What To Look For When Purchasing New Orbital Sanders

When working with a fresh piece of wood you will want to avoid gouging any part the wood. If you are an experienced wood craftsman, than you are aware of how gouging the piece of wood you are working on will damage your project. For those inexperienced wood craftsman’s who are starting to work on a new project, they will want to look into investing in an orbital sander. The technological advancements made to orbital sanders over the last few years make this tool, an essential item, to have in your toolbox. These sanders will help you avoid making any project ending mistakes.

What makes orbital sanders unique is the random orbit. Random orbit is the ability to sand in a quite random orbit. The orbit will spin at speeds up to 25,000 RPM. A key feature of the random movement is that it creates a smooth finish, unlike the finishes that most palm or belt sanders leave behind. Most orbital sanders use sanding disks. The disks are usually round and typically around 5 inch diameter, which are normally attached to a foam-rubber pad. The sanding disk comes in several different number grits from as high as 220 (for exceptionally fine results) to as low as 60 (for an extremely coarse look). Although not specifically designed for this, you can also use the sander to sand you floor or even drywall.

When purchasing a sander there are so many different brands to choose from. There are brands like Dewalt, Bosch, Clarke, Ryobi, Husky, Porter Cable and Makita available. Each brand has its pros and cons. The main differences between the different brands are their features. However, there are three main features any orbital sander you purchase must have.

• Dust collection – this is a must. Your unit must have a dust collection bag or filter connected. Your sander should also be able to connect to a dust collection or portable vacuum unit.
• Sealed switch – your unit will also need to have a sealed switch. You want to protect your unit from getting dust into the switch, which would damage your unit.
• Balanced – all orbital sanders need to be well balanced. They need to feel comfortable in your hands, not shaking and feel like you are going to drop it any minute. All sanders will vibrate, but excessive vibrations could make for a long day. If you have small hands, make sure the sander is not too large.

Top rated orbital sanders are constructed out of heavy duty plastic with a metal body and rubber or gel pads. These features will improve your grip. This is especially helpful as you work with a sander with greater speed. You should be able to find plenty of reviews online to help you make the best choice.

Go To The Next Level With Good Woodworking Tools

With the oversaturation with technology that seems to go hand in hand with modern living, it’s no surprise that handmade hobbies are making a huge comeback. Woodworking has always been a popular choice, but more and more people are beginning to take up this ancient craft. Creating original art and furniture is fulfilling. Having the right tools makes the hobby even better. Before you start to stock your woodshop, you will want to have a good overview of exactly what tools you will need to finish projects effortlessly.

Most hobbyist woodworkers build their tool collection a little bit at a time. The most common basic tools for beginner to purchase are a band saw, router and detail sander. You can choose between orbital sanders and drum sanders, depending on what your anticipated projects are. Once you have a way to cut, shape and sand, more complex and specialized tools can be added to your collection. This can include things like wood lathes, a thickness planer and a biscuit joiner. A dovetail jig is also a common addition to the modern woodshop.

After you have the basics down, you will have a chance to play with your tools for awhile and get a better idea what your favorite projects are. You will also become aware of the limitations that you face in the woodshop. Of course, for every problem, there is certainly a way to fix it. For example, after choking on sawdust for awhile, you will have a better idea what you want in a dust collection system. This will keep the air clean for breathing while you work. In addition, you should become aware of the various features that you use the most and decide which tools may be good candidates for an upgrade.

Working with wood becomes much more than a hobby. If you have a true love for the craft, you may even decide to turn it into a business and do it on a full time basis. You also may be really ambitious and take on an extremely large and complicated project, such as building your own home. Having a tool such as a portable sawmill can accommodate that goal quite nicely. Wherever your hobby takes you, know that you have the right tools can really help you go to the next level.

Pros and Cons of Wall Mounted Bathroom Heater

If you have suffered this season with a colder than desired bathroom you may have started investigating some bathroom heater wall mounted design options. There are wall mounted, baseboard, ceiling mounted, portable, and bulb-style heaters.

So you may have narrowed down your option and are now thinking, hmm… bathroom wall heater – Good Idea or Bad Idea?

After all you do like your walls and never originally had intention of cutting into the sheetrock to disturb anything. On the other hand,  recessed, flush, wall mounted bathroom heaters could be the answer you’ve been looking for. It’s a space saving, convenient and best of all, a WARM solution to your icy cold bathroom situation.

Things to Be Considered

Before we get into the pros and cons of a bathroom heater wall mounted design , let looks at some other options that you may have considered.

Baseboard heaters are an alternative choice but they are low to the ground and let’s face it, not everyone is super neat when it comes to not throwing clothes on the floor. So if the thought of clothes potentially coming in contact with a baseboard heater and potentially getting damaged, is not your thing, we may be able to rule this option out. Unless of course you can give your family a crash course in good housekeeping and convince them to tidy up.

Ceiling mounted heaters are just as space saving as wall mounted, but particular restrictions on recommended ceiling height. If you have very high ceilings or non-standard ceilings such as cathedral or other uniquely shaped ceiling, the heater may be too high to be helpful.

Most ceiling mounted units are meant for ceilings of standard 8 foot height. Since heat rises, a ceiling mounted until 14 feet up in the air may result in no heat getting down to floor level where you are shivering cold waiting for heat relief from your new heater.

Now let’s evaluate your first choice and ponder your original question, which is – bathroom heater, wall mounted – Good Idea or Bad Idea?

Pros

• Neat, compact design
• Does not detract from available floor space in your bathroom
• Fits flush with your wall with an attractive cover.
• Heat is discharged from the wall mounted unit at a level that allows the heat to reach you quickly, and rapidly heats up your bathroom.
• Bathroom Heater Wall Mounted designs may be installed away from sinks and shower so no worry of water infiltrating the unit.
• Built in thermostat and timer makes these unit energy efficient since you can decide when and how long to turn them on.

Cons

• Professional installation is required to wire the electrical hook up. (although honestly, this would be needed with other units as well such as ceiling or baseboard units)
• You will need to cut a hole into your sheet-rock or plaster wall to flush mount the unit.
• If the unit fails to operate over time, you will need to replace the unit with a similarly sized unit to fit the hole in the wall.
• Bathroom Heater Wall Mounted Design Seems Like A Very Viable Choice

Clearly it seems the Pros outweigh the Cons unless the thought of cutting your sheetrock is a deal breaker. Remember why you are doing this – your bathroom is freezing cold and you want heat and want it fast before you get out of the shower. Sheetrock can also be repaired if needed. So you now have an answer to your good question “bathroom heater, wall mounted – good idea? or bad idea?” A wall mounted bathroom heater is a great space saving, economical solution that gives you heat when you want it, where you want it. So go for it and achieve the warmth you crave.