Sanding for MakersSanding for Makers
Maya Okafor

Maya Okafor

Surface metrology, dust capture validation, vibration and noise testing in real jobsites

About

I lead The Finish Lab’s bench tests and field validations, translating measurements into decisions crews can trust. My focus is ranking sanders by finish quality, dust capture, vibration, and actual job speed.

Core Beliefs

If you can’t measure the finish and exposure, you can’t manage them.

Background

On a hospital night-shift retrofit, I logged vibration, dust, and finish gloss for four sanders while infection control watched. The only setup under 2.5 m/s² and 0.1 mg/m³ also delivered the flattest Ra. That spreadsheet won us a contract extension—and converted a skeptic into a systems believer.

Author Articles

Auto Body Sanding Guide: Eliminate Swirl Marks

Auto Body Sanding Guide: Eliminate Swirl Marks

Eliminate swirl marks with a measurement-driven sanding process that links tool setup and dust control to finish quality. Follow clear thresholds - vibration < 2.5 m/s², 3–5 mm orbit, Ra < 0.20 μm, gloss variance < 5 - to achieve consistent first-pass results and reduce rework.

Best Detail Sanders: Verified Tight-Space Performance

Best Detail Sanders: Verified Tight-Space Performance

See how five detail sanders perform based on measured finish quality, dust capture, vibration, and time-to-finish. Use the data-backed recommendations and protocols to choose the right model and standardize safe, efficient results on real jobs.

Best Mid-Price Random Orbital Sanders: Verified Finish & Dust Data

Best Mid-Price Random Orbital Sanders: Verified Finish & Dust Data

Cut through marketing with jobsite-verified Ra, respirable dust, and vibration data comparing mid-price random orbital sanders. Learn which models truly minimize swirl, exposure, and rework - and how to replicate those results with a proven setup.

Best HEPA Dust-Collecting Sanders: Verified Workshop Protection

Best HEPA Dust-Collecting Sanders: Verified Workshop Protection

Choose a dust-collecting sander using verified metrics - respirable dust, surface roughness (Ra), vibration, and time-to-finish - with data-backed picks (Festool leads; Bosch with caveats). Follow the testing protocol and thresholds to keep exposure under 0.2 mg/m³, hit Ra <1.0 μm, reduce HAVS risk, and cut rework.