. It’s by far the best sander for the job. On the other hand, if you want to sand curved or cylindrical surfaces, then you need another type of sander, the oscillating spindle sander.
An oscillating spindle sander comes in the form of a benchtop table with a cylindrical drum protruding out of a hole in the top of the table. An abrasive material or sandpaper covers the drum which rotates and at the same type oscillates up and down the hole. This oscillating action ensures a large surface area of the sanding drum is used while sanding a material with the oscillating spindle sander. It also ensures that the surface of the abrasive material does not get uneven from sanding with only one part of it, thus increasing the lifespan of the abrasive material as the wear is spread across the surface.
Should you get an oscillating spindle sander?
If you’re just a weekend warrior who makes just a few few DIY crafts at home or carry out very few projects throughout the year, then having an oscillating spindle sander is not really a necessity. But they usually come in different sizes, and considering how cheap the smaller ones can be, anyone even a weekend warrior that doesn’t need many tools can afford to get one. So as a weekend warrior, if you carry out a few projects that require curved surfaces to be sanded, then you can get a small oscillating spindle sander for your own personal use.
On the other hand, if you’re a professional carpenter or cabinet maker, you definitely need a good oscillating spindle sander preferably a benchtop or even a floor model, because every now and then you’re going to be working on curve pieces that needs sanding. And unless you want to waste time and energy rubbing away on that curved piece with a worn out sandpaper, you need an oscillating spindle sander to get the job done quickly.
Types of oscillating spindle sander
Once you finally decide that you need a spindle sander, the next step is to choose the type, size or model you need. Spindle sanders comes in different sizes and models. There are floor models which are large and stand alone on the floor, there are benchtop models which needs to be placed on a table when working with them while there are also portable handheld versions. The floor models are large, takes up more shop space, obviously more expensive than their benchtop and handheld counterparts. They’re best for commercial projects. On the other hand, the benchtop models are smaller and you can work with them placing them on your shop table. The handheld models are even smaller and are best for small do-it-yourself projects at home. You can get a handheld oscillating spindle sander for as low as $60 or less.
