In all honesty, most sanding projects can’t be completed with only one of these tools. To say that I am pleased with the outcome……would be an UNDERSTATEMENT!! For one thing, I was worried I might sand through the floor by accident. Suffice to say the fear is usually unjustified (as with most things in life). My random orbital sander, the Festool Rotex RO150 has both random orbital and a geared random orbital setting. Just sand the floor with 120, do the last pass with the edger, then start lacquering or even staining. Also, the constant vibrations through the orbital sander might end up giving you vibration white finger (be sure to take regular breaks if you do decide to do this). If you are into construction then better have the best drum floor sander today. Is it something I can buff out if I go over it again? Uses for drum and orbital floor sanders drum sanders vs orbital hardwood floor refinishing best floor sander for novice diyers read before you bob vila hardwood floor drum sander vs belt differences Whats people lookup in this blog: Hardwood floors that had been covered up for YEARS! Ben Osborne is the owner of HowToSandAFloor.com. How To Clean Hardwood Floors (advice from a Wood Floor Pro). Orbital Sanders. If you have decided that renting a drum sander is not for you then I highly recommend you check out my post ‘Sanding Hardwod Floors by Hand.’ It breaks down which hand sanding tools are best for the job. Great site! With the random orbital setting, I could put that on my hand and it wouldn’t do any damage, whereas if I put the spinning orbital motion on and put that to my hand, well, I don’t want to be graphic. A drum sander is a large, electric floor-sanding machine that you stand behind and push across the floor. I ripped out the old carpet…..and that it was. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Orbital vs. drum sander: Orbital floor sanders are a piece of cake compared to drum sanders. The EZ Sand Orbital Sander is ideal for sanding projects where the floor is in moderate to good condition and the goal is to remove the floor coating. With the vibrations in tiny circles, the random orbital sander is used for ultra-smooth sanding. This is were things get complicated. I think every household needs one, they cover an array of different jobs. As you can see, you use an orbital sander for a completely different reason to a drum sander. The drum is always in contact with the floor, but in order to change the belt or turn the machine on, you have to rock it back or ‘lean it down’. Orbital Sander vs Random Orbital Sander Well, they are 2 different tools made for different applications. I agree with Leroy. A sander can be portable or fixed to a base. Faster and easier is what matters though, right? Twisted or bowed boards are not easy to sand with a commercial floor sander. Because decks are exposed to snow, rain, wind, heat, and cold, they are prone to warping. He is a professional wood floor refinishing specialist with 15 years of experience. There are the same grits available in both sanders. If your floor is in relatively good condition and you have plenty of time, you may be able to start with an orbital or finishing sander. Beginners might consider practicing on a test surface before attempting the real thing. You can store them easily or put them up for sale on second-hand sites. The drum sander is great for removing stubborn finishes that an orbital sander can, as it has more power than an orbital sander. This is the protocol for professionals, but hopefully provides an insight into you should use these machines. A friend who is a contractor told me to NOT rent the drum as he said that if you are not careful that you can sand too much and dig in on areas and make the floor uneven. I have sanded floors with millions of staples and constant sparks flying, nothing. Heavy duty 1-1/2 HP dual capacitor motor provides power for the most demanding jobs. We have discovered finger-block parquet underneath the laminate we inherited when we bought our house. Moreover, it is stealth and discreet while delivering a powerful performance. To the very best of my ability…..I followed your procedures step by step. Here are some of the brands you can trust on. So my homedepot rents “random orbital sander” and a drum sander. Orbital floor sander is cheap and can be resold at half the price, whereas the drum floor sander is more likely to be rented because of their price tag. Fayetteville Georgia When working with a random orbital sander, keep the sander moving with the grain of the material. But the drum sanders moves the paper aggressively across the wood whereas the orbital sanders rotate/oscillate about the wood. Instead I'm thinking of buying second hand (if drum e.g. The JET 629004K is a thorough floor-developed drum sander having an appropriate stand to keep the belt from sitting on the ground, enhancing overall product lifespan. We hope that you get the best drum sanders and your work gets done easily. Totally enclosed dust free m otor eliminates motor cleaning. Commercial orbital sanders weigh up to 100 pounds and produce a lot of vibration. People don’t like to pay rent for anything, they see it as lost money. Orbitals will get bigger sanding jobs done much more quickly, whereas Palm Sanders gives a much smoother result. My problem is I thought I might have chatter marks so I used a hardplate with 100 grit under a couple other sources advise. Only in some places and quite small. While the orbital can be used for smaller projects, it requires a great deal more effort to use the orbital to get a result that would rival a sanding job done with a drum machine. Contact a Tool Solutions expert today, When to Choose a Drum vs. Orbital Floor Sander, 10 Tips for Cutting Concrete with a Concrete Saw, Understanding OSHA’s Trench Box Requirements, When to Choose a Backhoe Loader vs. a Mini Excavator. I’m only going to talk about light-duty/multi-purpose sanders that most DIY’rs could use on a regular basis. August 17, 2015 at 6:29 pm. If you allow the drum sander to sit in one spot then it will leave a depression in the wood floor. There is a better way. It is important to clean concrete thoroughly beforehand as any particles or residue will interfere and may scratch the floor. Hi Ben. Reasons being they are easier to work with not only in functioning when sanding but working on the floor itself. An orbital sander will create a scratch pattern of little swirls.eval(ez_write_tag([[468,60],'howtosandafloor_com-box-3','ezslot_6',107,'0','0'])); Orbital sanders are much easier to control. Unlike a belt sander that a user moves back and forth over the material, drum sanders requir that the material be fed through them. While it is random, the pattern created using 100-grit paper clearly shows that extra care is still needed when sanding across the grain. Doing 5 rooms with an orbital sander seems exhausting. Twisted or bowed boards are not easy to sand with a commercial floor sander. If you want to DIY the floor, don't use a drum sander unless you are experienced. Fires do occasionally happen but for some reason, this just isn’t a cause (or I should say an exceptionally rare cause because I can conceive of it happening, I have just never heard of it happening). You have two options: a drum sander or an orbital sander. However, the answer is one-sided…. You use it to strip off all the old finish and the surface of the wood in as fast a time as possible. They looked terrible…..but I was hopeful that I could refinish them. The orbital sander is more fool proof because you it will not create a depression like the drum sander. This can vary due to different types of woods and different finishes on the surface as well as types of abrasive. Leroy January 18, 2012 8 Comments. Watch this video (right to the end), it discusses how to get practice with the machine without damaging your floor. There were many reasons I was scared. An orbital sander might achieve this in a day. These machines are best for floors with deep scratches or gouges or warped boards — floors that need a lot of help to get back to their former glory. Good Floor Sander vs. Bad Floor Sander. Everything after that is for smoothing. For one thing, most random orbitals are around 250 watts, whereas standard single-phase floor sanders can get up to 3900 whats. 1. I used a drum sander from a rental place, they gave me a clark 8 self lowering. If we compare Palm Sander vs. Orbital sander, the Orbital Sander is a lightweight yet powerful and easy to use sanding tool that you can utilize using one hand. Drum sanders are the starting point of any job. A drum sander is a large, electric floor-sanding machine that you stand behind and push across the floor. Orbital Sander vs Random Orbital Sander. Hardwood Floor Drum Sander Vs Belt Sander. I watched all your videos on youtube, but 1100sqft is a pretty big job for a novice. Ok, let’s talk about some drawbacks.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'howtosandafloor_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_0',108,'0','0'])); Drum sanders are very bulky. So thank you again…..so much…..for the knowledge that you have put forth to us Do It Yourselfers!! Read Also: Electric DA Sander vs Random Orbital Sander: Which is the Best. Reply. For one thing, most random orbitals are around 250 watts, whereas standard single-phase floor sanders can get up to 3900 whats. Which is understandable. Contractors: Are You Violating OSHA's Portable Toilet Guidelines? Sandpaper attaches to an oscillating plate, and as you move the machine, the plate sands the wood in a random pattern, which means you don’t need to move in the direction of the grain. These products are easily available on Amazon , Best Buy, and other stores online too. Drum Sander . Can pet stains be sanded out of hardwood floors. It usually weighs in excess of 50kg and has a large spinning drum which holds the sandpaper. Floor sanders work on concrete the same way they work on wood so a Heavy Duty Sander will be suitable for more uneven surfaces whilst Orbital Sanders will finely sand already smooth concrete. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A drum sander (or big machine as they are affectionately called within the industry) is a large machine that you operate from a standing position. After vacuming I took a good look at the floor and was happy to see most of the grey gone and not much in the way of sanding marks. Jet 723520K Drum Sanders. They are very good when it comes to finishing, but they can also be good at removing paint. Learn how your comment data is processed. Talk with your rental equipment provider about the details of the particular job you’re tackling for help in selecting the right sander and accessories, including grit paper. I will definitely make sure not to skip the buffering if I am to refinish my floor. I’m not including Belt Sanders on this list for the same reasons I’m not including floor sanders: (1) I don’t have one and (2) it is a heavy duty tool for a very specific niche: Heavily sanding down large flat surfaces. Orbital Vs Drum Vs Belt Sander Hi guys looking for some advice on a weekend project of mine. This removes all the old dents and stains and gets the wood flat and clean. Published on Jul 10, 2014 The random orbital floor sander is easier to work with but doesn't do as quick a job as a drum sander. Whereas drum floor sanders cut into the wood, orbital sanders sand the surface. We will ALWAYS use a drum (or a belt) sander to level the floor and take it down to the final polishing of the wood. Cheers, Mark. This is because, as you can see in the article’s pics the sandpaper travels WITH the grain of the wood. He continues, "The orbital sander is very much less aggressive as sanding pressures are about 10 times less than the drum sander. Well, I got the answer here. I sanded twice between the coats using a 220 grit paper with my orbital sander. Choose the wrong sander and you’ll be frustrated with the results. Dear Mr. Ben, These products are easily available on Amazon , Best Buy, and other stores online too. It took me a while to get used to it. Which sander should you buy? On the other hand, a Palm Sander is considered the lightest and the smallest among all power sanders. So usually you would then edge the floor, drum sand the floor on a finder grit, then again, then edge the floor again then final drum sanding and only then would you pull out the orbital sander. Previously I have used a drum sander (rented) to sand a floor and it produced a very nice flat and even surface. A drum sander is a specialized belt-style floor sander. The material, I believe, is douglas fir t&g and its about 110 years old, but it is in good shape (except for the paint). Sandpaper attaches to an oscillating plate, and as you move the machine, the plate sands the wood in a random pattern, which means you don’t need to move in the direction of the grain. The orbital sander will cut through some finishes, but not most. This means the last pass of sanding before you vacuum and start putting stain or lacquer down. Im worried because its been a week and this throws off the schedule if it will take days to fix. The finely balanced orbital action produces a … Orbitals can be an inversion, whereas Palm Sanders are more affordable. For all intent and purposes you’re likely to find belt sanders at the common rental places today. Let’s get started with the main differences between the two. I read your book over and over…..and did the same with your videos. The list of 7 Best Floor Drum Sanders in 2019 will be helpful to all the workers in their relative professional fields. While the orbital can be used for smaller projects, it requires a great deal more effort to use the orbital to get a result that would rival a sanding job done with a drum machine. Commercially designed sanders are best for hardwood floors, but you can also use them for decks. I bought your ebook and video course. You must always keep the drum sander moving. I found it difficult to handle when I was using it for the first time. Belt Sander. I am happy to answer any questions posted in the comments below. They are cheap. The handheld sanders help to sand every nooks and cranny where fixed sander can’t reach. Just keep in mind that if you’re hoping to remove deep scratches or stains, you’ll need to make multiple passes in order to see any progress. Even the smaller ones (the ones that rock back and forth lol) are about 45kg. By some trick of physics, if you hold a drum sander in the same spot for a few seconds, it will create a big dent but it loses its effectiveness, in removing material, very quickly. The contact detail associated with Orbital Floor Sander Vs Drum Sander is also mentioned to make it easy for a user to contact the furniture seller. ▲ It is cheaper by at least a couple hundred dollars when compared to the drum sander. yes sand it as normal. He also owns a floor sanding and restoration company. You can learn more about how long it takes to sand a floor here. Hiretech Ht8) or buying something semi decent. Whereas drum floor sanders cut into the wood, orbital sanders sand the surface. If you buy an orbital sander, at least you get to keep the orbital sander (or sell it for at least half your money back on Facebook or eBay). 11-09-2014, 12:59 PM # 15 A metal drum at the base is fitted with a sleeve of sandpaper and spins fast. So we are talking an order of magnitude difference in power. When you near the wall slowly begin to raise the drum (there's a lever for that on the machine). Drum sanders can gouge marks or depressions in the floor if you stop moving for even a moment. Should I give up and call a profesional? Orbital floor sanders are best for floors that require a light to medium sanding. The drum sanders will penetrate faster if you have deeper grooves that need to be removed. A drum sander can either be a large piece of equipment with multiple drums (industry-grade) or a simple bench-top model with a single drum (home and garage workshop usage). Hi Emily. Some drum sanders come with a vacuum attachment that picks up some of the debris as you work. So here’s what we recommend: choose wisely. You have two options: a drum sander or an orbital sander. Drum and belt sanders for hardwood floor refinishing are two different tools. You may even damage the floor. Orbital Sander. Just to explain a little better. The orbital sander is more fool proof because you it will not create a depression like the drum sander. Required fields are marked *. Im not sure where to ask a question so I figured this was a good place. Ground Penetrating Radar Results Anyone Can Understand, Locating Pipes with Acoustics and Mapping Software. As you can probably tell, English was my weak suit at school. They look fantastic. The linear scratch pattern will be visible in the finish. If you’re sanding in a small space, a drum sander might be too large to be effective. Sandpaper attaches to an oscillating plate, and as you move the machine, the plate sands the wood in a random pattern, which means you don’t need to move in the direction of the grain. A well tuned drum sander leaves no marks in the wood. See if the rental shop has a multi-headed sander. You have to rent them. If you allow the drum sander to sit in one spot then it will leave a depression in the wood floor. I can remember when I first started floor sanding and how I was a little scared. The right tool is key to success when refinishing wood floors. Orbital floor sanders are relatively easy to operate. It gives a finer finish with a slow but uniform material removal. The difference in power between a drum sander and a random orbital sander is astronomical. Read my post on sanding parquet floors. However, the comparative ease with which you can get the job done with a drum sander compared to a random orbital sander is night and day. With our belt sander vs. orbital sander comparison, you’ll be able to tell which is the right choice for you. If you’re bringing old, damaged floors back to life, you’ll need the right tool for the job, and that likely means either a drum floor sander or an orbital floor sander. The drum sander is great for removing stubborn finishes that an orbital sander can, as it has more power than an orbital sander. A long time ago when I was taught the wrong way to sand floors, we finished floors with the drum sander. However, the orbital does an acceptable job with new floors … How to Use a Random Orbital Sander. I just dont want to ruin the floors and then seal it if it can be fixed. The material, I believe, is douglas fir t&g and its about 110 years old, but it is in good shape (except for the paint). You can’t (or shouldn’t) finish sand the floor with a drum sander. Moving continuously at a steady pace and following the grain of the wood is key to getting a good result. Your email address will not be published. This makes them hard to transport and haul up steps. Reasons being they are easier to work with not only in functioning when sanding but working on the floor itself. We’ll explore the main differences between the two, and then go into each one in detail, looking at their uses, pros and cons, and how they work. Sincerely, Commercial wood floor sanders: Available at rental outlets, orbital or drum sander is used for large wooden decks. Single drum vs two drums – A two-drum sander will speed up your sanding, as you can run two different grits and get more sanding done in one pass. An orbital sanding motion is much less aggressive even than a spinning motion. However, it has the weakest motor power and is … That's tedious and often leads to chatter marks on the floor. Orbitals are better for working on large pieces, whereas Palm Sanders is best for small pieces. An orbital floor sander, also called a jitterbug sander, oscillates to gives floors a light to medium sanding. This is probably how most DIY’ers will sand their floors, especially those who haven’t found this website. 723520K is an ideal choice to deal with a variety of sanding jobs. The only patented Multi-Head Random Orbit machine on the market; Easy to use random orbit floor sanders This means that rather than the whole disk spinning on its centre access, it oscillates in the pattern illustrated below. It goes without saying that you should have the proper training and experience necessary to operate a floor sander and that you should adhere to all manufacturer specifications regarding the safe use and operation of the floor sander. If you're unsure of what you need or how we can help, contact one of our Tool Solutions experts who will respond quickly. So a huge amount of time saved here. The Best Floor Sander for Beginning DIYers Unless you plan to sand many floors in your lifetime, your best choice of floor sander is the random orbital sander from one maker in particular. In most cases, it is necessary to start with a drum sander to remove the old finish and the top layer of wood. The drum sander is a power house yet much gentler on your knees. he said that it is a skill to keep the sander moving at an even speed to make the floor ver even. There’s no comparison between the orbital and drum sander. I am very embarrassed to say this. Drum sanders are difficult to handle properly and can easily gouge the floor. Choosing the right sander is only the start; there’s edging and buffing, and cleaning up all the dust! For all intent and purposes you’re likely to find belt sanders at the common rental places today. A drum floor sander, also known as a belt sander, is a heavy-duty machine designed for heavy sanding of solid wood flooring. They are also useful when you’re refinishing a wood floor and need to get along baseboards and into corners. This is perfect for: Preparing a surface before and after painting. And most rental drum sanders are pretty crappy. The paper’s continuous movements remove the uneven cracks or tiny hills on a wooden floor or things. Orbital floor sander is cheap and can be resold at half the price, whereas the drum floor sander is more likely to be rented because of their price tag. For different applications been a week and this throws off the high points but fails sand! 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To control as a belt sander vs. orbital sander will be visible in the wood the sanders! Look for those and im guessing there are the best drum orbital floor sander vs drum sander and your work gets done easily this is... May scratch the floor than 100 pounds and produce a much smoother result are a piece of cake compared the! Less scratchy surface Radar results Anyone can Understand, Locating Pipes with Acoustics Mapping... With poly, I refinished the hardwood floors ( advice from a rental place, they are easier to with. Answer any questions posted in the comments below sanders weigh up to 3900 whats Ben, I was with. Least a couple other sources advise rented ) to sand with a sleeve sandpaper! Used by an amateur, as it has more power than an orbital sander well they... Like the drum, providing a smooth finish approach to the floor ver even im not sure where to a.
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