Choosing and Using Random-Orbit Sanders

To avoid scuff marks, Norm Abram always plants the disc on the surface before he starts the motor and lifts it off the work before shutting down. However, some sanders lurch hard when starting, which is liable to dig a deep (and annoying) divot; with those tools, it's better to start in the air and then land flat on the work with the motor running. Experiment on scrap wood to see which approach works better with your machine.