Do I need belt sander?

[Kent A Bathurst]

I don't think I've used my belt sander in over 3 years. By the time I do the brand new belts I bought for it about 5 years ago will probably be bad.

Pretty much the same here. I use mine a couple times a year, then skip a couple years. The 8-yr-old belts are shot - very short cycle time these days. Will need some new ones when I get it out next time. Like other responses, it is one of those tools that do what nothing else will do, when you run into the right situation. Glad I have it; realize I overspent on a top-end PC, but live and learn.

[Simon Dupay]

buy the PC and stay away from that B&D junk me I can't live without my 4 belt sanders (1-skil 3"x24" worm-drive 448, 2-3"x21" PC And a 25 lb. 4"x27" PC 500 worm-drive sander) for sanding edges, tabletops, leveling and quickly sand for finishing. A belt sander takes more skill to wield a belt sander then a hand plane and just like a plane it a skill of a good craftsmen to successfully wield one.

[sean m. titmas]

i have the 4x24 PC and use it quite often in the shop and in the field. everything from prepping stock and grinding down nicked chisels to scribing c-tops and cabinet scribe strips. with a 60 grit belt i can even rough shape different curved furniture parts. if you have the sander you will continue to find different uses for it with just about every project you do. personally i like the 4x24 size but for most it is too big. but in this case the price is too good to pass up. so i say go for it, you wont regret it.

[Jim Rimmer]

I don't use mine often but when I do one of two things occur:

1. It does a job nothing else could have done.
2. I destroy whatever I was using it on.

I'm glad I have mine but be aware you can do a lot of damage in a very short period of time.

[mark kosse]

I use one often in place of a drum sander. I wouldn't be without one.

That being said, I like the heft and face length of the 360/361 over the 352VS I now have. They seem to do a better job with less effort on flat work. I sure wouldn't want to use them overhead though.

After going back and reading all the posts I'd like to add I had a much lighter but quality makita 21" belt sander I didn't like near as much as the PC. The weight is what makes it for me.

[Cary Falk]

I have a Makita 3x18 and a 4x24. I don't use them much since I got a drum sander, but when you need one, not much else will do the job.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I use a belt sander a lot....probably more than I should. As a couple have said, it's easy to destroy something using one to save time. I have owned both a fifty buck 3x21 sander and one that sold for nearly three times that. The fifty buck sander was a lot more than three times the aggravation. they both look about the same but sure handle differently. I would recommend getting one with a flat top that can be flipped over, no telling how many hundred times I've done that. I also have the 4x24 Porter Cable 'locomotive' and there have been occasions when that hog with 60 grit paper was the thing for the job.

[Greg Wittler]

I checked out this thread as a belt sander is a tool on my short list, the last belt sander I owned was a Black and decker which worked great for refinishing a kitchen table that someone else tried to finish with a pad sander and left many deep gouges in the top, but the second time I went to use it it was shooting sparks like a forth of July firework, so I tossed it in the trash.

[sean m. titmas]

I checked out this thread as a belt sander is a tool on my short list, the last belt sander I owned was a Black and decker which worked great for refinishing a kitchen table that someone else tried to finish with a pad sander and left many deep gouges in the top, but the second time I went to use it it was shooting sparks like a forth of July firework, so I tossed it in the trash.

a belt sander that shoots sparks most likely needs the belt adjusted. not a big deal but you might be better off by tossing the B&D.

[Jay Yoder]

Just an update, I may be really close to pulling the trigger on the PC. Talked with the wife tonight and her statement was, if you need it you need it. They offered me 15% OFF the clearance price! Is this too good to pass up? I have two projects I could use it on immediately! Hopefully it will still be there tomorrow!!! I have to sleep on the decision, nothing like buying your own Christmas present!

[Erik Frederiksen]

When you need a belt sander, nothing else will do.

I tried taking some old paint and gunk off reclaimed pine boards yesterday using my Festool ROTEX and even it couldn't do as good a job as my old, junky Craftsman belt sander.

There's simply no substitute.

Jason

I think the Festool RAS 115 would be a better choice for paint removal.

A belt sander is pretty low on my list of needs after buying a Rotex, it solves most of what I used to use a belt sander for and does a much better job.

[Tony Bilello]

I have the PC 4 X 24 and couldnt live without it. It is fast at flattening table tops and rounding edges. I generally just use the 80 and 100 grit. The 4 X 24 is powerful and yet stable in that it sits flat on you surface and does not have the tendency to dig in on the sides like the narrrower ones do. If you dont have a firm grip, it will take you for the ride of your life.

[Gary Breckenridge]

A belt sander is all about right now. Other tools will do the job but if you want it done right now...

It takes a while to get used to your first belt sander. Everybody has tools that we use and feel comfortable with. Other tools, not so much.

[Gary Gleave]

nothing like throwing on a 50 foot extension cord and watching two locomotives racing down the hallway

[mickey cassiba]

nothing like throwing on a 50 foot extension cord and watching two locomotives racing down the hallway

Many years ago I caught my young son and his cousin doing just that with my old A3! Through the yard no less. Looking back, it was rather funny, back then, not so much.
Mick