# Rikon Belt/Disc Sander



## teenagewoodworker

i have this same model and i love it. i found the same with the belt that it is very hard to get it to track properly


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## newTim

I have this same sander and while I don't have anything to compare it to, I think it is great. I've had nothing but great customer service from Rikon. I own the Deluxe Bandsaw, a Rikon drill press.


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## Dusty56

I have the same machine and although I haven't had any issues with the belt tracking , when the belt stock- rest / table is in the vertical position , it is virtually impossible to keep it at 90 degrees to the belt , so forget about keeping anything square…. Also , the motor seems to be running much faster than the 1725rpm listed in the owners manual and it is difficult to sand anything without burning if I use discs finer than 60 grit which defeats the whole purpose of sanding.

*I would refrain from describing mine as a "smooth" running machine .* I think the reason that it weighs so much is to keep it from jumping off the workbench and , yes , mine* is *clamped in place !
The miter gauge is so far off the scale that it isn't funny , and the scale is not adjustable .What I like the most about their photograph is that the miter gauge is facing in the wrong direction and they don't have the belt stock-rest / table pictured….(quality clue)


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## Dusty56

I forgot to mention how sloppy the miter gauge bar is in the slot and the price of the 10" discs average *$5 **EACH* at Woodcraft…kind of *pricey for PSA* (non-hook and loop) .The disc platen is Aluminum and you have to take the table off when you need to change the disc and then resquare it to the disc afterwards..They made the table out of cast iron , but the table supports are some type of white metal with flimsy stamped metal arms.(see pics in link below) The 4" high base and disc table are the only cast iron parts on my machine .

http://austin.craigslist.org/tls/1242289823.html
At least this guy assembled the unit correctly for his potential sale …LOL


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## sbryan55

Thanks for the review, Wayne. I have been making do with simply clamping a belt sander in a vice but have been considering adding a belt/disc sander to my shop. This certainly has been a helpful review.


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## Durnik150

Great reviews guys. Thanks for all of the positive as well as some of the negatives. It really helps when looking at dropping some of your hard earned $$$ on a new tool!


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## a1Jim

good review


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## waynep

WoodCraft is convenient and a good place to get some information about tools and stuff. It's also a great place to see an item, like this sander before buying it (and buying in person saves shipping). But I wouldn't buy consumables there unless I was in a hurry.

For instance Dusty56 noted that the discs were $5 each and that's a little high. I bought a spare one when I bought the sander as I didn't know how long they would last. I had used a friend's sander and it seemed like it lasted weeks/month is a production shop so I didn't think I would go through them unless I gummed one up accidentally. And that's held up. I have the original on it still and it's 2 months old now. I think it's going to last 3-4 project at least. I did also buy a 120 grit belt (at something like $10) because the one that came with it was 80 grit and a bit aggressive for what I was doing at the time.

When I do wear out the ones I have, I will probably order online a set like this one:

10 Inch Assorted PSA Sanding discs

I find that sticking with quality sandpapers is worth the money.


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## Dusty56

Wayne , do you think your sander is spinning in excess of 1725 rpm? My friend has a dedicated 10" disc sander and it really seems to run a lot slower than my machine and even using one of his discs on my machine , I still get burning where as on his machine , I do not.


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## waynep

I have no way to measure the RPMs. It seems vaguely the same as the Jet 12" Disc sander I used at a friend's shop. I haven't had burning problems. I am sure you are during the obvious, keeping the paper clean and sanding sensitive woods closer to the center (where the speed is slower).


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## Dusty56

I was thinking about trying to slow it down with a router speed controller , but I don't think that it is the correct type of motor for it to work on. Thanks for your reply.


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## hairy

I have this, too. It has good power. If you're not careful, you can wind up with a flat fingertip. Don't ask how I know. I'm just glad it grew back. Dust collection could be better, but it does what I need it to do.Good review!


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