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works good enough for what I use it for ! Harbor Freight 1/2" Bandfile Belt Sander

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21K views 22 replies 19 participants last post by  Letorix  
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Harbor Freight - 1/2" Bandfile Belt Sander (Rating: 4)

Hello Fellow Lumberjocks

Bought this sander about a year ago. It had low price. Worked good the first time and has not let me down since. Not a tool I use everyday, but find myself using it enough that I always keep it handy,... within reach.

Coarse grit sandpaper removes stock quickly and the tool is easy to guide and control.

Gave it 4 stars because we know it is a made-in-China-throw-away.
For $35 bucks it's a good deal.
If it died tomorrow, would probably buy another, rather then spend big-bucks and buy a brand name piece.

From Harbor Freight website:

Narrow 1/2'' wide belt quickly removes stock from scroll cuts, edge work and other tight areas.
Gear driven power
Head swivels 180 degrees up and down
Removes stock at 2300 feet per minute
Uses easy-to-install mini belts
Lightweight aluminum body
Comes with five belts
120V, 60 Hz; 5.0 working amps; 1/2''W x 5''L sanding area; Overall dimensions: 11''L x 4-1/2''H x 3''W, 18-1/4''L with sanding head fully extended; Weight: 4.8 lbs.

ITEM 92158-1VGA

$34.99
 

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#4 · (Edited by Moderator)
I've walked by these many times. maybe I'll need to look a little closer. I use a workbench top 42 X 1" belt sander and I've gotten my money worth out of it. 35 years and still going. A Craftsman. But all it is is a motor with a power drive wheel and 2 idler wheels, that you need to lubricate every so often.
 
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#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
I feel the exactly the same about harbor freight. If your not going to be useing it on a daily busness or for long periods of time, why bother buying a really expensive tool? I also figure if something goes wrong with a harbor freight tool (for instance my small benchtop drill press that I got for 32 dollars) I'll just buy a new one, and that will still cost less than the expesnsive tool.
 
#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
Thanks for the review Dan - I agree with you and others. Harbor Freight has cheap tools, but having said that their tools do have a place in my shop. For a tool that I will rarely use for a project - Harbor Freight has some good choices, like this sander and someone reviewed a stapler a couple of weeks ago. Why pay top dollar for something that will be seldom used.
 
#15 · (Edited by Moderator)
I bought a grinder that looks somewhat like the motor housing on this tool and the back plastic came loose from the yellow/orange plastic. It wouldn't stay there until the 1001 use of Duck Tape came into play.

It is now holding steady. Still a great bargain. I think I paid less than $15.00 in the store.
 
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D
#16 · (Edited by Moderator)
I used one when I worked at Panlmatic in Elk Grove Village, IL on control panel cabinet cut outs. It worked great. It would remove burrs in seconds. I'm sure it would remove wood even faster. I would like one in my small garage shop as well and for 35 dollars its worth the money. Thanks for remining me of its usefulness.
 
#17 · (Edited by Moderator)
I've chimed in a few times concerning Harbor Freight. Hit and miss, is my experience. I've gotten a few tools that I feel very satisfied with and just as many that turned out to be simply cheap. I've picked that one up a couple times. I might have to wait for it to come around on sale next time. Never takes long there. If you're interested, I've had good luck with their upright 2HP Dust Collector, 6" Digital Caliper, and many shop accessories. Some that weren't so great were the trim router, pipe clamp hardware, roller stand, and anything that requires a battery! Thanks for the post.
 
#18 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hello Jeff
Totally agree. Can't recommend some of the Harbor Freight tools I bought. The trim router mail ordered about 6 years ago eventually became un-useable. It had a crazy-loud motor and and flimsey attachments. Plastic base eventually broke beyound repair. Stilll got the motor.

My two-year-old, 19 dollar, 3/8" electric drill, is on my bench and is my primary user for a small bits.

The $89 dollar 12inch disc sander only lasted about two years. The Delta replacement lasted about as long before it quit.

Harbor Freight squeeze clamps are not too good either … other then their cheap price.
 
#19 · (Edited by Moderator)
I buy my light bulbs for my work lights and a few other things there. I have a Makita bandfile sander. I need a good one though to shape glass in hard to get at spots. I can say I've worn out a bunch of their tools. Nothing is more frustrating than being 15 stories up on a highrise building and having one of their tools blow out on ya. For that reason and others I usually buy the very best hand or power tools money can buy. Plus if you show up on a union commercial site with one people will telll you it's "cute" and then you will hear heads up below! LOL
Just the way I was raised I guess, My Dad is rolling in his grave right now… LOL He didn't like it when I took a corporate job doing inbound overseas cargo shipping either!
 
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#20 · (Edited by Moderator)
If I made my living with my wood working tools, I'm sure I would have the best I can afford. Not that all of my tools are cheap. My table Dewalt woodworkers table saw cost too much to brag about.
when I was looking for a bandfile, if I remember correctly the next least expensive version was over 200 bucks.
I must say, I do own the Proxxon version of this tool. I'm completely thrilled with that little thing. FIVE stars for everything, except the cost of the sanding belts, but that is another review….
 
J
#21 · (Edited by Moderator)
I've purchased two of these and returned both. The batch here in Austin seems to have been delivered without a bearing for the rubber bushing at the tip. The first one started smoking with less than a minute of use so I returned it. The second did the same thing so I tried to take it apart to see what was wrong with the design. I ran it for a couple of minutes more before returning it. It just felt like it was going to catch on fire. If there was a way I could have machined a bearing / bushing or something that would lead me to believe it could get any use of it at all I would have kept it, especially considering the next closest in price is $200+++. It has been several months now and I'm considering going back to try again after reading this review. ...or considering the number of hours I've spent driving back and forth, maybe I should just drop the $240 it is looking like for another model.
 
#22 · (Edited by Moderator)
I swear by my HF bandfile and use it in many different woodworking and metal working applications. It's a little noisy like a lot of HF tools but for the # of times I use it and the cheap price you can't go wrong! And unlike some of the uppity reviewers - I don't care who knows about it! Just yesterday was ready to remove 2 blades in my riding mower for sharpening. Then I thought - maybe I can sharpen the blades w/o removing them. Sure enough, sharpened both blades in about 10 minutes. Saved myself about an hour! Buy it and don't look back. You won't be sorry!
John Z
 
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