Need a new belt sander

The good thing about the dewalts, is that they have a fixture that mounts them vertically, so you can use it as a stationary. If you are talking about the one I am thinking of…

But if you only use it occasionally, then maybe going cheapest would be best… the good thing about Ridgid.. is the Lifetime Warrantee… but they never tell you is: the life time of the tool(when it breaks its surpased its lifetime :( ; or lifetime of the line… :) )

-- "Ah, So your not really a newbie, but a I betterbie."

Pardon me for being blunt but do you really need a hand held belt sander at all? I have one that I virtually never use. I find that an aggressive random orbital sander can remove material just as fast and I have less problems with uneven sanding.

On the other hand, I use my stationary belt sander a lot. Mine has a 6” x 36” belt and it removes material in a hurry.

-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.

Its also good at reshaping your fingerprints in a hurry, incase you ever get wanted by the 5-o…. :)

-- "Ah, So your not really a newbie, but a I betterbie."

I find that the belt sander is good for edge sanding and flattening edge joined boards. A ROS floats across the seam instead of flattening or evening in my experience, so I feel the belt sander is better for this type of woodworking. I have used a hand plane as well but my skills are not that high yet using this method ergo the use of the belt sander. I also have a stationary belt sander but it is more difficult to get the edges even on long boards with a stationary sander and impossible to see joined edges. The belt sander provides the control I need for these operations.

-- Joe B

I have the dewalt. I bought the version that came with the sanding frame and stationary stand. I would never buy a belt sander without a sanding frame! It is impossible to burn an edge into your work when you use the frame. It turns a belt sander into a hand plane as far as the control you have. It is well worth the extra money.

-- Tony - Anchorage, Alaska

I really like the Bosch 1274
This is because I often flip it on the bench to use as a bench sander – and the flat top on the Bosch is great

http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-1274DVS-3-Inch-21-Inch-Variable/dp/B0000223HB/ref=dp_cp_ob_hi_title_1

It is running $163.00 right now.

-- "_If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves_." Edison

Does anybody have the Ridgid 3” by 18” belt sander? I’m thinking about picking it up using the 20% rebate Ridgid is offering this month.

I’d add another vote for the Bosch 1274. It’s a great belt sander and the fact that you can flip it upside down (or stick it in a wood vise) is a plus. Also, there are a few attachments you can purchase for it.

-- "hold fast to that which is good"

Where do you get the Ridgid 20% off coupon??

-- Joe B

I don’t use my hand held belt sander all that much myself but for the use I give it I’ve found this reconditioned Hitachi SB-75B more than adequate and certainly priced right. Don’t overlook reconditioned, many times they are the best buy.

I like the Porter Cable models. They seem to be quieter than others.
Utah stair railing

-- www.apexcarpentryinc.com

That Bosch sander looks nice Dave, pricey but very handy.

-- Ohh mann...pancakes and boobies...I'll bet that's what Heaven is like! ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣

Has anyone compared speeds? Faster isn’t necessarily better; the slower ones would be my preference—less chance to dull the belt and burnish the wood.

I have owned both an old Skil worm drive and now a newer PC worm drive. They’re much easier to control than the sidewinders.

But, sadly, probably out of your budget.

-- "...in his brain, which is as dry as the remainder biscuit after a voyage, he hath strange places cramm'd with observation, the which he vents in mangled forms." --Shakespeare, "As You Like It"

The Bosch is a variable speed sander.

-- "hold fast to that which is good"

It’s not a coupon but a rebate from Ridgid.

http://www.ridgid.com/Download/lsa_eblast_rebate.pdf

Though I did pick up the Ridgid 3×18 variable speed sander today using a Harbor Frieght 20% coupon.