So we set out to find the best among the benchtop group, testing 14 spindle sanders, including three machines that combine spindle- and belt-sanding functions into one unit. The good news: You can’t go wrong with any of the machines we tested, although some perform a little better than others. Five key aspects of a good spindle sander Power. The detail sander is designed to make short work of sanding corners, edges and other tight spaces. You wrap these bits with adhesive sandpaper to get into curved spaces or slots.
A product of a new company, T and T Design, formed by two Australians named Terry, the Spider Sander takes its name from its eight slots for attaching abrasives.
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Once the abrasives – it uses standard-size sheets available at any woodworking supplier – are in place, the Spider Sander itself can be attached to a benchtop drill press or to a portable drill for a variety of uses. Depending on the abrasives you’ve put in, for example, it can be a paint remover or a fine sander. If it’s attached to a stationary or benchtop tool, you can hold the item you’re sanding by hand to achieve a finer level of sanding – including on curved surfaces.
It can be used for shaping, polishing, burnishing and, with the insertion of scouring pads instead of abrasives, for cleaning sheet metal and other applications.
Sanders Slaton
Sandra Lotstein
The Spider Sander comes with eight 120-grit abrasive sleeves, one sheet of 80-grit abrasive and eight scouring strips, and sells for $20 U.S. For more information, visit www.tandtdesign.com.au.