This has always bugged me - Can someone tell me when you use slow speed on a sander?

when you’re getting paid by the hour?

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

Ya gotta point there Scott!,...k, that’s one….;)

-- The Gnarly Wood Shoppe

I don’t think mine has as slower speed. The one it’s got is slow enough.

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

My recently purchased Rigid has speed control and I never read the instructions to see what the manufacturer has for reasoning, I’ll go back and look. Someone here will beat me to the reasoning though, I’m sure.

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

So you won’t burn end grain?

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

The end grain on extremely hard woods like purpleheart , jatoba and bloodwood will burn easily while sanding. I haven’t had the problem with softer woods.

-- Leon -- Houston, TX - " I create all my own designs and it looks like it "

The previous two comments are the closest I’ve heard to a reasonable answer to this question. I’ve asked this same question a number of times, and have always been told it’s a bit of a gimmick. I don’t own a variable speed ROS. But, here you have a couple guys, that from experience, know why having a variable speed sander can be a good thing. But wait – do you guys have variable speed sanders to combat this problem? Or have you burnt end grain on these dense woods with a standard sander?

Will the lowest speed on a variable speed keep the end grain on these types of wood from burning – or does it still burn?

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

I have a few sanders, and they are all one-speed.

-- Maplewood, MN

low speed is for end grain and if you do very thin inlays… slow speed will help you sand and not trash your work.

-- making sawdust....

Take the paper off and it does wonders for sore muscles, on the slowest setting. the taking the paper off is an important step.(grin)

-- Hope Never fails

I’ll second the call about burning (and sometimes that means not melting and gumming up a finish you’re removing), but there are also times when I just want control in how much material I’m taking off. Final finish sanding on something made from that amazingly thin veneer ply from a big box store, for instance. Just enough to take off the pencil marks.

-- Dan Lyke, Petaluma California, http://www.flutterby.net/User:DanLyke

Mine is variable speed and I’ve always wondered the same question. Thanks for the post. After the replies, I think I’ll keep mine.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.theeasellife.com

I use the slow speed when I forget to plug it in….same with my belt sander.

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

When you’re really bored.

Or when you’re telling the wife you’ll be in to help her with the housework as soon as you are finished sanding.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Dennis sounds like the guy who bought a chain, & returned it.

He didn’t know you had to start the motor. LOL

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

My Ridgid ROS has variable speed, and I rarely change the speed. I find one setting seems to do the trick for my needs.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

The slow speed is for buffing work on stuff like painted surfaces.