Sanding is a very simple process which is done wrongly by many woodworkers and experts due to carelessness and not giving appropriate attention. Mostly woodworking professionals use inappropriate tools, apply wrong procedures, use wrong sandpaper and table top corners with over sanding is another big mistake. Let’s have a look at the casual mistakes made by the woodworkers and the ways to avoid them.
Bad selection of tools
- Different sanding tools have different features and qualities. A woodworker must be aware of the pros and cons of each tool before starting sanding process to get better results. For example, a belt-sander is commonly used to remove high spots caused due to the use of glue to join panels. However, it must not be used for final sanding process. Similarly, a palm sander can be the best choice for sanding all sides instead of using it in preliminary sanding. Random orbital sander can excellently work to remove the defects and other marks.
Sanding by using a face veneer
- When a woodworker levels the edging strips he unknowingly makes this mistake. If the edge strip is below the plywood coat over sanding occurs over the plywood. To apply edging in a better and precise manner it is necessary to stand closer to the edge and obviate swaying the sander.
Don’t stop moving
- To avoid building uneven surfaces keep moving during sanding; whether you are doing it by hand or using a machine. Uneven surfaces can be turned into the desired shape till the time you are applying the sand over them. Keep doing it in a cyclic way to get incredible results. A cryptic scratch or a dent can be smooth out by putting on some extra sanding over it.
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When it requires extra pressure
- It would not be a good technique to put extra pressure downwards over power sanders, as the tools used for sanding process are already too heavy. A coarse grit or replacement of sandpaper can be done instead of applying pressure if there is an urgent need of it to finish the work. Choosing and using the right grit is also another very important factor to be focused on during sanding. An extra fine grit can cause mill marks for which you must have to do sanding and a harsh grit can cause dents which will be polished off with excessive sanding.
Excessive use of sandpaper
- Most of the professional woodworkers don’t change sandpaper unless it jades due to their laziness or when they feel that sandpaper can be used for a long time. A wear out sandpaper is usually used to enhance the lifetime of the wood just like scraping is done to cover up the glue marks. You can use a simple trick to check if there is a need to use a new sandpaper or not by moving your finger over it. If you feel a clear difference between used and unused part go for a switch.
Selection of wrong direction for sanding
- Woodworkers must know different ways of sanding under specific circumstances like sanding against different textures. While sanding a board the woodworker must level up the edges and remove all the dents, scratches and mill marks from it. The stock is removed faster in a case of sanding against grain rather than sanding with grain. When the cleanup process is done the process must be reversed for once. Delicate grit sandpaper and a random orbital sander are used to join the two pieces at a right angle.
- All woodworkers make these sanding mistakes at times. They must learn from them and try to not repeat them in future. The aim of not repeating the mistakes will enhance the energy level of the woodworkers, save the money and will motivate the new woodworkers with high team spirit.