Maybe I have too many sanders

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 19:00:00 +0200

The new sander arrived last week. I unpacked it and put it to good use immediately. Then I thought for a moment and counted. Six sanding tools.

I briefly considered whether I have a sander problem. I decided that I don’t - unless a problem described as “I need to do a lot of sanding” counts as one.

I’ve got three sanders and three multipurpose tools that can sand. They have different purposes, though there’s some overlap (which occasionally means I can swap tools to change grit). Here’s the case for each one, roughly in order from the roughest to the most precise.

Angle grinder

Angle grinders take different types of attachments, and some of them can do sanding, if you stretch the definition a bit.

Metal grinding disc is the bluntest instrument of all. Not being a welder or a body shop mechanic, I don’t have much need for removing a lot of metal. But it happens occasionally.

Wire brush technically isn’t a sanding tool. But it also can be used to remove paint and rust. Pros: it’s fast and if used on metal, it leaves the surface underneath the rust or paint almost intact. Cons: only works on metal, sends wire shrapnels flying all around.

Flap discs are a bit more civilised than grinding discs. Still aggressive though. Good for sharpening large tools (shovels, axes), removing rust, dealing with wood that’s been left outside and has something unpleasant growing on it.

I don’t use my angle grinder much, and when I do, it’s mostly for cutting metal. I reach for the flap disc maybe twice a year. I could live without it. Unlike the next tool.

Belt sander (Bosch PBS 75 AE)

Belt sanders never make it to “list of 10 most useful tools for beginners”. I must be an exception, because I use mine a lot. It’s great for removing paint, smoothing very rough wood, removing the last millimetre when you cut something too long. The large flat base is perfect when the goal is to make something flat.

They can also work as stationary sanders. Flip it upside down, clamp or bolt it to the workbench, and you’ve got a horizontal belt sander where you move the workpiece instead of the tool. Invaluable for shaping small parts or edges of boards. It seems dangerous, your hands are close to the exposed abrasive surface. But it’s not so bad: just keep focused and always feed the piece against the direction of the belt. Even if you accidentally touch it, it will push your finger away instead of dragging it.

The belt sander is quite rough, even with a fine-grit paper. Since the surface moves in one direction, it’s fast, but it leaves scratches. Which is why, unless you’re working with reclaimed wood or doing a large renovation, it’s not a default choice.

My first belt sander was a Parkside. I killed it - possibly by pressing too hard or using it for too long, I was inexperienced. The belt suddenly stopped, even though the motor was working. As it turned out, one bearing overheated which softened the plastic case, the whole mechanism moved and the drive belt became loose. The bearing was generic and could have been replaced, but the case was not available. Since I knew I used it a lot, I decided to get something better and found a good deal on a Bosch. Both this sander and the old Parkside worked very well: they never had problems with belt slipping or breaking, which is common with budget sanders. But the Bosch can work longer and is repairable.

Random orbital sander (Metabo SXE 3125)

If you own one sander, it’s probably this type, and for good reason. The round pad spins and orbits simultaneously, and because the two motions are out of sync, the abrasive never follows the same path twice, which means scratches are less visible. They’re also easy to control, there’s very little risk of digging too deep in one place.

It’s good for most things a sander can do:

smoothing rough wood
stripping paint
lightly sanding first coat of paint before the next coat

Not good for:

removing a lot of material
non-flat surfaces
places it can’t reach with its large base

Sanders come in different sizes, 125mm is the most popular, followed by larger 150mm. The former is good enough for home use, and the paper is easier to find.

I knew I would use it a lot, so I got a more reputable brand than usual. Unlike most Metabo tools, their sanders are quite affordable, and the build quality is noticeably better.

When you do get one, don’t forget to buy different grits of paper, from 40 to 240 or higher. Stay away from deals that offer hundreds of pieces for a suspiciously low price. Cheap sandpapers have a common problem: velcro wears out in mere seconds, from then on it’s only good for hand sanding. Quality papers are expensive, but will last much longer. If you do a lot of sanding, I highly recommend mesh-style paper (DeWalt Extreme Grid, Mirka Abranet and similar). It’s more durable and doesn’t clog.

Sanding roller (Bosch Texoro)

This is the new one. The sanding roller is a cylindrical drum covered in a sanding sleeve, or many round pieces of paper stuck together to form a cylinder.

Cylindrical is the key word. Most sanders have a flat contact surface. This makes them useless inside a curve or for irregularly shaped pieces. The sanding roller works great on those, and the only alternative is hand sanding - which works, but takes forever. It can be also used - carefully - on flat surfaces that are too small or awkwardly placed for other sanders.

Oscillating multitool with sanding pad (DeWalt DWE315)

The multitool is useful for small details, especially corners, where the round base of the random orbital sander can’t reach. Technically, you could use it to sand a large surface. But it would take ages, not much faster than hand sanding.

Of course, the multitool can do many other things. Not worth getting for the sanding function alone, but scraping and flush-cutting happens a lot during renovation.

Rotary tool with sanding attachment (Dremel)

Rotary tools take attachments that look similar to those of an angle grinder and Bosch Texoro: sandpaper drums, sanding discs, wire brushes. The difference is in scale. The surface area is small and the control is very precise, even better than with hand sanding. I use mine for places where no other tool can reach. Or for sharpening knives and small tools, where precision matters more than speed.

So: too many?

Six tools. They remove material fast or leave a fine surface; they work on flat or curved objects; they work on large surfaces or can reach a tight spot. Not much overlap.

Woodworking on Easy-DYI