What type of sander could be used for both sanding spackle and doors?

Question

So I have two diy projects somewhere in my queue:

1) I did a poor spackle job on a wall that appeared to be slightly raised between two sheets of drywall. I put the spackle on and sanded using a sanding sponge. I thought it was "even enough", but once I painted I realize what a poor job I did. I should have really sanded better, made it more even somehow and perhaps used a wet sponge to smooth out the edges of the spackle.

2) I have several doors in my house that are wood (pine maybe), and they show off the wood grain. They have a high gloss. The trim around the doors is the same way, glossy something on top of an unpainted wood. I'm looking to update this by sanding them down eventually and hopefully repainted one day. The doors have panels that are rectangular.

Both involve sanding, so I'm thinking to buy a sander, however there are so many types to get. I'm not sure what sander I might get that might fulfill both of these tasks and perhaps more generally.

Can anyone advise on a type of sander that might help me with both of these tasks?

Answer 1

While I would be lost without a belt sander and a detail sander, for most medium to fine finishing work, I would vote for a variable speed, 6" random orbit sander, with velcro pad (as opposed to PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive).

Get one with 6 hole dust pickup for integration with a shop vac, such as..

What are the relative ad/disadvantages of random orbit sanders (some might ask)?

• The 6 inch size is more powerful than the 5s and covers more area (and bridges a wider area (important for flattening walls, rather than following the the contours)).
• The 6 hole sanding disks allow good dust pickup when suction is provided. I frequently don't need a dustmask for smaller jobs.
• The random orbit allows for a smoother scratch pattern. Be sure to work through the grits to eliminate the sanding marks of the previous grits. For Drywall sanding I would use 80-120-150. For wood I would use one more 80-120-150-220 and maybe 50 for really rough surfaces
• Also, the hook-and-loop sanding discs can be reused if desired (and not worn out).
• Disadvantages are: large size for detail work. Possibly too aggressive for very light work (wood block and a sheet of fine sanding paper would be better, in that case). Heavy for overhead work.