Sanding

Edge and Profile

Edge sanders and profile sanders are specialized tools used in woodworking and other industries to smooth and shape the edges and profiles of different materials.

Edge sanders are used to sand the edges of flat or curved surfaces, and usually have a flat sanding belt that moves in a straight line across the surface being sanded. such as tabletops or cabinet doors. Often used in the production of tabletops or cabinet doors, edge sanders can be hand-held or stationary machines mounted to a workbench or other surface.

Profile sanders can create or replicate specific shapes on the surface edges of materials. These sanding machines typically have a rotating spindle or drum fitted with a sanding sleeve or other abrasive material. Profile sanders are often used to create decorative edges on furniture, or to replicate complex shapes on molding and trim.

Both edge sanders and profile sanders are typically used in conjunction with other sanding and shaping tools, such as hand sanders, planers, and routers, to achieve a smooth, finished surface.

Solid Wood

Solid wood stock removal is accomplished with longitudinal sanding. Unlike surface sanding machines, solid wood sanders incorporate brush rollers or air jets to remove debris. Some machines can sand both sides of a piece in one pass, reducing operator involvement and increasing the processing speed. In addition to flat surfaces, several machines can finish shaped panels and pieces with varying thicknesses and contours.

Lacquer Intermediate

Lacquer finishes require a specific surface for the best adhesion, which is why machines integrating both longitudinal and cross-sanding abrasive belts offer the best results. These machines must be equipped with a de-ionization and dust-cleaning device installed on the machine’s outfeed. Orbital sanders are often a preferred choice for lacquer finishes, as the orbiting motion helps to prevent the appearance of sanding marks.

Surface

Surface sanding is the most common form of stock removal, accomplished with abrasive belts or orbiting abrasive pads. Some of the key differences among sanding machines include the size and direction of the feed, the number of heads or rollers employed to rotate abrasive belts, and the way the belt or pad pressure is applied to the surface. Longitudinal sanding is typically used for surface sanding, but cross sanding is used when preparing a surface for a lacquer finish. Brush rollers may also be used to clean and smooth the surface before its final finishing.

Sanding Robot

Complex profiles, cutouts, contours, and three-dimensional components can be handled by programmable, high-precision robot sanders.

Veneer

Veneer sanding is used to clean up glue seams and remove slight surface imperfections that are sometimes encountered in the veneer splicing, jointing, and gluing process. Some machines used during the veneer sanding process combine longitudinal and cross-sanding features, as well as one-pass upper and lower longitudinal sanding. Brush rollers or air jets are used for cleaning the material.