What Is A Random Orbital Sander – Overall Explanation 

When you decide to work on any wooden project, there is a probability that you’re looking for a suitable sander. There are lofty options of sanders that are available in the market, among them, using a random orbital sander is a wise decision. Because this is a sander which you can use for painting or refurbishing any kind of wooden project.

However, when you need a new tool, it is really time-consuming to find the one that fits your specific goal. Use our guidelines where we discussed what is a random orbital sander, its uses, pros, and cons, etc. So let us jump into the main context.

What is Random Orbital Sander?

What Is A Random Orbital Sanders

The random orbital sander is a typical handheld tool that only works by rotating itself orally to smoothen the surfaces. It is a useful tool to remove or cut off rust or paint. Whenever you ask someone what a random orbital sander is used for, the only thing they answer is maneuverability. Cabinetry requires making and involves more built-in and interlocking components. As well as, it is great for making a wood, plastic, or any type of metal toy.

Despite having good merit, there is a variation in their class. You may not use all types of an orbital sander to do all projects. Here are some types of an orbital sander. Click to know which random orbital sander UK is best for furniture refinishing and varnishing.

Types Of Random Orbital Sander

Random orbital sander usually comes in three types. They are palm sanders, right angle drive, and in-line drive sanders. Both of them are equally driven through electric and air power which makes them handy to carry. You can use them for doing any DIY home projects to heavy-duty projects. As they’re free from being overweight, most professional woodworkers like to welder them and carry them in several areas.

On the other hand, random orbital sanders owe their versatility to their unique motion. Mention not, very few sanders have such keen finishes. You will definitely notice while the sandpaper disc spins in a circular direction sharply. As long as the longer pad moves inside it in an oval loop in an equal portion. For this, a random orbital is able to cut off any type of edge very rapidly. This tool works more quickly except for making any shakiness, that’s why it can’t remove the wooden particles aggressively.

Click to know more about what is a random orbital sander best used for.

Uses Of Different Types of Orbital Sander

What Is A Random Orbital Sander

Here are the uses of different types of an orbital sander. Check out this in short.

Palm Sander

Among the three orbital sanders, each of them is used for single projects. For doing any small projects, those sanders are good. But you can’t beat any larger projects, unlike stripping any drywall patches. Yet they’re very wallet-friendly. Palm orbital sander is very compact, light-weight, and can orbit quickly around 10,000 times per minute. For example, you can check the Makita, Dewalt random orbital sander also.

Right Angle Drive Sander

This is another small random orbital sander, worthy to use for a houseful of mill-work; it has cordless rechargeable batteries. This is the key point of this sander, which makes it one of the best sanders for wood.

In-line Drive Sander

It’s a suitable sander for shorthand people for manufacturing with a fore and aft handle. Besides this, the in-line drive sander is a big right-angle machine that can sit above the pad. This type of sander is good to handle a lot of sanding at a time.

Detail Orbital Sander

Although detailed, the orbital sander is a masterpiece that comes with triangular pads. It is worth using where you need to orbit without rotating. Refinishing or rounding the edges of the furniture can be done easily by this tool. Detailed orbital is also useful for sanding intricate molding.

How To Choose A Random  Orbital Sander

To choose a random orbital sander, you need to be strategic. It doesn’t mean you have to examine each product on the market manually. You should take an idea about the best orbital sander that is currently ranked this year. And get complete buying hints about the sander. To lessen your struggle, take help from the following guidance that we included below.

Power Sources

Random orbital sander comes in three specific sanding electrical power sources. One is electric-powered, another is air-powered and the third is a cordless powered sander. However, among these three electric-powered sanders, air-powered is a random orbital sander better than others. In the meantime, it really depends on what you use a random orbital sander for. If you use them for home projects, try the corded electric sander. Whereas, cordless and air-powered are worth using for professional purposes. So check this also.

Orbit Speed

Another thing you should check out while choosing an orbital sander is control speed. Orbit speed will let you observe and count how many times the sanding disc rotates per minute. As well, it will provide information about how smooth performance you will get from the tool. You can check the Festool orbital sander in these affairs as it is ranked for good speed and control.

Meanwhile, we would like to inform you that belt sander is one of the vital competitors of orbital sander for this. But orbital is best in the battle of belt sander vs orbital sander. Because most of the random orbits will give you the highest range of speed including 10,000-12,000 OPM.

For more details, check out this also about what is a variable speed random orbital sander?

Variable Speed Knobs

The majority orbital sander comes with a solo or single speed and the minority have variable speed to alter the aggressiveness. This is really an amazing fact about this tool. Variable speed knobs will make a way for you to have good control over the speed. As a result, you will get a smooth finish with zero labor and trouble.

Sander Disc Size

Sander disc is an obligatory matter in the field of sanding. The place where you adjust the sandpaper with the sander is known as a baseplate. This plate must have to be 5″ in diameter, which is called after a standard size for any project. Thankfully, you will find the option of 4.5-5.00″ inches on any random orbital sander design.

In some cases, those bases are good to beat the finishing sander, which the professional woodworker likes to do. This is why while comparing the baseplate size between the finishing sander vs orbital sander. Random orbital has a larger baseplate to make the job more facile.

FAQ: What Is A Random Orbital Sander

What Does OPM Mean in Random Orbital Sander?

OPM is a crucial fact in the field of random orbital sander. It tells you about the number of times the sanding disc will spin per minute. Along with this, you will get informed about the sander performance outputs through the OPM. Sanding OPM also makes you reliable and trustworthy to use the machine without using them practically.

Can I Use A Random Orbital Sander for Auto Body Polishing?

You can use a random orbital sander for auto body polishing, as they’d have an elliptical blade at its mouth. This sander has good compatibility with auto body polishing. Actually, auto body polishing means to omit the old paints or color of any heavy-duty metals. It is basically suitable for cars or heavy-duty vehicles.

In that case, orbital sander will be worthy to use for their smooth driving compatibility. The good grip handle will let you hold the machine correctly and to the points. So you can run the tool over the metal evenly.

Are Random Orbital Sander Good for Hardwood Floors?

Random orbital sander has the fastest sanding pattern, which is absent in any of many circular saws. To use this tool over the hardwood floor, an operator didn’t need to follow the grain of the wood. For this reason, you will make fewer mistakes while driving the sander over the floor. Meanwhile, the hardwood floors are not damaged by this tool. In a word, any random orbital sander takes a longer period to remove old finishes compared to any drum sanders. So you can fundamentally use this tool over any kind of hardwood floor.

Can A Random Orbital Sander Be Used As a Polisher?

As a random orbital, sanders are likely to run over any surface very lightly. You can use them as a polisher before painting any heavy-duty equipment. Polishers usually required smoothening the surfaces so that they could be free from extreme wooden edges. Those edges may seem to be disgusting while covering the coatings of paint. The amount that a random orbital offer is suitable to be fitted to polishing any tools.

Will An Orbital Sander Leave Swirl Marks?

Be aware to use the sandpaper into the orbital sander. It may occur as a swirl mark over the surfaces of the poor-quality sandpaper. On the other hand, it may happen for improper techniques, or an inability to clean the dusty powder or debris from the surfaces.

Final Words

So, hope you got the answer about what is a random orbital. Basically, it is a high-powered and heavy dual compressing tool that works by using a circular sanding pad. It can sand wood, metal, drywall as well as other materials. On the other hand, it socks off the old vibrating sander while you have got to strip the pants off furniture. A random orbital is a necessary tool that cleans up between finish coats.

Furthermore, check the cord length, speed ratings, comfortable grips, and breathable cushion to drive it suitably. Put a comment on what purposes you’re using those sanding orbitals.

Leave a Comment