Tackle Sanding With Ease Using the Best Oscillating Sanders

Finding the right power sander is essential for your woodworking projects. Given the number of sanders available on the market, choosing the right one can be tricky. We’ve discussed everything you need to know before buying a high-quality oscillating sander in this guide.

What to Consider When Buying Oscillating Sanders

Motor power

Oscillating sanders are available in different motor powers. The motor power is mentioned in horsepower and determines the level of projects a sander can handle, from light-duty to heavy-duty.

You should keep your requirements in mind while choosing the motor power of a sander. For example, while a lower horsepower sander would suffice for occasional light tasks you may need a heavy-duty sander for sanding thick wood varieties. 

On some sanders, you may even find the motor power displayed in amperes. 

Speed

Proper operating speed is essential for a sander to complete a task quickly. Sanders are available at different rotation and oscillation speeds, and you can choose one according to your requirement. To prevent the risk of burn marks, we recommend getting one with adjustable speed options for better control. 

Dust handling

A product of wood sanding is sawdust, which can make your workspace messy. To avoid cleaning your workspace every time you sand a piece of wood, get an oscillating sander with dust extraction capabilities. You can find sanders with dust ports and easily attach dust collectors to prevent the sawdust from spreading. 

Types of Oscillating Sanders

Benchtop sanders

These sanders are designed for sitting on a tabletop or a workbench. Aside from their lightweight nature, their compact size and lightweight construction allows them to be set up on multiple flat surfaces. 

Floor sanders

These sanders usually have a base or legs to stand on the floor. They have a comfortable height to work efficiently, and as a minor downside, many floor sanders can weigh a few hundred pounds. 

Portable sanders

The handiest sanders are portable ones, and since they come in multiple horsepowers you can use them for sanding irregular curves in light or heavy-duty projects.

The Power Ratings of Oscillating Sanders

Light-duty

Oscillating sanders with a light-duty power rating usually come with a 1/3 horsepower motor. This horsepower is perfect for sanding light wood pieces, and you can use it for DIYs, craftwork, photo frames and other small projects.

Medium-duty

Medium-duty spindle sanders typically come with a motor power of 1/3 horsepower. These sanders can do medium-level sanding tasks, like sanding dense hardwoods or larger surfaces. 

Heavy-duty

A heavy-duty sander will come with motor power. With such a high motor power, you can efficiently perform larger projects, like sanding wood.

Oscillating vs. Regular Sanders: Know the Difference 

An oscillating sander differs from a regular sander in many ways, including but not limited to: 

Sanding sleeves

While a regular sander uses flat sandpaper for creating abrasions, an oscillating sander uses a cylindrical roll. The cylindrical sanding sleeves offer better sanding performance.

Sander movement

In a regular sander, the sandpaper moves in circular motions to produce abrasions. On the other hand, the sanding sleeve of an oscillating sander moves both circularly and vertically to create abrasions and remove scratch marks. 

Sander use

A regular sander is used for smoothing out the edges and surfaces of a wood piece, while an oscillating sander is only used on the edges. You can use it on surfaces, but it won’t deliver desired results.