How to sand?

[Don Ashley]

Hi all, first post here.  I am making kitchen cabinets and am to the point that I need to start some finishing and sanding.  I have built most of the boxes and drawers prefinished maple ply and baltic birch drawers) and now am starting on some side panels that are cherry ply.  I have a rotex 150 and ETS 125. I have never really used random orbital sanders much and am looking for a good sanding tutorial.  For instance, with the ETS if I use gentle pressure the sander spins clockwise, with more firm pressure it spins the other way. Which is correct?  I also see lots of differing opinions on how quickly to move the sander. One video says 1inch per second.  Others go more quickly.  Are there any supplemental sander manuals?  The stock ones and not very helpful.  How do you find the sweetspot with speed and suction (I have the festool dust extractor)?  I didn't think this part would be so complicated? 

Thanks,
Heather in Alaska.

 

[Alan m]

welcome heather
vac speed should be about half  so as not to such the sander down to the material(makes it unstable) but still get the dust.
as for the sanding speed . i find i go slower on the lower grits and faster on the higher. i supose that is because there is less removal on the higher grits

 

[Scott B.]

Hi Heather

Sounds like an exciting time for you, and it is a bit intimidating to master the tools. I would absolutely recommend starting out with the ets as it is one of the true sweethearts of the sanders.

Here is a tutorial I put together recently which addresses exactly some of what you are going through, and it is very typical of the initial finish sand learning curve, which is why I put it out. Its not comprehensive of the entire art, but covers basics.

It is important to note that sanding really isnt measured in inches per second. It is a sensory experience. You go by feel, what you see, even how the sander sounds in action. This comes with experience. But here are some tips to get you started. Please feel free to ask questions. There are many experienced finishers in this room.

Tips for Finish Sanding with Festool

 

[davee]

In addition to the above input, my recommendation would be not to over analyze and not to oversand - especially with plywood.  You want a very light pressure and not too much sanding. 

 

[Oldwood]

Hi,

I would not use the Ro 150 in rotary mode on plywood. Depending on how smooth the ply is & weather or not you are going to stain it you may want to stick with the ETS. Some finish manufactures suggest 150 as the finest grit before finishing because anything finer will not give good adhesion of the finish. Ask your finish supplier what final grit they want for their finish. Do a sample piece & finish before you do the whole project.

Gerry

 

[mouppe]

Hi

Welcome to the FOG.

It is important to know what finish you are planning to use as it will determine how smooth you need to sand the cabinets. Paint, oil, shellac, poly, lacquer etc.

Generally, if you are using a veneered plywood, I would not pull out a rotex but go straight to random orbit mode. Be careful not to sand through the veneer. Start at maybe 120 or 150 with Rubin paper and go to 180 and then finish with Brilliant or Granat 220.

Wipe off any residual dust when changing to a higher grit paper.

Sanding the wood is really just preparation for applying a finish. You also need to sand the finish if that makes sense.

You've come to the right place to get your questions answered. Good luck!

 

[Don Ashley]

Thanks all, I laughed and don't over analyze.  I think that is my middle name!  I have finishing books and videos from Jewitt, Flexner and Dresdner that I have read through so I know theory but not much practice.  I have the insides of the cabinet (tall pantry) to practice on and one side will be against the wall. 

Thanks for the welcome. I have gotten this far with alot of help from this site. 

Thanks,
Heather

 

[sancho57]

Only thing I can add is to remember to let the sander do the work. Its a machine/ tool. Let it do what its made to do be patient .