Author Topic: Combo Belt/Disc Sanders (Read 2573 times)

Bruce Guertin · « **on:** December 25, 2024, 02:20:59 PM »

Who is using what? 1" Belt X 5" disk or 3" belt X 6" disk. Is the smaller size enough to get the job done?

Motorman · « **Reply #1 on:** December 25, 2024, 02:24:46 PM »

I use the 1x5 I got from Harbor Freight. It does everything I need it to for building model planes. In fact, it's probably over kill.

MM

Crist Rigotti · « **Reply #2 on:** December 25, 2024, 05:55:49 PM »

Delta 1" belt and 8" disc.

Perry Rose · « **Reply #3 on:** December 26, 2024, 05:23:13 AM »

Craftsman 4 inch belt, 80 grit, 6 inch disc. Time is money.

realSteveSmith · « **Reply #4 on:** December 26, 2024, 07:39:02 AM »

I've got an old Craftsman combo belt/disc sander with a 6"x48" belt and 9" disc. I typically end up using only the descending side of the disc sander so it's more like 4.5" and I frequently find use for a wider sanding area.

Buy the biggest disc sander you can afford/fit in your workshop. I can almost promise you'll never regret getting one that is too big...and you will for sure find times you wish it were bigger (still talking about disc sanders here).

Dave Harmon · « **Reply #5 on:** December 26, 2024, 08:38:28 AM »

Quote from: realSteveSmith on December 26, 2024, 07:39:02 AM

Buy the biggest disc sander you can afford/fit in your workshop. I can almost promise you'll never regret getting one that is too big...and you will for sure find times you wish it were bigger (still talking about disc sanders here).

Exactly.....I never have used the belt...I removed it.

Paul Smith · « **Reply #6 on:** December 26, 2024, 10:22:33 AM »

Harbor Freight.
Big, cheap, low quality, but plenty good enough for modeling work.

A professional tradesman would want better, but this does well enough for modeling. I keep it in the shed and blow dust into the snow.

EricV · « **Reply #7 on:** December 26, 2024, 10:35:43 AM »

Yeah, I also bought the 12" beast... I wanted something that would speed up the process of hand shaping blocks. Oiy! If you like watching balsa disappear at a rapid rate, this is the tool. For fine work, I guess it would be ok with finer grit paper on it since it does have a nice table that is true and adjustable. It would be even better if it had a variable speed motor.
EricV

Quote from: Paul Smith on December 26, 2024, 10:22:33 AM

Harbor Freight.
Big, cheap, low quality, but plenty good enough for modeling work.

A professional tradesman would want better, but this does well enough for modeling.

Dave Moritz · « **Reply #8 on:** December 26, 2024, 10:55:23 AM »

This el cheapo 1" by 5" sander works very well for me. I use the belt quite a bit and have found assortments of belts on line covering very fine up to 80 grit. The disk is also useful, but the platform stays put at 90 degrees only if you maintain a light hand when working a piece.

Dave Mo...

Will Hinton · « **Reply #9 on:** December 26, 2024, 03:49:21 PM »

Quote from: Dave Moritz on December 26, 2024, 10:55:23 AM

This el cheapo 1" by 5" sander works very well for me. I use the belt quite a bit and have found assortments of belts on line covering very fine up to 80 grit. The disk is also useful, but the platform stays put at 90 degrees only if you maintain a light hand when working a piece.

Dave Mo...

Ditto what Dave said. My 4 x 36 with disc is the most used tool in my shop. (The different grits make it that way.)

Mark Gerber · « **Reply #10 on:** December 26, 2024, 07:12:13 PM »

I've got a 25 year-old Delta 9" disc/6" belt. I use it all the time. One of the best features is the belt and the disc are connected, so when I want to do light sanding to make fine adjustments to balsa, basswood, or thin plywood I can move the belt with my right hand (with the motor off) and hold the part against the disc with my left hand. It also has a vacuum connection which is essential to avoid getting sanding dust all over the workshop. The door to switch the vacuum between the disc and belt is below the belt and a little difficult to operate. And you need to turn off the motor to be safe doing it.

Mark Gerber

Curt D Contrata · « **Reply #11 on:** December 26, 2024, 07:49:43 PM »

I too have the benchtop 4” belt/disk sander by Delta, I also have a bench grinder with one wheel removed and a disk installed in its place (craftsman made that attachment). I use them both, loaded with different grit paper.

The 4” belt on my Delta has never been in the vertical position, and I use it constantly for all sorts of things. These are the most useful two tools in my shop.

My dad bought a 1” vertical belt sander years ago and we gave it away soon after.

Curt

Dave Hull · « **Reply #12 on:** December 27, 2024, 12:16:15 AM »

The large combi sander is one of the most used and appreciated tools in my shop. I got the Delta 31-280 (6x48" belt and 12" disc) and am happy with it. I've had both a Dremel scrollsaw/sander, and a Delta 1" belt unit before. They just aren't comparable but are better than hand sanding things sometimes. If you have the space and the cash, the bigger machine is much, much more versatile, more stable, and produces more accurate work with less fussing. You can also make furniture between airplane projects.... Is it necessary to build a good model airplane? No, but neither is a drill press, and I wouldn't give that up either....

Edit--sorry the picture is rotated. I don't know how to fix that....

BillLee · « **Reply #13 on:** December 27, 2024, 08:47:58 AM »

I have a Sears/Crafstman 6x48 belt/disk sander. Have had it for OTOO 60 years. I have used it off and on. But it sits idle now and has been for many, many years. I have tried to give it away and nobody wants it.

I also have a 1" belt sander (has disk as well) which I use all the time. It is far preferred for my needs. I rarely use the disk sander, not even sure if there us a sheet of sandpaper on it right now.

I don't like the big belt sander since trying to control the dust from it is very difficult. It has the plastic dust collector that you can see in Dave's picture, but which is ineffective at best.

Bill Lee

Bruce Guertin · « **Reply #14 on:** December 28, 2024, 07:36:47 AM »

Well, I went to Harbor Freight yesterday and checked out their offerings. The 3" belt ones just took up too much work bench space. They had a 1" belt combo, but it was the cheesiest thing. Of course they're all built in China. That would include the WEN brand 1" belt combo that I ordered from Amazon.

Thanks for the help, fellas. Bruce

Dennis Toth · « **Reply #15 on:** December 28, 2024, 10:32:45 AM »

I have a 4" belt sander that I got from HF several years ago. It works great and is useful for sanding/shaping blocks for wingtips, cowls, top & bottom. Also makes short work of doing solid wing gliders. The trick with the bigger belts is to use a fine grade belt as is sands very fast with 100G.

Best, DennisT

Paul Smith · « **Reply #16 on:** December 28, 2024, 12:08:30 PM »

The key element of running a belt sander is DUST CONTROL. Doing this is your home with a wife can be a major issue.

Bruce Guertin · « **Reply #17 on:** January 02, 2025, 11:56:21 AM »

The WEN sander arrived New Years eve. I got it assembled and its much nicer quality than the HF version. The tables are metal instead of plastic. I have to get some finer grit belts and disks, though.

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #18 on:** January 04, 2025, 01:36:28 PM »

Understanding that the OP has made his purchase, but...my Delta has a 4" wide belt with 6" disc. I'd just suggest that if you live in a house and do DIY projects, you'd find a larger and more powerful sander more useful. Mine is minimal, IMO, but then I have used it for home DIY projects as much...no...more than model building.

Steve

Bruce Guertin · « **Reply #19 on:** January 06, 2025, 09:02:34 AM »

The finer grit belts arrived this morning. The narrow belt does require the user doesn't dally in one spot too long.

I had a 3" belt sander the last time was modelling but, I also had a 24x24 garage all to myself. Here i have a 20x20 so the footprint of any tool I buy must be taken into consideration.