Thickness sanding basics 101

[tippie53]

For those who have a thickness sander or thinking of getting one, here are some tips.

1 Heat is the enemy
You may think slower is better but it isn't. When dealing with resinous woods you want to run the feed rate as fast as possible.
The faster you run the faster the heat transfers to the chips. But remember, you don't want to take more than .005 to .010 at a time

2 Not all sandpaper is the same.
I use a no loading paper from Industrial Abrasives in Reading PA.

3 Feed path
Slant the work to go across the paper at approx 45 degree angle so you use the entire roll when possible. A straight feed can build heat and glaze the paper.
You should do a straight feed when finishing up to final thickness

4 Grit program
If you have a large amount to sand you may want to start with 36 grit. This will remove material without glazing but will cause scratches.
Save about .025 on each side for finishing up. 60 grit to within .010 then 80 grit for finish.

5 Dust collection
You need dust collection or an appropriate dust mask!
PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! Do yourself and your lungs a favor; do not run a thickness sander without the appropriate safety precautions!