The 5 Best Straight Line Sanders – [2020 Reviews & Guide]

Straight line sanders, also known as straight sanders, are a type of sander that vibrates in a straight line, rather than in circles. The best straight line sander will be highly stable, will have a rugged construction, and will feature a double piston design (Source).

Straight line sanders are most commonly used for areas that hand sanding is tedious, or where blocking is required. Most straight-line sanders are pneumatic (air powered) tools, but a few electric options can be found on the market.

Straight line sanders work by vibrating at up to 3000 strokes per minute. The motion of the sandpaper’s vibrations removes the surface of the material being sanded. This type of sander can be helpful in performing a broad range of sanding tasks. They come in handy when preparing wood, before paint or other coatings are applied (Source).

With there being so many types of sanders out there, finding the best straight line sander can be very challenging. Before you buy a straight-line sander, consider the weight, cost, and warranty. You should also consider its strokes per minute, and how many pistons are used in the design.

In this write-up, we will take a look at the top-rated straight-line sanders. All of the sanders in this review will leave what you are working on smooth and blemish free, whether you work with wood for a living, or are just fixing up some old furniture at home.

What is a Straight Line Sander?

Straight line sanders are much like your typical sander but are designed to work in straight lines for tasks which require a little more detail and precision for edges. Straight line sanders are used in straight strokes, as opposed to circular motions that other sanders use.

Most Common Issues People Have with Straight Line Sanders

• Poor Efficiency: The efficiency of a straight line sander is usually determined in how many strokes can be done in a minute. The quality of the sander itself also has a lot to do with how efficiently you will get your job done. Efficiency is important to consider if you want to save time and finish your jobs quickly.
• Not enough Power: Sanders don’t all have the same level of power. Usually, this can be predicted by taking a look at how many pistons a model has. If you get a model with only one piston, you will inherently have a lot less power than a double piston straight line sander.
• Cleaning Up the Mess: Once you are finished sanding, you will usually have a nice pile of sawdust to deal with. This is a common concern people have. If you don’t consider cleaning (and the maintenance of the sander itself) you are more likely to have a bad experience with your new straight line sander.

Comparing The Best Straight Line Sanders

1. Chicago Pneumatic Heavy Duty Straight Line Sander – Best Overall

The Chicago Pneumatic Heavy Duty Straight Line Sander is one of the intriguing collection of pneumatic tools from the well-known Chicago Pneumatic brand. This is one of the lightest sander in our review, weighing approximately 6.06lbs.

Its weight makes it a convenient choice for beginners and other users looking to sand their materials. The device has 3000 strokes per minute with a double piston mechanism. This ascertains its fast and easy sanding work.

The Chicago Pneumatic Heavy Duty Straight Line Sander’s trigger position makes it easy to operate. You can easily use it by simply squeezing it. First-time users may find it daunting to use this tool, as it doesn’t stop automatically after pulling out. This may affect the user’s safety.

Perhaps the key safety feature from this sanding machine is the exclusive pinch guard that protects the user. The guard prevents the fingers from sustaining injuries when being used. This comes in handy, especially in terms of random accidents occurring due to the speed of the machine.

2. Hutchins Hustler Straight Line Air Sander – Best for the Money

You can easily undertake sanding with the Hutchins Hustler Straight Line Air Sander in reciprocal action. This device features two cylinders and a common piston line. It also has vertically engaged twin-drive gears that work effectively.

Unlike other straight line sanding equipment, this device has no rolling gears. This means that there is no humping or jumping when each reciprocal stroke ends. The sander’s two-in line cylinder provides enough power for its oversized high-alloy piston. These cylinders are also micro-honed, which reduces the cylinder wall drag.

Hutchins Hustler Straight Line Air Sander comes with double rack and pinion gear assemblies. This gives this device twice the normal gear contact providing maximum balance and thrust. All these components of the device are precision assembled.

Like other sanders of its class, it provides up to 3000 SMP and 15/16” strokes per minute that makes work consistent throughout. With such properties, the Hutchins Hustler Straight Line Air Sander makes an excellent choice for woodworking, leveling fillers and pre-paint sanding.

In a bid to deliver precise results with less effort, the Hutchins Hustler Straight Line Air Sander makes use of the best surface preparation technology. It is light in weight and features an encased polished aircraft aluminum housing.

Other noteworthy features of the Hutchins Hustler Straight Line Air Sander include the vertically engaged twin-drive gears and a double rack and pinion gear assemblies that ensure optimum thrust and balance.

3. Astro 888S Short Straight Line Sander – Most Compact Straight Line Sander

If you are looking for a portable sanding tool, the Astro 888S Short Straight Line Sander should be your product of choice. The sander weighs approximately 4 pounds. Its lightweight nature makes it less intimidating to use besides providing more control over the tool to users.

Yet with its weight, you will be amazed at how it will run the 3000 SMP like any other heavy straight line sander. It produces a good finish on the material nevertheless. Apart from its weight, a single piston powers the Astro 888S Short Straight Line Sander. This makes it less strong compared to other products.

Like other straight line sanders, this model’s trigger is at the bottom of the holder. This positioning makes it comfortable for the user to reduce hand tension. You will also notice the short build of the tool. This makes it difficult to sand hard to reach areas. However, it can work better for narrow areas.

4. Ingersoll Rand Edge Series Straight Line Air Sander – Most Reliable Straight Line Sander

The Ingersoll Rand Edge Series Straight Line Air Sander is a heavy but reliable, efficient and well-designed sander that offers lots of sanding experience. You will certainly love its construction, working effectiveness aside.

Compared to other products on our list, this model is probably the heaviest, weighing approximately 7 pounds. This makes it quite heavier for home or personal based use, thus suitable for industrial use. Home DIY enthusiasts will find this tool heavy and quite difficult to operate due to the extra force required.

Just like other top-notch tools in our review, the Ingersoll Rand Edge Series Straight Line Air Sander runs at 3000 SMP. This speed is fast enough to provide a flawless output on sample wood or fiber material. Despite being heavy with strong vibrations, the tool leaves nothing less of a smooth surface.

As for the trigger, it is easy to push making it easy to use. Its ergonomic design also cuts on the vibrations making it efficient when in use. Unlike our previous product, this tool is packed with double pistons that provide reserve power. This provides enough power for large projects besides eliminating common halts experienced with other sanders.

5. Central Pneumatic Straight Line Sander – Heavy Duty Sander

Finalizing our list of the top 5 sanders you should consider is the Central Pneumatic Straight Line Sander. This tool has more or less features as other sanders we have discussed in this review. It does, however, come with different functionality.

Being among the top-notch sanders, it comes with the same 3000 SMP as other straight line sanders in this review. Similarly, it has a double piston that ascertains quality sanding results. These two features combined is a receipt of a fast and impeccable finish.

What sets the Central Pneumatic Straight Line Sander apart from other straight line sanders is its weight. It weighs approximately 5.6 pounds, perhaps comparatively lighter than other tools. Nonetheless, even with its lightweight feature, it guarantees the same benefits as other dual piston sanders.

This equipment might not be as light as the Astro 888S sander, but it comes with wide coverage. This means that it covers a wide surface area, maximizes its speed and power. All these are essential ingredients for users looking to work on more sanding tasks.

Features of the Best Straight Line Sanders

Straight line sanders have an array of different possible specifications, which is why you need to spend some time researching what features you want to receive. It is common for people to make the mistake of jumping on the first affordable option they find.

If you want to get one of the best straight line sanders, these are the features which you need to keep in mind first.

Double Piston Model

One common concern people have with straight line sanders comes when they purchase a single-piston model. Single piston models don’t have as much power and are therefore not as desirable. Double pistons are usually the preferred model since they are more efficient and easy to use.

High Possible Strokes Per Minute (SPM)

The SPM rate for straight line sanders isn’t just dependent on your muscle strength. The design of the model has a lot to do with how efficiently you will be able to do your sanding.

Comfortable & Ergonomic Handle

The handle is where your hand will be doing all of the sanding work, and should ideally be comfortable for you. It is common for more affordable models to cut off on comfort features.

There is a problem with this, though. Your comfort should be a primary concern. Find a model with a grippy and comfortable ergonomic handle so that you can sand all day without getting blisters.

Enough Sanding Width

Sometimes, people searching for a straight line sander have specific dimension requirements that they need to uphold. For example, if your sanding job needs a sander which is of a particular size, find a model which matches your needs.

Straight line sanders are designed to let you sand in a more precise manner than a traditional sander. This means that you can always find a model which has the right dimensions for the needs of your job.

Simple Cleaning & Maintenance

You shouldn’t have to dedicate too much time for cleaning and maintenance. To be clear, though, these are two things which you will need to consider if you want to get the best straight line sander possible.

Start by figuring out what the cleaning and maintenance procedures typically look like with your top options. Find a model which is easy to clean, maintain, and to replace sanders.

Things to Consider Before Purchasing a Straight Line Sander

From your evaluation, you will agree with us that finding the best product for your needs can be challenging. This is especially true if you are still a beginner in this field.

For sure, even the experts usually have a hard time settling for the best when they are looking to upgrade from their previous sanders.

This is why you should consider some aspects before buying one. Before highlighting the specific factors to consider, let us begin by outlining some of the common types of sanders.

• Belt sanders – usually stationary or hand-held
• Oscillating spindle sander – as the name suggests, they are installed on a spindle that oscillates and rotates in and out, up and down the spindle. They are a great choice for sanding curved and countered materials that could be challenging for orbital or manual sanding.
• Orbital sander – handheld sanders that rotate in small circles. Best choice for fine sanding.
• Random orbital sander – similar to orbital sanders only that this type features round pad compared to orbital, which has square sanding pad. This type works by rotating randomly on orbits, perfect for ultra-smooth sanding and stock removal.
• Detail sander – these sanders utilizes tiny vibrating heads that use triangularly shaped sandpaper. Best for sanding restricted spaces and edges.

Other common types of sanders on the market include the stroke sander, profile shaper/sander, drum sander, and the wide belt sander.

Some of the crucial factors to look into are outlined below.

Intended Use

The operations and functionality of straight line sanders are specific – which is surface cleaning on straight materials and edges. With such features, you might think that this tool is for professional workers. However, it can be a great addition to your home DIY toolbox. It can work excellently on wood projects, furniture and other house interior items.

Straight Line Sander Features

Piston – piston is common in automobile engines and straight line sanders. This cylindrical part pump back and forth transforming the energy into mechanical movement. Straight line sanders can have one or double pistons. Double pistons are a good choice for more power.

Strokes per minute – this describes how the sander completes its movement. A fast SMP lessens the buildup or accumulation of residues thus ensuring efficiency. An SMP of 3000 is best for producing quality sanding.

Weight

It is always to consider a straight line sander that is compact and comfortable to use. Avoid excessively heavy sanders that will tire and cause much strain on your hands.

Safety

The working ability of any straight line sander should be safe for both professional and personal users. Therefore, ensure that the sander comes with guards, ergonomic grips, vibrations and easy to reach power buttons.

That aside, safety when sanding also requires that the user observe some safety measures. Some of the safety pre-requisites that should be observed to avoid harm when sanding include;

• Always wear protective clothing such as gloves, goggles and proper footwear
• Ensure that you read the user manual and understand all the operations of the tool before using it.
• Make sure that your working area has ample space and enough ventilation.
• Frequently remove all the items caught in the sander before you continue using the tool.
• Always observe regular cleaning and maintenance of the tool.

Ready To Buy The Best Straight Line Sanders?

When it comes to sanding, no person certainly enjoys it but purchasing a powered sanding option dramatically cuts down the work time. Therefore, if you are searching for the best straight line sander, you need to understand the various options available on the market. This will help you save on time and provide professional results.

Powerful and speedy sanders are the best choice if you intend to work on large projects. On the other hand, compact models are best for DIY projects that don’t require much power.

Regardless of the intended use, you should ensure that you find a product that meets your expectations. This is hugely dependent on your intended use. Therefore, always look at the sander’s SMP, piston, weight and price before making the final purchase decision. You should also check on the sander’s safety precautions for a safe sanding experience.

Having read this review, which one of our top products is your favorite? Share with us in the comments section below. Or, check out our review of drywall sanders.