|
 Looking for a good hand-held belt sander? I am and so is Simon Dupay on SawMillCreek.org. This is what the other Creekers recommended:
1. Hand held Porter Cable 362VSK 4x24 belt sander. Mine is variable speed, but 99% of the time it is run at full speed, so that feature is ok, but is not a deal breaker. The dust bag works well. The belt adjustment is easy to use and stays on track well. I often flip it over, or on its side, clamp it down and use it more like a stationary sander. The PorterCable 362VSK is on the heavy side, has a solid metal casing and it is large, 4" x 24". The weight is nice when sanding a large surface. It is not so great when having to hold it vertically, or on smaller pieces. Overall I am very happy with the sander.
--My PorterCable 361 3x21 is powerful and tracks great. Dust collection is terrible. Someday I'll replace it for shop use with one that has better dust collection. -
-I've had this little Porter Cable 371K for a couple of weeks now and I like it, although I don't know if I'd treat it as a regular belt sander - I consider it kind of a fusion of a quarter/half sheet sander and a regular belt sander, so it might not be what you want. It's a nice compliment to a regular belt sander. I like the fact that it's relatively lightweight and the small size makes it pretty versatile. For example, I was able to use it inside a cabinet I built for myself to make a little more room for the drawer slides. One thing to note is replacement belts - currently there is a lot better selection of 3" or 4" belts than there are 2 1/2" belts for the little P/C. The 2 1/2" belts aren't outrageously priced or anything, there's just not quite the selection available yet. It's just something to consider when you consider the lifetime costs of the tool.
2. I have a Makita 9910 3x18 and a Makita 9403 4x24 and I love both of them. --I've got the inexpensive Makita 9910 (it was around $100). I use it for correcting mistakes and grinding down screw hole plugs. IMO - There's no point in spending a ton of money on these unless you're really going to be doing heavy-duty work with it. If I were to do it again, I would probably get one of the blocky, rectangular designs by either Bosch or Ryobi. With this style, one can clamp it to one's bench for use as a stationary unit. (either vertical or horizontal) I've done this a couple times with my Makita, but it is awkward.
3. I prefer the BOSCH 1276DVS 4x24. The PC would be equal if the bag was on the correct side. --Bosch 4 x 24. Good power. Couldn't live without it on the jobsite or in the shop. I use it for everthing from counter tops to sharpening my pencils and chisels. If I was more agile, maybe even a pedicure... --I use a Bosch 4x24 with a sanding frame: I use it for leveling panels after glue up. I used to use a Festool Rotex, but the Bosch is far faster than the Rotex and with the frame, pretty much no risk of damage. Whatever you get make sure you get a frame. I think all models of Bosch and most of Makita have a frame, not sure about PorterCable though.
4. The DeWalt 4x21 DW433 seen here and like it just fine.
--Most of the time you want a nice heavy belt sander, the DeWalt DW433 is a good one and even better when you can get a reconditioned DeWalt for cheap.
5. Here is another option. Black and Decker. Yea, I said it B & D. Called the Dragster. Like another poster mentioned, it's mainly in how it's used. Tracks well and has plenty of power. Did I mention it's $40? Usually find it at $69, but I've seen it many times for $40 at Wal-Mart. I've ran mine for days at a time with no problems. What more can I ask of it?
6.The Hitachi SB75B is a 3" x 21" belt sander that seems promising - it's much more affordable than the DeWalt or Porter Cable sanders (it's about $140), and carries a 5 year warranty. I've never owned a Hitachi tool, and I chickened out and bought the little PorterCable instead. The thing that I really like about the Hitachi vs the DeWalt that was sitting next to it was that it felt a lot lighter - 9 1/2 pounds versus 12 for the DeWalt. When the budget permits, I might get this Hitachi to compliment my little P/C.
But Matt Hutchinson says it best, "I have used a couple different sanders, and they all seem to do well. I mainly just wanted to add this: it's all in how you use it. No, not all Belt sanders are created equal, but here's some food for thought. I have been using an old, early 80's craftsman 3x21 belt sander. It has terrible balance, awful belt tracking, and runs like a jalopy. Yet, I am still able to get large panels very even and smooth with no dig-ins. This is not me trying to boast about sanding skills, I just want to illustrate that at a certain point it comes down to user experience. The first couple things I did with this sander got chewed up, but I soon learned how to get a good finish. So basically, get a DeWalt, Makita, Bosch, or PC. Read reviews to know which you might prefer, but unless you improperly use them you should be able to do fine work with any/all of them."
Richard Wolfe had this great insight on belt sanders: "I started using a Skil 3x18. Then I went to the Ryobi 3x21. I went through two Ryobi sanders and now have a Bosch 3x21 and a Porter Cable 4x24. The Ryobi and Bosch are designed the same way, having a flat top, which I highly recommend. I built a 'cradle' out of scrap and can flip the sander on it's back and use it for sanding small pieces and use it that way all the time. I really liked the Ryobi but for some reason kept having the switch go out on me. It must have been something in how I handled it, but no trouble with the Bosch. I don't know about Ryobi quality now and although I really liked the design I have been through two of them (bearings plus switches), and although the Bosch is more expensive it's been a better buy as it's lasted much longer.
All have had variable speed, which is a lost cause. I also have a PC 4x24.....the 'Locomotive'. If you need material 'hogged' off it's a good machine but will really give you a workout as it's about twice as heavy. I find the 3x21 sanders to be more versatile from the standpoint of easier to handle. Anything finer than 80 Grit is lost on the 4x24, and if you use the 4x24 a lot you can cancel your gym membership. A big belt sanding job (like sanding some solid wood 12 in Square by 2 ft long live oak art stands not long ago) was starting at 36 with the 4x24 down to 80, down to 120 with a 3x21 and finish with a random orbit. Oh yeah, as an edit, I forgot to mention..... Never, under any circumstances, buy that $50 Craftsman 3x21. No, I take that back. Buy it and give it to your worst enemy for a Cristmas present."
Peter Quinn's tried a few: "I've used the Bosch 4-24 and 3-21, the makita 3-21, the PC 4-24 and a Milwaukee 4-24. I own the cute little hand held PC belt sander presently and like it a lot. The Boschs (either size) were the best over all of those I've used, good power, easy to control, gets in nearly flush for close quarters. The Makita was a close second. The big PorterCable is a barbell that a guy my size can barely control. Not sure why it is so heavy. I think it was built to withstand abusive contractors as much as anything. The Milwaukee I honestly think was based on the stump grinder design. It was heavy and tough to control, threw dust in every direction, but had enough power to grind anything down quick."
So there you have it folks. A bunch of opinions about a variety of belt sanders. Which one do you prefer?
Newer news items:
Older news items:
Trackback(0)
 |
TrackBack URI for this entry
