Flap Wheels have a variety of uses, which include edge breaking, getting rid of loose fibers (or de-nibbing), uniform stain coloring, and sanding. A Sanding Flap Wheel is particularly useful for pieces that have contours or profiles. Examples of such pieces are doors, furniture parts, and any other woodworking pieces whose shape is not flat. Unlike flat pieces that are quite straightforward to sand, contoured pieces present more of a challenge to work on. Such flap wheels are of use to woodcarvers, who may use them fitted to electric drills.
You can use a sanding Flap Wheel to make it easier to sand a contoured or profiled surface. Since flap wheels are flexible, they are able to conform efficiently to the different shapes of the pieces that are being sanded. These flap wheels work smoothly around edges as the strips of sandpaper flex out so that the device can sand both the higher and lower parts of the profile.
For applying stain with proper consistency, a sanding flap wheel is also especially useful. Ensuring a uniform color might be easier said than done because of the different sanding pressures applied to different portions of the surface area. The result can be uneven pore openings on the surface of the material, which will absorb the stain at varying rates, causing uneven colors. But if flap wheels are used, three-dimensional items can become evenly sanded and have uniform pore openings as well as an overall greater color balance.
Sanding things by hand is a tough chore, but the help of a sanding flap wheel can allow you to reduce time and effort on this chore. In manually sanding an item that has stain and sealer, take care with the edges so that you do not sand through the item and create white lines on it. The flexibility of flap wheels is such that they can handle fine sanding without causing white lines or unwanted burns on the finish even as the sealer is removed. Sanding flap wheel techniques help woodworkers attain the right amount of sealer scuffing, creating a first-rate topcoat finish.
The speed difference between hand sanding and working with a sanding flap wheel is remarkable. Studies have shown that the use of a spindle and a flap wheel is many times faster than ordinary manual sanding. Optimal spindle speeds for sanding with flap wheels are between 300 rpm and 800 rpm; maximum speed for the flap wheels should be around 1200 rpm. The sanding quality from flap wheels is also significantly better than hand sanding, as they are designed to produce a standard result.
