About Us
Welcome to Sanding for Makers, home of The Finish Lab. We build surface-specific sanding systems—tools, abrasives, and attachments—that deliver cleaner, swirl-free results indoors or on site. Our readers are DIY furniture refinishers, remodelers, woodworkers, and auto prep enthusiasts who want reliable, step-by-step “recipes” that turn research into repeatable outcomes.
Mission Statement: Help makers choose and use power sanders with data-backed guidance—ranked by surface quality, dust capture, vibration, and job speed—so every project finishes clean, fast, and first-pass right.
Our Brand Story We started as finish-obsessed builders who were tired of guesswork, burn-throughs, and dusty rooms. Callback after callback taught us that sanding is a system, not a single tool: orbit size, pad hardness, abrasive type, interface, and extraction must work together. So we created The Finish Lab—lab-style testing paired with field-proven SOPs—to eliminate uncertainty. Today, we publish grit ladders, compatibility maps (pads, discs, hoses, extractors), and complete kits sized to your budget, project, and skill level. Our readers move from research to a right-sized setup that scales as they grow.
What Makes Us Different We measure what matters to finishes: defect counts under raking light, dust capture to keep air safe for crews and clients, vibration exposure to reduce fatigue, and real job cycle times so you finish faster without sacrificing quality. Then we translate those numbers into practical, surface-specific recipes—cabinet repaint prep, trim installs, stair treads, drywall patches, solid-surface finishing, and more.
Our Team
- Lead Tester: A cabinetmaker-mechanical engineer hybrid who designs our jigs and data collection rigs.
- Field Finisher: A remodeling crew lead focused on indoor air quality, speed, and client experience.
- Auto Prep Specialist: Brings exacting standards for edge control, profiles, and swirl-free finishes on curved panels.
- Data Analyst: Turns raw measurements into clear rankings, exposure estimates, and decision tools.
- Contributing Makers: Woodworkers and refinishers who validate recipes across different shops, climates, and materials.
How We Serve You
- Lab rankings for sanders and abrasives by finish quality, dust, vibration, and speed.
- Surface-specific “recipes” (orbit + pad + abrasive + interface + extraction) you can trust.
- Compatibility maps and modular kits that fit together without hacks.
- Training-ready SOPs so crews can reproduce results job after job.
We believe a quiet, tidy, professional sanding experience supports premium pricing, safer crews, and satisfied clients—and we’re here to help you deliver exactly that.