Recent hand held belt sander reviews?? Top Value one?

[David Kuzdrall]

I am currently in the market for a decent hand held belt sander but can't seem to find any recent comparisons or side-by-side reviews. I will be using it to flatten glued up panels, end-grain cutting boards, and work slabs that are too tricky and / or too large for any stationary planer / jointer that I will ever own.

is there a consensus on what make / model represents a good value in a belt sander for these applications?

thx

[george wilson]

I like my Porter Cable,though it is at least 15 years old. They may not make the same quality now.

[Al Launier]

Using a hand held belt sander to "flatten" a glued up panel can be tricky, especially if the panel section are out of plane to each other. Had experience with this many years ago when starting out with limited tools. Using a hand plane might serve you better if you have one. Just a thought.

[Mike Kees]

Hi David ,I own a porter cable 4x24 that is a real beast .I have used it to sand hardwood floors down for refinishing and other demanding jobs and it never missed a beat. One of my real good friends prefers the makita 3x21. Jason installed cabinets for about 10-12 years and they liked the lighter wieght and reliability of the makita. Anyhow that would give you two real good options from real world experience. Good luck with your decision.

[Sam Murdoch]

A serious suggestion though not a direct response- look into a Festool RO150. This tool can be as aggressive as needed and used all the way through the process from rough board to finish sanding. So much easier and safer to control than any belt sander (in my experience).

As for belt sanders left in my shop, I highly recommend the Porter-Cable 371K Compact Belt Sander. It is a perfect little one hand operable belt sander - especially good for edges and cutting to scribe lines or any narrow controlled sanding required.

[John A langley]

I have two Makitas one is model 9401 is the old one, Newer one is model 9404 they been real good Sanders I would recommend at least get a 4 inch wide one, and let the weight of the sander do the work

[Stephen Tashiro]

One comparison to make is 4" vs 3" sanders. Unless you frequently sand things wider than 4", get a 3" sander. On jobs only a few inches wide, I find the 3" sanders easier to use and they actually seem to work faster on those jobs than 4" sanders.

Another intersting point to debate is how big a nose roller you want. I haven't used any belt sander with a tiny nose roller. Those I've read about got bad reviews.

I've used sanders with fat nose and drive rollers. These were the GMC BS900MUL and the DeWalt DW433K. You can't use the nose of this type of sanders to sand, but for me that's good - it removes the temptation. I very much like how easy it is to use the dial-type belt release mechanisms on these sanders. However, I wouldn't recommend either them.

I haven't found any place to get a replacment drive wheel for the GMC BS900MUL. On one of the the two that I own, the end of the shaft on the drive roller snapped off. The GMC is a light weight sander that is pleasant to use and I'd happily put up with repairing it periodically if I could get parts.

I've owned two DW433Ks. One had an unreliable speed control chip and would just stop after the tool got hot. I easily found replacment parts for the DW433K, but replacing the chip didn't fix the problem. ( I despise the tool case for the DW433K. You get your fingers pinched putting the tool in it. ).

The belt sanders I most often use are two Hitachi SB8V2. The SB8V2 is an "old school" design. It has a dust bags as opposed to impractical filter cannisters (like those on the GMC and the Dewalt).. It has an old fashioned metal belt release lever. As a gesture of mercy there is plastic pad on the metal tab of it.

(I admit that I have more sanders than sanding.)

[Cary Falk]

I have the Makita 9404 and an older Makita 3x18 which they don't make anymore. I love both of them. The 3x18 is light and easy to maneuver in odd places. It works well in home projects where I need to sand vertical or over my head. The 9404 is a beast and works great for working large panels. I prefer a sander with a flat top so I can flip hem on their back and use them as a stationary belt sander if needed. I never cared for tall Porter Cable pones. Everyone I have used I found tippy. That was 20 years ago so thing s have changed. I also have a 6" Makita ROS which I love also. I know a lot of people hate belt sanders and would rather use planes. I grew up around belt sanders instead of planes so that is what I use.

[Bill McNiel]

I use my belt sander alot. A couple of years ago my thirty some odd year old Rockwell died. I replaced it with a PC 360 VS (3 x 24). It has performed very well and as a bonus it easily connects it to my Festool Vac and give the best dust collection I have seen with a belt sander, not spotless by any means but a significant improvement. Weight and balance are very similar to my old Rockwell.

[David Kuzdrall]

One comparison to make is 4" vs 3" sanders. Unless you frequently sand things wider than 4", get a 3" sander. On jobs only a few inches wide, I find the 3" sanders easier to use and they actually seem to work faster on those jobs than 4" sanders.

Another intersting point to debate is how big a nose roller you want. I haven't used any belt sander with a tiny nose roller. Those I've read about got bad reviews.

I've used sanders with fat nose and drive rollers. These were the GMC BS900MUL and the DeWalt DW433K. You can't use the nose of this type of sanders to sand, but for me that's good - it removes the temptation. I very much like how easy it is to use the dial-type belt release mechanisms on these sanders. However, I wouldn't recommend either them.

I haven't found any place to get a replacment drive wheel for the GMC BS900MUL. On one of the the two that I own, the end of the shaft on the drive roller snapped off. The GMC is a light weight sander that is pleasant to use and I'd happily put up with repairing it periodically if I could get parts.

I've owned two DW433Ks. One had an unreliable speed control chip and would just stop after the tool got hot. I easily found replacment parts for the DW433K, but replacing the chip didn't fix the problem. ( I despise the tool case for the DW433K. You get your fingers pinched putting the tool in it. ).

The belt sanders I most often use are two Hitachi SB8V2. The SB8V2 is an "old school" design. It has a dust bags as opposed to impractical filter cannisters (like those on the GMC and the Dewalt).. It has an old fashioned metal belt release lever. As a gesture of mercy there is plastic pad on the metal tab of it.

(I admit that I have more sanders than sanding.)

will the 4" versions stay flatter easier the the 3" ones?? Is it a significant difference?

[Kent A Bathurst]

I like my Porter Cable,though it is at least 15 years old. They may not make the same quality now.

Ditto. word-for-word. 360 VS 3" x 24"

Or - go find one of these on the used market somewhere. Affectionately known as the "locomotive":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7Ae68TtklQ

[Mike Cutler]

I have a Porter Cable 3x21. It's done everything I need to do.

You can mess up some wood really fast with a belt sander.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I have a Porter Cable 3x21. It's done everything I need to do.

You can mess up any and all wood incredibly fast with a belt sander.

Corrected it for you, Mike..........

[John A langley]

David four-inch will stay flatter than a 3 inch one will rock 'n roll ,I started out in 1961 working on a 3 inch porta cable
locomotive and would much prefer its big brother the only thing a belt sander is good for fast removal of material if you learned to let the weight of the sander do the work you get better results

[Rick Lizek]

http://www.wwgoa.com/master-the-belt-sander/
Get one with a sanding frame or shoe