Pneumatic vs. Electric Sanders

Article - August 10, 2009

This article was inspired by a question from Nathan. He writes:

Firstly, I absolutely love your show. The reason I am writing is that I have been watching David Marks Woodworks and noticed in a couple of his episodes he uses a pneumatic power sander. There is not much literature on the web regarding these machines. I was wondering if maybe you could highlight some of the characteristics of these machines. Watching the video I could not see any visible dust collection and all I could gather about these machines is they are more powerful than the electric sanders. Thanks a lot!

To be completely honest, I actually don’t have a whole lot of experience with pneumatic sanders. In fact, the only time I used one was in David’s shop. But I can still give you a some things to think about. There are a few key differences between pneumatic and electric sanders that may or may not matter to you. Pneumatics are generally lighter. After all, there’s no motor. As a result, they can also be quieter and longer lasting. The tools themselves are usually much cheaper too. That is, on a tool for tool basis they are cheaper (again, no motor). But obviously to use a pneumatic tool, you’re gonna need a big daddy air compressor. The smaller units will cycle repeatedly which will ultimately kill the compressor. And from what I hear, pneumatic sanders can also be more powerful than our standard electric sanders.

Now one big disadvantage that I see is the one you mentioned: dust collection. Although I have seen a few models on the market that have a connector for the dust. For most of us these days, good dust collection is a must-have. So that’s something to keep in mind. Ultimately, if you already own a big compressor, or if you envision yourself using other air-sucking tools like die grinders, air guns, and conversion spray guns, the pneumatics might just be a good choice.

***Anyone out there use pneumatic sanders? Feel free to chime in with your opinion.

Discussion

kosta August 10, 2009 10:02 am

The way I see it is its kind of like saying go hard or go home and its like if you want to use air sanders its easier to load up on air tools because your gonna need a big compressor. If you have a smaller compressor say under 25 gallons then its going to be turning on every few minutes and that costs more money for the electricity to run the compressor then it does to use an electric sander. It also wears your compressor down

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- Mike February 3, 2021 4:05 am
  
  I’ve got a pneumatic sander and I only use it for auto body work. When I do, I jump a 35 gallon Campbell Hausfeld to a Dewalt 30 gallon. The thing runs like a wild man but I don’t like beating on my compressors like that. I think I have six or seven of the dam things and I’m always working on or the other. If I’m woodworking, which is typical, I run the 20v Dewalt random orbital and If I need to remove material quickly I fire up the Stanley belt sander that you can ride across the floor. Think it was built in ‘72 but I rebuilt it a couple years ago. The pneumatic sanders can really move, just depends on the workpiece. Also air hoses suck. My boss when I was a kid said,”If I’m in a airplane that’s gonna crash, don’t give me a parachute, give me an air hose…it’s bound to catch on something.”
  
  Reply
  - Nathan Shults March 10, 2021 9:42 am
    
    That is hilariously accurate.
    
    Reply
Mattias in Durham, NC August 10, 2009 11:48 am

Just wanted to make sure all the key pneumatic tools are listed. Don’t forget the Potato Gun.

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Mark Stephens August 10, 2009 1:01 pm

This is a great question. I’d like to add that a pneumatic sander is primarily beneficial to the industrial woodworker who already has a big compressor. They’re really cool (love that “Monster Garage” whirrrr-ing sound!), but in general a pneumatic sander is just not realistic for the hobbyist or even a daily woodworker due to that whole needs-a-pretty-big-compressor requirement. Your $69 Porter-Cable or similar brand random orbit sander will last a long time in the care of recreational woodworkers.

Cheers!

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Bill in Cincinnati August 10, 2009 1:27 pm

There is always a tradeoff between using electric vs. pneumatic. Pneumatic has advantages in a higher volume production shop and is commonly used in industry. You must have an affordable source of a large volume of compressed dry air to make it worthwhile. For most woodworkers, electric or battery is the best financial option. They are readily available and affordably priced.

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Torch02 August 10, 2009 2:04 pm

I imagine car geeks are a lot more prone to have pneumatic wood toold, because they likely have other air tools already setup – impact wrenches, etc. I have a smallish compressor to operate a few mail guns. I would take the sound of a spinning motor over the sound of that compressor charging any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.

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Tony August 10, 2009 4:17 pm

A few reasons why you should consider switching to pneumatic shop tools:

The motor in your compressor is going to be more energy efficient than a bunch of tiny, cheaply made electric motors found in all but the highest grade power tools.

The pneumatics never break down, since there are no motors in them; and because the air coming out of a compressor is super cooled, the machines never overheat (the biggest cause of electric tool failure).

Look on craigslist and you’ll find 50-75 year old pneumatic tools that work just as well as the day they were made.

Plus, once the cost of the compressor is absorbed, pneumatics are about half the price as their electric counterparts.

Finally, the pneumatics have a much lower carbon footprint since they require less manufacturing, less copper wiring, electric components, etc.

If you’re serious about your craft, you need to get serious about pneumatics. I even have a pneumatic chainsaw now. Get a compressor with at least an 11 scfm rating so you can scale up as needed. Expect to pay at least $600-$1000 or find a used one on craiglist for $300 or so.

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- Mike February 3, 2021 4:13 am
  
  Yeah find a rusted, clapped out piece of garbage on Craig’s list. They’re a real treat when they blow up. For my money you can’t beat the brushless technology that is fairly common today. I still use my pneumatics when I’m wrenching on a vehicle, I use my compressors with my hvlp spray guns, but so many of these new brushless tools are game changers. Not to mention the convenience of not having to worry about hoses or air leaks. Gets old dragging that hose around all day…damn air hose will get caught up on a peanut shell…or anything on the floor for that matter.
  
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Tyler August 10, 2009 7:00 pm

I have used both pneumatic and power sanders for many hours. Obviously they both have advantages and disadvantages but ultimately I like the pneumatic better. I am a little spoiled with a very large compressor. I am a hobbyist turned pro turned back to hobbyist. During my pro days I was able to accumulate some nice equipment. If I didn’t have that luxury I would have stuck with the Festool I purchased at one point.

I’m not sure where people get pneumatic sanders for half the cost of an electric though. To purchase a nice new one runs at least $140. There are many random orbit electric sanders for half that price.

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- LonewolfWW May 25, 2021 10:15 am
  
  There aren’t many good random orbital sanders for no 140 bucks, my Festool 150 Rotex was like 650 bucks, their cordless 5 ” RO is north of I think 600 as well with two battery packs and all that, you can get a killer pneumatic Mirka for just over 200. To get anywhere near the performance of a Mirka air sander your options are really Mirka Electric or Cordless sanders or Festool, seems over the long haul, buying a compressor that will run a Pneumatic sander would ultimately save you money. Not sure about you but I have 5 different sanders, linear sander, 6″ rotex, 5″ RO cordless, Festool RO 90 Rotex, 1 1/2″ Mirka, total cost was north of 2K for sure, seems I could get a 1000 dollar or so range compressor and comparable set of tools for perhaps a little less, guess it comes down to which is preferred but if the carbon footprint is less it leans to air tools, too late for me, too heavily invested in Festool at this point.
  
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RJ August 11, 2009 4:57 am

If I had the room I would probably switch, I have the air but like Marc mentioned there is a problem with dust control. Typically in larger shops pneumatic tools are used in conjuction with large down draft tables to handle the dust. No room in my closet for one of those so…

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Chester August 11, 2009 5:38 am

I still love my PC 5″ Random orbital. Use it more than any other tool in the shop.

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jHop August 11, 2009 1:17 pm

Ironically enough, I nixed the idea of asking this very question.

From a hobbyist standpoint: given a small shop, the compressor size required to run many air tools is often the choke point. Then, there’s the fact you need to either run air lines (metal or hose) or have a way of getting the air in a portable fashion to the tool. Images of air hose snaking across, over, and through tools cause me to shudder.

If, however, you plan on setting up shop in the garage, you can feasibly get a larger tank that can be mounted (or stored, if it has wheels) in the corner. YOu could put the dust collection nearby, or in the opposite corner, so you don’t lose too much space. The benefit of going large tank in the garage is you can use it for other purposes. (car repairs, filling tires or pool toys, etc.)

My big concern is the dust collection. my understanding of the way air tools work is that the air flows from the tank, through the tool, and out across the work surface. Helpful when you are worried about project visibility. but this will scatter dust around unless, as mentioned earlier, you use a downdraft table. A serious air filtration unit would probably not be a bad idea, either.

I ruled it out for my shop for the time being. Three reasons: price is out of my budget for the next year or two, space requirements are more than what I have right now, and health hazards with the dust control issues. (I’m not far from serious need of a serious dust collector, as I have found more dust than I was comfortable with in the filter of my furnace.) But that’s me. You may have different concerns. (By the way, Handy Magazine had an article on running air lines last year. I found it helpful in coming to my decision.)

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Tom Collins August 12, 2009 2:06 pm

I have managed several shops where sanders were used hours on end every day. What I learned is that pneumatic sanders were able to handle this work load with very few breakdowns. On the other hand, an electric sander of the type used by woodworkers, would burn out in just a week.
I would think the average woodworker would not require the extra durability that a pneumatic sander offers.
Also considering the cost of not only the sander, but the air lines, large compressor, and air dryer, I would think the average woodworker would not be able to justify changing to a pneumatic sander.

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collin stuart August 13, 2009 5:34 am

Hey guys, great topic. As with most of us I have a small compressor for pin nailers, staple guns and blowing up the odd basketball. I manage an automotive repair center and its air tools all the way. But what we have found is that along with large volumes of clean dry air, we also needed a constant supply of lubrication for the air tools or they would not stand up.(and these are all Snap-on tools) We needed to have an oiler installed in the main line. My concern though, is this very light oil film going to be coming out the tools exhaust port contaminating the work surface and possibly posing finishing problems later on ?

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- Pyrobrd January 19, 2015 8:51 am
  
  This is a very good point.
  
  Reply
Vic August 13, 2009 6:43 am

I built a place for a large compressor and dedicated wiring for it. I ulimately nixed the idea because of dust concerns. If anyone has a great solution for the dust, I’d love to hear it.

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LONGHAIR August 14, 2009 4:10 am

Since I work in a fairly large professional shop and have a more than adequate supply of air, it’s a no-brainer for us. Everyone has pneumatic sanders, everything from high-end Dyna-brade to the cheapest thing from the discount houses. As has been mentioned, the pneumatic stuff holds up very well. Some of the cheaper units have been around there for years. As I would expect with electrics too, the biggest difference you notice between them is in vibration. The more expensive models don’t vibrate your hand as much.
My favorite feature of pneumatic sanders is the ability to slow them down. IMHO most of the electics run too fast. Of course some guys run the air powered units on full blast too?
Running slower does several good things. It is easier on the sandpaper to start with. It lasts longer and doesn’t create nearly as much heat. It also doesn’t fling the dust around as much. It also gives me a better “feel” as far as what is actually happening. This ruduces the potential for the “pig-tail” scratches.

There is however a place for electrics. Once in a while we make and install a Solid Surface (Corian,etc) counter top that requires a “field seam”. Since this to be glued and finished on-site….no air. That is when the Festool comes to the rescue.

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Cliff August 14, 2009 8:17 am

Hi, Its been my experience that air tools such as sanders for instance are primarily used for working with metal, where you donâ

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Darren August 15, 2009 4:46 am

Hi all,
I in a past life I sold and repaired power and electric tools in a small tool shop in South Australia most air tools have a CFM rating on the box or in the paper work and should not exceed your air compressor pumpâ

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Lex September 20, 2009 3:02 pm

Hi,

I have booth electric and pneumatic sanders. I always go for the pneumatic if I have a choice.

A good quality pneumatic sander has a much better dust collection capabilities. I have 150mm sanders with 21 hole pads. They hook up to any standard dust extraction and if you couple this with the Abranet sanding disc system, you get little or no dust remaining on the part you are sanding and more importantly, in the air.

Speed control is also far superior on pneumatic sanders. With no heat created. Top speed can be up to 12,000 rpm!

They are quieter (although your compressor may not be… Mines in a sound insulated box so I can hardly hear it.)

They are much lighter in weight than the equivalent electric sander.

Actually, all pneumatic tools have a motor, albeit an air powered one, but they do last a very long time. They are also easy to maintain requiring only a few drops of oil once in a while.

And Finally the Big reason I use pneumatic sanders! Ultra low vibration! If you use a sander for an extended period you can get a a symptom called White Finger.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V.....ite_finger

Although electric sanders are coming along, the pneumatic sands are leagues ahead (Industry driven)

Oh and a final note, most hobby compressors are set up to run at 8bar. However, on most compressors the parts (check your equipment first) are rated to happily run at 10bar. so you can crank the pressure up which will give you an effective larger volume. run through a regulator and dropped to around 5bar will power most tools effectively without having to shell out for a larger compressor.

Its also good practice to stop using the tools for 5 mins after every 15 mins of use.

N.b. I may be a little biased as I do supply sanders to the avionic, car, commercial and furniture industry. :o)

This is the type I would recommend if you are buying one and have the cash.

http://www.mirka.com/accessori.....ifications

happy sanding

Lex

Reply
- john russell January 6, 2010 2:50 pm
  
  hello lex this is john from scotland i have just bought an areo elite for polishing and some sanding of table tops that have a very high gloss finish. i have a rigid twin tank 5 gall will this work if i follow your 8 bar / 10 bar procedure.
  
  any advice is most welcome .
  john russell
  
  Reply
Stephan Massad February 17, 2010 2:07 pm

When working with wood such as pine, I usually stop at 220 and then use 320 to 600 between finish coats. However, I made a small weather station out of maple the other day and since I was only finishing with beeswax, I decided to sand up to 1200 before applying the wax. The pores being ”’sealed”, the wood had less tendancy to absorb too much wax and I was able to really polish it out. I love the finish and I find myself passing my hand on it whenever I walk by it.

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Christopher February 25, 2010 11:15 am

I made the rookie mistake of buying a pneumatic sander thinking I could use it with my 6 gallon pancake compressor. HA! What WAS I thinking??? The motor runs constantly and there isn’t enough CFMs to sand anything under any pressure.

Anyone want to buy my (new) pneumatic sander?

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Renee November 30, 2010 9:49 am

Just to chime in on a long inactive thread, I WISH that I could afford to run air sanders in my shop. The vibration of the electric models makes them harder to control and makes my hand very tired. I signed up for open woodworking evening class at my local community college so that I would have access to air sanders, multi-routers, lathes and a thickness sander. This way I get the Cadillac tools without finding space in my shop or wallet.
Also, I love the variable speed capabilities on the pneumatic sanders!

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- Fred February 6, 2020 12:10 pm
  
  I used electric random orbit sands for a few years making airplane propellers. Electrics are heavy and not maneuverable. I ended up with carpel tunnel. I used a pneumatic at a factory woodworker once and right then decided the 60 gallon 2 stage compressor was worth getting.
  
  Reply
Rick October 22, 2011 8:06 pm

The killer reason to get a pneumatic sanding set up is that you can wet sand lacquer finishes. I spray pre-cat lacquer and finish it with 1000G Abralon sanding pads which must be used with a lubricant. I use water. This gets the little nibs that always wind up in the dried finish. It also makes a consistent satin sheen a snap. Before, I struggled with Scotch-Brite pads, steel wool, fiber wool, Abranet in an attempt to finish the finish. This has been a huge advance for my finishing.

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Clint March 25, 2012 7:59 pm

I am looking to purchase an air sander. I happen to have a big daddy compressor but I am really looking to see if anyone can recommend one with a vacuum.

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Jack in TN November 16, 2012 9:31 pm

From what I can determine, the air tools are nice to use, and I have been where we used them to sand concrete (built a table for my daughter that sits outside – great project).

Anyway sanding with water for cooling and lubrication can only be done really safely with air.

Dust is a concern whether it is done with air or electric for the health of the operator.

Personally, I go with electric, partly because I am cheap. It takes considerably more electricity to run pneumatic tools than electric tools. Yes, the pneumatic tools are cheaper, but the infrastructure is pretty expensive even without the electric to air power penalty.

If $$ was no problem, I would go air!

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Trevor Hillman December 13, 2012 6:54 am

I already have a large air compressor and have been contemplating getting a pneumatic sander. I am not familiar with the different brands of pneumatic tools and was wondering if there were any suggestions for a random orbit sander as well as a belt sander. I would much rather move my sanding to the garage to cut down on dust inside the house and the the compressor is already out there.

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Tim Wittman December 24, 2014 7:04 am

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good compressor capable of handling a pneumatic angle grinder and pneumatic sander, primarily for wood working? Thanks for any info. Tim

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Noah Fiorentino January 3, 2015 4:49 pm

Tim I’ve been looking at the BelAire 318VN. It’s 5-HP 80-Gallon Two-Stage Air Compressor (208-230V 1-Phase) Copy and paste success. It’s about $1600 from aircompressorsdirect.com. My random orbit sander says it wants 13 scfm. This compressor can do that and then some, giving you headroom as guitarists would say. I’m having a hard time justifying the expense. After you buy it and the inevitable lift-gate service ($75) you still need to wire the thing. I guess not everybody has a 100 foot run of 8/3 bx cable to consider. That’s $200! Anyway the costs keep adding up, air lines, dryers, oilers, filters, sound proofing maybe… I have been spoiled by working in large shops all my life and now setting up my own it’s hard to break away from being able to do nearly anything. I still think about that giant martin sliding table saw. drool…

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Bryan Wiesendahl March 30, 2015 12:00 pm

One huge advantage to pneumatic sanders is the lower centre of Gravity, and the way your hand is closer to the workpiece. The difference between a pneumatic and an electric, eggagerated, is like trying to sand with a sander on a 3′ pole. The farther your control surface is from the sanding surface the more difficult it is to get fine control.

As for noise… My compressor is in a closet, and I don’t hear it. Loud electric sanders drive me nuts!

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Dennis February 19, 2016 12:17 am

I am considering going for some pneumatic tools if I can find a sturdy old compressor. They tend to come and go for good prices so it’s likely I will do so once I find the right one. I missed a good one going for 200 euros.

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Jessica August 3, 2016 2:45 pm

So glad to have found this article- there doesn’t seem to be much out there for a newbie looking for information on the difference of these sanders.

Quick question: I notice everyone mention in the comments to be sure that your compressor can handle the air sander. I have a 35gal Craftsman vertical in the garage shop. Is this large enough for an air sander? If not what would you recommend? Which air sanders are the best investments?

My understanding is that it’s best to have an oil-lubricated, double stage compression tank with a minimum of 9CFM. Is all of that required to run a good quality air sander or is that only if you want the best-of-the-best?

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Dee December 3, 2016 2:35 pm

Where could I please could find a really good pneumatic air sander?which one you would recommend for a wood works and car polishing as my partner is after the best one ? Many thanks

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Doug July 29, 2018 2:57 am

I love pneumatic sanders, they’re up to speed nearly instantly whereas my old electric random orbital seems to take a while to spin up. They’re signicantly lighter and more agile so if you’re sanding fiddle items they’re amazing and give you way more feel. I’ve used both a lot and yes, I burnt out a small air compressor lately however had no hesitation in dropping a small fortune on a new industrial air compressor as the benefits of the sanders outweighs the cost significantly to me. Oh and mine has a good dust collector also.

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Matt Puterio January 17, 2020 9:22 pm

I bought a $33 Harbor Freight pneumatic sander with a vacuuming/dust collection system built in. It uses the exhaust air to suck the dust through a hose into a bag. I attached the hose up to my shop vac and it works even better that way. I’m using the Makita MAC5200 air compressor which does drop in pressure if I’m sanding continuously but it can still keep up enough to make it effective. Pneumatic tools cost more to run than electric since compressed air is inherently inefficient but I like the fact that a $33 sander does a decent job and I can easily control the speed, and quickly swap it out for a blow gun or other tool if needed. The downside is that all the air accessories like filters, driers, hoses, in-line lubricator, valves, etc. add up in expense. The MAC5200 is probably the most powerful truly portable compressor and it’s my first “real” compressor coming from a hotdog/pancake style one. Since getting this, I have to say having compressed air available is awesome. I’m not a woodworker and am currently repainting metal electric heater covers but on this job I’ve used air for sanding them and cleaning them using this $20 “engine cleaning gun” that sprays liquid/solvents at high pressure. I also used a pneumatic caulking gun to seal the gutters at this house. I have to say it’s incredibly convenient other than the high start up cost for all the equipment to produce clean, dry air. Bottom line it depends how much work you’re going to be doing and also if you have other pneumatic tools (or have been wanting to buy them + have a need for them). You can also usually find decent used compressors and sometimes tools and air accessories on Craigslist and Facebook marketplace. The most important specification for an air compressor is the CFM — cubic feet per minute, which is rated usually at 90 and 40psi. The tank size in gallons usually correlates to CFM (or “air delivery”) but you can also find models like mine with a small tank but powerful motor.

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Terry October 21, 2021 8:24 pm

I would be interested in hearing suggestions regarding dust collection with the pneumatic sander

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Pneumatic vs. Electric Sanders

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