Sheet Sander
What:
A sheet sander is a hand-held power tool used to sand wood, metal or other materials. It is also referred to as a palm sander, sheet palm sander, or pad sander. This tool uses standard sheets of sandpaper, usually cut into quarters or halves and operates by vibrating a rectangular sanding pad in a back-and-forth circular motion at high speed. Sandpaper is attached to the sheet sander using spring-loaded clips located at the ends of the sanding pad.
Common features on a sheet sander include a dust collection port, electronic speed control, a flattened top designed to comfortably fit the palm of a hand
Why:
Sheet sanders are relatively inexpensive and use relatively inexpensive sandpaper that is available at any hardware or home improvement store. They are easy to use, much less labor-intensive than hand sanding, hold up well to the occasional fall onto the shop floor, and do a pretty darn good job of sanding. For these reasons, sheet sanders have become quite popular among carpenters and furniture makers.
A sheet sander is less aggressive than an orbital or belt sander making it well suited for sanding a surface in preparation for applying a finish. Note that as with many sanding tools, prolonged use of a sheet sander can result in hand numbness. As always, moderation is the key.
Notes:
To use a sheet sander, turn it on with it resting gently against the surface to be sanded, or held slightly above it, and begin sanding using long, graceful passes back and forth across the wood. This tool can leave swirl marks so try to follow the grain as much as possible and keep the motion flowing. Start sanding using a relatively coarse grit (say 100) and use progressively finer grits, with each pass removing the swirl marks from the previous pass. For the final pass 200-240 grit paper will generally suffice for most wood surfaces.