Do I need belt sander?

[Dave Gaul]

I say go for it Jay! Especially if you are going to be working with reclaimed lumber. Hitting dirty lumber with the belt sander first will save wear-and-tear on your sharp blades.

[Mike Shields]

Got a like-new (really) DeWalt 433 VS 3 x 21 belt sander for sale. Used once (really).

PM me if interested.

Mike

[Bill White]

I almost hesitate to tell you guys what I have....a Ryobi 3 x 21 that I bought years ago. Variable speed. Dang thing won't die. When ya need 'em, there is no substitute.
Bill

[Paul Atkins]

I learned to use a belt sander to sand face frames flush 30 years ago. Talk about potential for destruction! We were making apt. kitchen cabinets - 5 kitchens a week installed. Since then, I rarely use one, but the 4" base makes quite a difference than the 3". It does what I need it to do when needed. Cheap belts are no bargain.

[Paul Johnstone]

I would not buy a cheap belt sander. You get what you pay for.
The cheap one may not track the belt properly, which makes it useless.
It may also be underpowered and stall.

Either get the PC or don't get one, IMO, of course.. I don't mean to insult anyone that has the B+D.

[Dave Gaul]

Don't feel bad Bill! Mine is a 3X21 Skill that the LOML got me last year for a present... I picked it out of course, but didn't see the need for a high end one for as little as I use it, but when I need it, it does the job just fine, or coarse! (sorry, had to!)

[Karl Brogger]

I use a belt sander all the time.

-Face frames that won't fit through the widebelt assembled, go through un-assembled. No matter what, not everything lines up and it has to be sanded. I ain't doin' that with orbital. Same with big panelled ends.

-I refuse to use edgebanding. So every shelf I make gets a 1", or 1-1/4" edge on it. I'm not going to run a flush trimmer across every one, so the belt sander knocks em' flat. I don't even bother running an orbital across the bottom side of the shelf anymore. The belt sander does a good enough job for something that is never seen again, or at the very least is always in a shaddow, once installed.

-Dovetail drawers, I sand the top and bottom edges to take care of saw marks, and to level anything off that wasn't lined up flush. I also sand the sides this way. If there is any gaps in the dovetails, (which no matter what there always is), a little spot of glue and the dust from the belt sander while sanding them flat does the trick.

-I belt sand all of my finished ends before sanding them with a orbital.

They're handy, and once you know how to use one, they cease to be tools of mass destruction. I typically use a 120g belt as well in the shop.

[Jay Yoder]

I still have not gotten it yet, maybe tomorrow? Sure hope they still have it! Definately sounds like I will find many uses for it once it is my posession. IIRC, Norm used one to round over the corners on his router table top...

[mickey cassiba]

With all that's been said, I must admit that though I own two, an older 3x21 VS and a practically new 3x24 "locomotive", I don't use them much anymore.
The PC 352VS is a good machine, but watch out for the cord...I can't count how many we dug out of the back end. It'll strip the drive belt and if you have a T5 with the plastic pulley, strip the pulley off of the shaft. Prime cause of warranty returns at the refurb shop.
Mickey

[Tony Bilello]

Paul brings up some really important points " Talk about potential for destruction!", oh yeah, one false move and there goes the table top.
....."but the 4" base makes quite a difference than the 3" - Another important point. I currently have the 4 X 24 PC (new) and just about always have had the older PC 4 X 24. It is fairly heavy and very powerful. Because of the broad base, it tends to want to stay flat which is something the narrow ones dont like to do. I fully trust it and myself to level a table top in literally minutes. This sucker eats wood especially with an 80 or 100 grit belt. "Cheap belts are no bargain" .....and neither is a cheap belt sander.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I use mine on every wide panel glueup that I do. It's real easy to use once you get used to it. I would get rid of some other tools before I got rid of my belt sander. It's storage location is in my vice. I turn it on all the time to fine tune the fit of something.

[Jay Yoder]

Well, unfortunately, I waited too long and someone else picked up a steal! I know I always am a day late dollar short...

[Mark Boyette]

Personally I use the belt sander a lot. Much of it is on solid surface and laminate counters. Still use it quite a bit on solid wood projects. Takes down planer and joiner marks in an instant, and makes for much less sanding with the DA. A must have for a shop in my opinion.

[Glen Butler]

My little 2.5 x 14, was a life saver. ROS just couldn't cut the mustard, so I bought the PC-371K. I had to get into the corners of these treads and risers. The thing paid for itself the same day.

When you need one, you need one. But that is not very often.

[Joshua Layne]

used my PC belt sander today for the first time in years - to level a cast iron surface :P It didn't get it perfect, but it got it close a lot faster than my sandpaper and reference granite block were. The sandpaper and granite are doing their final work now and the belt sander is put away...

guess another vote for - nice to have when you need it.