# Gone



## Woodwrecker (Aug 11, 2008)

I have that sander as well, and although it works nicely and was a good value for the price, I have found that I don't use it as often as I thought I would.
Before I bought a spindle sander, I found other ways to achieve the same results and return to them more often.
For what it's worth, www.industrialabrasives.com has great replacement sleeves at good prices.


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

I bougth one of this used for $100.00 many years ago.
I "love" it.
It certainly is the most used tool in my shop


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

i've had the same one for several years. It gets a lot of use. I would buy another.


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

I've had this unit for about 5 years and if it breaks I'll buy another. definitley 5 stars from me.


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## newTim (Jul 11, 2008)

Blackie… thanks for the review. I've been thinking about getting one of these, but I have a question. I have a Delta spindle sander and changing the sleeves is a pain in the ass. There is no locking mechanism so I have to jam a screw driver into the throat so I can break the nut free. I think you are supposed to be able to do this by gripping the sleeve/drum, but I've never been able to do it. Tightening is also a problem for the same reason. If the nut doesn't compress the rubber drum the sleeve will slip up and down as you are sanding. Poor design IMO, but it is what it is.

So my question is how hard is it to change sleeves? Does it have a locking mechanism? How about changing from the drum to the belt?

As an aside, I read some of the product reviews for spindle sanders in Fine Woodworking and elsewhere and this is the type of question I often find the reviewers do not address. Don't you wish Festool made a spindle sander?


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

Changing sleeves is quick and easy. I use the belt most often, because the left side is just a large diameter spindle. The belt feature allows you to do things plain spindle sanders can't, like chamfer the ends of a tenon precisely. I also prefer the belt for fairing gentle curves, as it is less likely to dig in than a small spindle.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

Tim, I'm not quite sure I follow your question about the locking mechanism but I'll do my best to answer, I have a few sets of drums so I'm always picking through to find which one fits the sleeve the best but all drums fit the spindle shaft which I believe to be 1/2" don't quote me on that as when I use a 1/2" sleeve it just slides right down over the shaft without a drum, to lock the drums down there is a left handed threaded shaft that a left threaded locking nut screws down onto with proper sized washer between the knob and the drum to compress the drum the knob that comes with the unit has a nice finger turning grip for easy turning but you are only limited to roughly 4.5" that's why I modified it by grinding the finger grip away narrowing it down.

Swapping the belt with the drum is a breeze a very quick process and the unit has a nice storage area on the back for the belt.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

Randy, that looks like a real handy machine. As for that knob, take it off and put a hex nut in its place and use a wrench on it. That is what I have on my Ryobi spindle sander.
............Jim


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

I never use the spindle only the belt in five years I might have used the spindle once) but it is very easy to change from on to the the other or the change the sleeve, I do not see why you would need a locking mechanism.

"Don't you wish Festool made a spindle sander?" *NO!*
They would not make it any better than Rigid and it would cost at least $1500.00


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## Jeff28078 (Aug 27, 2009)

No locking mechanism is needed. The tightening bolt is left hand threaded so it tightens on itself. Sometimes it tightens too much but a pair of pliers solves that.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

Jim, that thought had crossed my mind from the git-go but and (I'm not a machinist) it's left handed threads not right handed, I'd have to find a special bolt and nut store for this I'm thinking? I don't really know the difference between course and machine threads. Now… that you have me thinking I guess I could take the knob with me to the store but I doubt that any box store is going to have a left handed bolt to try it on that's why I mentioned a special store.


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## OggieOglethorpe (Aug 15, 2012)

This machine is a steal! I was considering spending a lot more on a Jet or Grizzly spindle sander and a stationary belt sander, 'till I tried one of these.

The spindle knob works great! I don't see any need to replace it, if you don't have the specific clearance issue of the OP. The dust collection is great with a Shop-Vac, too… The vacuum works far better than my big cyclone with this unit.

Last Christmas, I used my unit to flush up splines and sand the sides of a run of 35-40 gift boxes, from 80 grit to 320, no skipped grits, and the belt performed flawlessly, with just a 2 second tracking adjustment after each grit change. I've gotten a lot of mileage out of the spindle, too… The price / performance ratio of this machine is out of sight.

There's a seller on Amazon that sells excellent quality belts and spindles in that fit this tool in bulk, from extra coarse to 320-400.


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## cutworm (Oct 2, 2010)

1+ Bert. I like my sander.
Thanks for the post. You almost never see any negatives about this sander.
I'll gloat a little at getting mine for $115. New.
Klingspor has belts and sleeves. I like their sandpaper.

I saw on here where someone made a wooden knob to go over the lefthand screw head making it easier to remove.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Randy,

Thanks for your review! It looked like a winner to me after looking at a number of spindle sanders. I remember your discussion about the problems you were having. After 6 months of continued use looks like you have a winner. what are the total space requirements to use the machine in your shop?


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

Tom I've been looking at projects here on LJ and am going to take on two flip top caddies, one for sanding and the other for planning. it's no more bigger then the other brands.


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## pmayer (Jan 3, 2010)

This is one of the best values in the tool market. It's such a simple but phenomenal innovation, I think it should serve as a wake-up call to all the "me too" tool companies out there. Think about all of the "same old same old" crappy spindle sanders on the market, then Ridgid comes out of nowhere and shows up with a product that is hands down better than anything that you might compare it to (although there really isn't anything that is a fair comparison), and they offer a dirt cheap price. They could charge twice as more for this machine and still sell it all day long. They might even sell more of them at a higher price because people would be more confident in its capabilities at the higher price point. The first time I considered buying one, my only reservation was that I didn't think it could be very robust for only $200. Five years later and dozens of hours of heavy use and I am still thrilled with this tool.


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## Tooch (Apr 6, 2013)

I loved this machine so much I went out and bought a second one. Really easy to switch back and forth, my only "complaint" is that when I do switch from a spindle to the belt, it takes me a while to get it tracked again, but I'm pretty sure that's on my end.

I originally had purchased this Wilton Spindle sander (Before I figured out the school's paperwork I needed to order through HD).
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/413TPTCNZBL.jpg
Changing the spindles on this requires use of two specialty wrenches, and after changing it multiple times the wrenches are too messed up to use properly.

The Ridgid only requires a Man-Hand grip and some elbow grease, much better IMO


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Randy,

Not sure what your saying? "flip top caddie?"


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

Oh doc sorry, flip top tool cabinets on casters is what I meant to ease up room in my shop, putting both my belt sander and rigid on one and both of my bench top 13" planer and delta joiner on the other.

Thing is I already had a 4" belt sander before purchasing the rigid so I never had to switch between the belt and spindle on the rigid.


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## RUINTUIT (Jan 2, 2009)

I'll throw in my appreciation for this machine too. I've had it 5 years and like others have said, if it ever fails, I'd buy another in a heartbeat. easy to use, easy to switch between belt and spindle. I also have a Ryobi 6" disk 4" belt that I use heavily that I'd buy again as well. I've only had to replace the drive belt on it in the last 7 years. The Ryobi I use for flat sanding or squaring pen tubes, or in the last project, pillowing the Greene and Greene square plugs. I use the Rigid for profile sanding multiples by double stick taping pieces together.

Rigid hit it out of the park on this Sander. I also like my Rigid Joiner and 2xRigid ROS just as much.


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

I also use Klingspor belts and sleeves, they are the best and also some of the less expensive


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## grelcar (Jul 1, 2010)

I have had one of these for a number of years. One of the most useful tools in my shop. I use it on every project.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

Thanks for the comments all and also the info for sleeves and belts.


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## FaTToaD (Oct 19, 2009)

I too got one used a few years back, it's grey instead of orange, but it's the same tool. I don't use the belt sander much since I have a stand alone but I do use as it as an OSS a lot. Great tool, especially for the price.


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## Davynurse (Feb 20, 2013)

I just got out of the shop for the night and knocked all the saw dust off from using the spindle sander on a HUGE shelf Im making for my mother. I have had mine for about a year and it works great, no complaints here. Hope you build a flip top cart, I have been putting it off for too long lol


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Thnx for the review Randy.


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## lazyoakfarm (Sep 28, 2010)

where do you buy the belts? all I can find is 80 Grit


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

http://www.klingspor.com/

the best not expensive


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## Hawaiilad (Feb 16, 2010)

Randy I will add my agreement that the Rigid Spindle sander is a keeper. I have owned my for a few years and use it nearly daily. When I was make scrolled bowls, I thought it was not working for me as well since I thought I needed a table that tilted more than the Rigid. I bought the Jet, used it for awhile and found I went back to the Rigid…now the Jet is for sale. I'll stay with the Rigid. A lot less costly than the Jet and IMO is as good if not better.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

Larry how do you get around the large knob when sanding deep drawers and such?


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## Hawaiilad (Feb 16, 2010)

Randy, so far it hasn't been a problem for me. Of course I have just gone back to using the Rigid from the Jet. I like the sounds of the fix others have talked about here.


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

I bought one of these in 2002, and it is still going strong. Took it apart a couple times to clean it and renew the heavy amount of grease that rides inside the corkscrew unit that makes it ride up and down.
Long time ago, maybe four years, bought an HF spindle sander, (the old style, not that new one that is terrible), and used it for spindle, and the Rigid for belt. Later, bought a second HF spindle sander, (again the old style and at the $89 reduced price for both, BTW), and now have a three station setup with one belt and two sizes of spindles set up at all times, for under $400. My only complaint is one of the HF units puts out so much RF that my radio cuts out when I turn it on. But it runs flawlessly.

Blackie, you are right about the knob when using small sleeves. Same thing sort of exists on the HF, but only on the smallest spindle, since the HF uses nuts.

I buy my belts from Klingspor, and take advantage of their bulk belt purchase. The Rigid takes a 4 X 24, so I think that is 24 belts. For the HF, I usually buy the HF brand sleeves, as they seem to last a while and are cheap. I have bought one or two from HD, but doggone they are expensive.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Blackie (and others),
Some of my sanding needs exceeded the limit of the drums so I had a spindle extension milled to give me a 6" drum. 
The rubber inserts and longer sanding tubes are available from many online sources.


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## tmiller (Apr 30, 2009)

I own it and use it ALL the time, it has saved me hours and hours and made some of my projects so much better.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

If there is one tool in my shop that I feel has given me my moneys worth, it would be the RIDGID OSS.
The only minor complaint I have is that the miter gauge slot is an odd size , and I haven't seen them selling one to fit it.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Dusty, I need a miter gauge for mine, too.
Using a Shopsmith has necessitated making my own slot runners as they are a very odd size. I've been considering making one for the Rigid OSS, too. I wouldn't attempt to make it adjustable. 90 deg would be fine. 
Sometimes, I'll clamp a straight piece of scrap to the table at an angle I need.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

Gene, it's not like a have a constant need for the miter gauge, but I just think it is strange that they would create an oddball sized slot and then not offer a gauge to fit into it.
How hard would it have been for them to make it a standard 3/4" slot ? LOL


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## garlandkr (Apr 13, 2014)

Just picked one up today based on this thread. All of the positive comments really did it for me.

A local shop had some 120 grit in 4×24" - looks like I'll have to go online for some finer grits (Mmmm, grits.)


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## MrGrady0681 (Feb 17, 2015)

Randy, I just took over for a shop (I'm a shop teacher) that has one of these units. It only has one drum with it. I would like to purchase the whole set of drums, with corresponding washers and throat plates, any idea where I can find them?


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

Order them from Rigid

"A local shop had some 120 grit in 4×24" - looks like I'll have to go online for some finer grits (Mmmm, grits.)" 
I like Mirka on Amazon.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

MrGrady, I ordered my extra sets through Amazon.


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