Automotive Air Sanders
This is a tool that is used in smoothening the surface of a vehicle prior to painting it. They are used for an array of tasks, including polishing, buffing, varnish, and removing old paint. Some are specialized, while others can be used for an array of purposes.
What types of automotive air sanders are there?- Orbital sanders: These are powerful air sanders, ideal for light prep work. This includes sanding down old paint coats or smoothing edges. Their abrasive sanding pad rotates in an orbital motion, as their name suggests. There are four types:
- Random Orbit Sander:The random orbit sander has a circular sanding pad which delivers more power.
- Orbital Sander:The orbital sander has a square-shaped pad for getting into corners.
- Jitterbug Sander:There is also the jitterbug sander that vibrates a teardrop or a rectangular-shaped abrasive in a jitterbug-like pattern.
- Disc Sander:Disc sanders have a round disc which rotates orbitally.
- Straight line sander: This sander operates like a sanding board but has more power. It can scour a large area in a timely manner, making it an important tool when working on a major repair project. It is compatible with many materials, including steel, fiberglass, and sheet metal. They are particularly ideal for smoothing body filler and large, flat surfaces.
- Belt Sander: This one uses an abrasive for sanding surfaces. Due to their aggressiveness, they are suited to leveling rough areas and removing old finishes. They are great for polishing soft metals, grinding hard metals and removing spot welds.
- Mini or Detail Sander: This machine is designed to sand small, tight spaces. They feature a teardrop- or triangular-shaped pad for areas that are hard to reach. This also makes it good for sanding edges and corners.
- Size or orbits: These come in several sizes. The bigger the pad, the wider the orbit. Hence, you will be able to work in a larger area. You can usually find 3 and 6-inch sizes, but there are other pad options, including 5, 8, and 11 inches.
- Comfort: Weight is also something you ought to consider when you are trying to determine the tools comfort. Light tools allow for a longer period of use and less user fatigue than heavy ones.
- Abrasives: You need to select a machine that has the right grit size for whatever job you want to take. This is because the quality of the abrasive will have a direct effect on the general quality of the finish. A good abrasive means less labor and reduced rework.
- Maintenance: You should consider how easy or tough it is to maintain the tool. For example, in the case of pneumatic sanders, its upkeep is straightforward and requires putting a drop of oil inside the air intake. For electrical machines, they require little to no maintenance since many are sealed.