Should I use an orbital sander or a belt sander for sanding a section of varnished floor

A typical spindle sander rotates at between 100 and 2,000 RPM, where a router is much faster 8,000 to 35,000 RPM. So I would say this is probably not the best idea, and could lead to damage to the equipment, injury, and death.

While I would be lost without a belt sander and a detail sander, for most medium to fine finishing work, I would vote for a variable speed, 6" random orbit sander, with velcro pad (as opposed to PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive).

Get one with 6 hole dust pickup for integration with a shop vac, such as..

What are the relative ad/disadvantages of random orbit sanders (some might ask)?

• The 6 inch size is more powerful than the 5s and covers more area (and bridges a wider area (important for flattening walls, rather than following the the contours)).
• The 6 hole sanding disks allow good dust pickup when suction is provided. I frequently don't need a dustmask for smaller jobs.
• The random orbit allows for a smoother scratch pattern. Be sure to work through the grits to eliminate the sanding marks of the previous grits. For Drywall sanding I would use 80-120-150. For wood I would use one more 80-120-150-220 and maybe 50 for really rough surfaces
• Also, the hook-and-loop sanding discs can be reused if desired (and not worn out).
• Disadvantages are: large size for detail work. Possibly too aggressive for very light work (wood block and a sheet of fine sanding paper would be better, in that case). Heavy for overhead work.