Disc sander safety tips | Top 10 reasons to use disc sander carefully (2018)

TOP 10 REASONS TO USE DISC SANDER CAREFULLY

According to Life Extension magazine, about 1.5 million people get electrocuted each year one way or the other. This alone should be a big reason to use any mechanical or electric device properly and carefully. But, when you are using a disc sander, you should be more careful as you will have several things to worry about. Your safety, the quality of work, and the results after sanding are just some of the crucial reasons. Today, I would like to guide you through those.

I started working with woods since the age of seventeen. My dad introduced me to this world, and I never looked back. One of the most relaxing parts of working with wood is the sanding part. You get to see the rough wood turning into a smooth surface in the matter of time. There is nothing more exciting than creating your wood for use which has flat, even and smooth surface. But, to achieve that, you must also know the proper usage.

So, here are the reasons why I want every one of you to be more careful next time you want to work on your sanding machine.

#01 TO ENSURE SELF SAFETY

Like I said earlier before, the prime reasons to use disc sander carefully is to ensure your safety. You do not end up in a hospital after being electrocuted, or by any other damages done by the sander. You need to understand that safety comes first and you should always be ready with proper preparation and assistance when it comes to that.

I had learned this the hard way three years ago when I was too confident with my sanding capability. I was trying to sand with a big belt sander using my one hand then suddenly things got out of control. Before I could take control of things, the wood flew in mid-air and hit me in the shoulder. So, you should avoid being unprepared and use a sander properly to ensure your safety.

#02 TO PREPARE THE WOOD PROPERLY

One of the main reasons to use disc sander is to get the wood smooth, clean and flat. What is the point of using it if you cannot ensure these three things? YES. That is right. You should be careful about your technique to make sure that you are working on the wood properly. You should first determine the shape, size and the smoothness that you want in your wood and start working accordingly.

Do not jump into the sanding job without determining the results that you want. I used to be like that, and I have damaged a lot of fine wood in this process. But I have slowly learned that your main concern should be preparing the wood to perfection, and you should not rush things when it comes to good bits of sanding.

#03 TO MASTER THE ART OF SANDING

You should 100% concentrate on the little things if you want to become a master level wood carver. Anyone can sand with the modern sanders because of their easy use functionalities. But, you would need more than that if you want to master the technique. You need to know the use of different sandpapers, the quality of wood, how each different kinds of wood react to different sanders and how to use different strokes.

Sanding is a lot about intuition than vision. You can never tell if the surface of the wood is sanded properly just by seeing. You need to realize this from within. Otherwise, you have to keep stopping and rechecking. So, to master this intuition, you need to start using the sander properly.

#04 TO USE THE MACHINE TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL

Every sanding machine is different from each other. The belt sander gives you more power with faster results while the disc sanders allow you to have more precision. You need to know the use of each different kinds to use them to their full potential. You might not be able to master this if you are not very careful about the usage of the sander.

Some sanders offer you superior power, and you need to use these while working on a rough piece of wood. You simply cannot use them on the edges; it will not be as effective. I remember wasting hours after hours with a random orbital sander because I did not know that it comes with higher speed range. I could have completed my task way earlier if I simply knew there are different power options.

#05 TO AVOID DAMAGING THE MACHINE

These reasons to use disc sander carefully should also contain some love for the machine, shouldn’t they? So, here it is. You should be careful with using the machine to ensure the durability of the machine. If you do not use it with care, then it will not last very long, and you would have to buy another within a short period.

So, you should always follow the manual to assemble, use and store the machine. If you simply follow the manuals and be a bit careful while using it, then you will be able to ensure the longevity of the machine.

#06 TO REDUCE POLLUTION

A disc sander can easily cause pollution if you are not conscious of the use. Firstly, it will create a lot of noise if you do not use any noise reducing accessories with the machine. This will hamper your work and as well as disturb the people around you.

Secondly, there is a lot of dust created while using the disc sander. You need to be careful about the pressure you put on the machine because it determines the amount of dust that it is going to exhale. Be sure to use a vacuum to keep your workstation clean and pollution free.

#07 TO AVOID DAMAGING THE WORKING OBJECT

I have damaged so many working objects on my way to becoming a professional woodworker. Those could have easily been avoided if I were a little more careful. SO, I do not want you to go through the same thing and want you to be extra careful when you are using the disc sander.

This will help you to avoid damaging the object and ensure a good sanding. If you end up damaging the product then not only do you have to buy it again but also you have to start working on it from the beginning. This can be very frustrating as a beginner and destroy your will to work. So, keep these reasons to use disc sander in mind to avoid damaging the object.

#08 TO SAVE POWER

Your sander will end up consuming a lot more power than it needs to if you are not able to use it accurately. I used to keep the power on even when the sander was in the idle mode. This ended up consuming a lot of power and being a heartbreaking electric bill. So, you must know the proper usage to avoid power consumptions.

Switch off the sander to its root when it is not in use and use the right voltage of power source to minimize power consumptions. There are also some power saving disc sanders in the market which you can try in order save energy.

#09 TO ENSURE THE RIGHT USE OF ACCESSORIES

Disc sanders come with a lot of accessories. These make your work a whole lot easier and faster. So, you need to know the use of every one of them to make the best use of your disc sander. I use to avoid using accessories as I thought they are an added burden but I later regretted my decision.

You will be surprised to see how a little change in the sandpaper can change the smoothness of the wood in a matter of seconds. So, be very knowledgeable about the disc sander to make the best use of the associated accessories.

#10 TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF TIME

Finally, one of the most vital reasons to use disc sander properly is to save time. You do not have an abundance of time in your hand, so you have to make the most of what you have. To do so, you need to learn how to use your disc sander properly. It will save you time without compromising with the quality.

There used to be a time when it took hours and hours for me even to complete sanding a small piece of wood. But, now it only takes me about 30 minutes to do the same. It is all because the change of ways in my sanding and I want you to enjoy the same feat as well.

Sanding can be a lot of fun if you get your ways with it. The first few times can be a bit tricky, but once you get the hang of it, you will know what a wonderful feeling it is to make a rough piece of wood shine like a diamond. You have to make the right use of the disc sander, and you will be on your way. So, hopefully, I have shown you enough reasons to use disc sander properly, and now you will be more careful about your techniques. Until next time, have a good day.