I am going to be visiting tool shops to look at/ purchase a dust mask & whilst I am there I wanty to look at bench sanders - but which sort?
I have the usual collection of various handheld electric sanders (1/3 sheet, 3" belt, palm) and a Black & Decker drum sander that I use in a pillar drill as well as numerous hand sanding blocks but in total they are less than I want.
I want a bench sander suitable for modelling/ light diy. I want to sand thick & thin wood, ideally metal (although I appreciate that this might be impossible), & plastic/acrylic etc . I want it for detail work & to be both suitable for finishing and bulk removal back to a finish line from a cut line and I want it to be able to do the inside of curves as well as outsides & straight lines. Not much to ask for then.
I have considered belt, disk, and oscilating drum sanders and all of various sizes but I am not convinced which is the best. The small 1" belt/ 5inch disk sanders would appear the only possible compromise although I am sceptical of their power for some jobs & of the high belt speed which I can see causing all sort of problems. They also seem to have a limited range of available abrasives.
Which bench sanders do others find the most useful & versatile.