Something else to consider, variable speed sanders tend to break down sooner than single speed sanders. Dust gets inside and affects the variable speed mechanism and the sander will not stay at the speed you put it at. The speed of a better air sander can be controlled with air flow/volume.
Same with a belt sander, the only time I use variable speed is when I accidentally touch it by mistake. 04-21-2016, 8:38 PM #18 I use my variable speed Porter Cable sander at slower speed when sanding very small parts that I hold in my hand. 04-23-2016, 8:44 AM #19 I will not even look at a single speed tool if one is available with variable speed…. For some reason I always find projects that need variable spped.
SIZE. The size of a belt sander is measured by the width and length of the belt. The platen on a belt sander is the plate on the bottom of the sander that comes in contact with the workpiece. If they’re out of alignment, the belt can rub against the housing and damage both the belt and possibly the sander too.
While the dial can be set from 1 to 6 speed, the recommendation is from 4 to 6 on all surfaces and with all sanding grits besides light sanding on paintwork. There are two speeds to be thinking about when using a R.O. sander: the setting on the machine and the pace at which you move the sander across the wood. My opinion is that once you get through sanding with 180-grit using a sander, it is time to move to hand sanding with 220-grit and higher.
variable speed belt sander vs single speed Related Question:
Is variable speed important on a belt sander?
VARIABLE SPEED. A belt sander excels at removing a lot of material at high speed. But you should also be able to use your sander to do controlled sanding. That’s when a variable speed motor can be helpful.
What speed is best for orbital sander?
While the dial can be set from 1 (low) to 6 (high) speed, the recommendation is from 4 to 6 on all surfaces and with all sanding grits besides light sanding on paintwork (2 to 3 is recommended, in grits ranging from 180 to 400).