As sandpaper is to wood or emery boards are to fingernails, so are grinding tools and machinery to metal; an abrasive material is rubbed against a surface in order to change the shape or appearance of that surface. Here is a look at some of the most common types of grinders and their applications.

Though there are many different types of belt sanders, they all share three basic elements; a support piece for the material being ground, a grinding head and a regulating head. The regulating head doesn’t grind, but moves in unison with the grinding head in order to help move the material through the grinder while maintaining a consistent pressure on the belt and work piece in order to keep the surface uniform. Probably the most common application of a belt sander is in auto parts and gears, which require slightly rough edges in order to perform efficiently.

A cylindrical grinder is essentially the same as a belt grinder except that the grinding and regulating heads are cylinders; these squeeze the metal work piece and rotate together in order to grind the work piece. This type of machine is best used for thinner metals.

A surface grinder is another of the better known grinding tools and machinery. As the name implies, these work on flat surfaces and are best used on hard materials, like steel. The most common type of this machine is similar to a wood planer; the work piece is stationary and the abrasive moves back and forth over the piece.