Safety Rules
Don't wear loose clothing or gloves, keep long hair tied back. • Never adjust Sander or setup while Sander is running. • Never remove guard unless authorized by Technician or WRL Manager • Setups requiring anything other than the standard sander equipment must be approved by supervisor.
If you sand wood past 240 grit sandpaper, the wood dust becomes so fine that it starts clogging the pores of the wood. This prevents stain and finish from soaking into the wood properly, risking a poor finish job. Alternatively, if you sand too much in one single spot, you might create a divot in the wood.
Wear safety glasses with side shields or safety goggles, or a face shield (with safety glasses or goggles) when operating a sander. Wear hearing protection that is suitable for the level and frequency of the noise you are exposed to in the woodworking area. Wear protective footwear when required.
Wood dust becomes a potential health problem when wood particles from processes such as sanding and cutting become airborne. Breathing these particles may cause allergic respiratory symptoms, mucosal and non-allergic respiratory symptoms, and cancer.
The dust created when sanding can be a fire and explosion hazard. Proper ventilation is essential. Do not exert excessive pressure on a moving sander. The weight of the sander supplies adequate pressure for the job.
Wet sanding is a sanding process that uses water or another liquid as lubrication to wash away grit particles. Without the liquid, the sandpaper can build up with material, causing scratches that ruin the finish. In general, the best liquid to use for most materials is water with a little bit of detergent in it.
Even after sanding, many of these woods will feel fuzzy or slightly rough after the first coat of paint or varnish has been applied. This is because the coating wets the grain and causes the fibers to swell slightly, ruining what seemed to be a perfectly smooth finish before you started.
Ensure that all sanding residue is removed by wiping your whole piece down with a damp microfiber cloth or sponge.
On certain woods such as oak and ash, pre-wet the wood with a damp cloth to raise the grain before final sanding. Allow the dampened wood to dry 30 minutes before the final sanding. This will provide a smoother final finish.
If you're sanding by hand, it shouldn't take more than probably 15 minutes to lightly scuff sand a large dresser. If you're using an electric sander, it'll go faster. But with an electric sander, like an orbital sander, you'll need to pay close attention not to sand for too long or push too hard in any one spot.
Close all doors and windows to prevent the dust from spreading to other areas of the house. For added protection, use masking tape or plastic sheeting to seal gaps around doors and windows. Cover air vents and ducts with plastic sheeting or disposable air filters to prevent dust from entering the HVAC system.
If wood gets over-sanded in one spot, it starts to become uneven, with a distorted sort of appearance. This can happen to even the most experienced woodworker. Usually this starts simply by attempting to sand out a discoloration, defect, scratch or gouge.
These back marks are called metallic discoloration, or iron stains, caused by elemental iron reacting with phenolic chemicals in the wood, forming black iron tannates. Iron stains require the presence of iron, water, and wood and will not occur if one of these elements is absent.
While it is possible, it's not recommended. Sanding wet wood will yield poor results and can potentially damage the wood itself. It's best to let your wood dry before sanding it for the best results.
Wet sanding, which is sanding with the addition of water to act as a lubricant, is less abrasive than dry sanding, and results in a smoother finish. It's best to wet-sand the final finish of a project. Dry sanding removes more material, and smooths rough material quickly.
Dry is excellent for initially smoothing a material, whereas using a wet sandpaper can drastically improve upon the smoothness while removing scratches. Depending on the type of material you're working with determines which sanding method is better for you. Dry will do most of the hard work that's usually necessary.
Over time, breathing the dust from drywall joint compounds may cause persistent throat and airway irritation, coughing, phlegm production, and breathing difficulties similar to asthma. Smokers or workers with sinus or respiratory conditions may risk even worse health problems.
Inhaling dust into the lungs can cause breathing problems and lead to lung diseases such as occupational asthma and lung cancer. Breathing in dust is the most common type of exposure to wood dust. Getting dust in the eyes can cause irritation and damage.
Most woodworking accidents occur on 3 machines: surface planers, circular saw benches and vertical spindle moulders. If the machines are not guarded properly you may contact the dangerous parts and suffer a severe injury, sometimes loosing fingers or upper limbs.