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handheld belt sanders

Started by hackberry jake, May 25, 2016, 08:56:06 PM

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hackberry jake

My first belt sander was a 3X18" skil cheapie I bought new. I burnt it up in about a year. The second one was a 3X21" skil that I got at an auction for $5. It came with a grizzly jig saw as well. I just got done burning it up. Now I'm ready to step up to a professional version. It looks like the biggest anyone makes is a 4X24. I looked at a few of them and really like the weight and feel of the Porter cable, and the orange box store has it on sale for $209. I don't know if I should leave towards the 3X24 because of cheaper belts... What Do you have, and do you like it?
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

Dan_Shade

I have a 4x24 Porter cable, I prefer that size to the 3x18.

I find it's easier to handle, and less likely to dig in.
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

WDH

I swore off belt sanders.  Also swore off hickory  :)
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Left Coast Chris

I have a 4x24 porter cable also and it has so many hours on it the steel friction plate on the bottom is wearing through now after 7 years.   It has paid for itself three times over but I would still like to find replacement parts and I'm having a hard time finding them.  That is my only small complaint.   The situation that I am considering changing the wear plate and rollers is testament to its solid construction and durability.    Also $209 is a great price for one.   You can't go wrong.

A side note on the belts:  Klingspore has a bargain box of 4x24 belts that is a huge value.
Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

ScottAR

I have a 3x21 dewalt and it's fine although I've used a porter cable and it seemed more robust.
I've been eyeing a makita in 4x24 as the dust collection looked better and 11 amp motor would be a step up.   My main complaint with the dewalt is the dust collection is poor. 

My main uses are scribing cabinets and counters to walls and recently cleaning up behind a floor sander.

I tried some frued/diablo sanding belts and was impressed.  I will buy more.
Scott
"There is much that I need to do, even more that I want to do, and even less that I can do."
[Magicman]

SwampDonkey

Makita here, same one for over 20 years.  8)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

scgargoyle

I bought my 3X24 Makita in the late 70's. Still using it.
I hope my ship comes in before the dock rots!

Kbeitz

I have 3 of the 3X21" skils.First one I bought over 25 years ago and it's still going strong.
About every 3 months you need to put a drop of oil in the little hole on the motor shaft.



 
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

opticsguy

I use the Bosch 4x24 and is an excellent machine.  With a 40 grit belt you can bore holes in wood. 
TK 1220 band mill,  1952 Ford F-2, 1925 Dodge touring, too many telescopes.

Larry

I have one of the new PC 4 X 24's.  95% of its use is to level glued up slabs too wide to run through the planer.  That size is the least likely to make a divot.  I did use it the other day to put a brushed finish on some aluminum plate.  Too heavy and awkward for other uses, especially for the elderly. :D :D I also have one of the old locomotive PC 3 X 24's.  It will do nearly the same job and sometimes they can be found at auctions for a few dollars.  Mind has a leaking oil seal which is a common problem when they are 50 years old.  I think the seal is hard to find but that's ok as I only use it as a shop ornament. :)

I also have a Craftsman 3 X 21 that I bought new about 30 years ago.  I think it might have been medium quality at the time.  I use it all the time for scribing, rough work, and laminate edges.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Bruno of NH

Try to find the locomotive type PC they are the best  .
But the new PC are nice and so are the heavy duty makita
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

21incher

I had a old Montgomery Wards 4 x 21 3/4 for years and then it started shocking me, so I took the low cost route and bought  4 x 24 variable speed magnesium one from harbor freight and I would never own a single speed one again. The blue Norton belts give me the longest life. :)
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

SwampDonkey

Hard to beat Norton, but locally you can't find good belts like you could 15 years ago.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

DFILER2

It seems you are burning them up pretty quickly, maybe you should be looking at a different type of tool. A surface sander or stationary sander, just a thought.

redprospector

I've got an old Porter Cable 3x21 that I bought at a trade day in Denton, TX in 1978 for $5.00, and it was old then.  :D A month or so ago the brushes gave up in it, and I went and bought a 3x21 Skill to use while I was hunting brushes. Wow! What a difference. I'm thinking about taking my old Porter Cable to the tool shop and have it rebuilt.
Running that new Skill makes me want to do a lot less sanding.  :(
1996 Timber King B-20 with 14' extension, Morgan Mini Scragg Mill, Fastline Band Scragg Mill (project), 1973 JD 440-b skidder, 2008 Bobcat T-320 with buckets, grapple, auger, Tushogg mulching head, etc., 2006 Fecon FTX-90L with Bull Hog 74SS head, 1994 Vermeer 1250 BC Chipper. A bunch of chainsaws.

Larry

With the old PC locomotive sanders the rear handle is straight behind and low.  The front handle is past the front end also.  I think the location of the handles made it a lot easier to control the sander and avoid divots.

My new PC with the top mount handles is a bear to control and do good work.  The 4" wide belt also contributes a lot to control problems.  I do ok but when I only use it every 6 months or so it takes a bit of practice to get back in tune.

When I was young, I got a lot of experience running those old sanders.  I finished non-ferrous metals by wet sanding and the finish had to be perfect.  Used mostly water and before long the work area was a mess.  One day I was able to hold one of the sanders straight out with one arm and violently shake it for a very long time.  I was also screaming at the top of my lungs until my co-worker pulled the plug. :D :-[ :D
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

hackberry jake

Quote from: Larry on May 28, 2016, 09:46:27 PM
One day I was able to hold one of the sanders straight out with one arm and violently shake it for a very long time.  I was also screaming at the top of my lungs until my co-worker pulled the plug. :D :-[ :D
I always wondered what was wrong with you..
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

Just Me

I have a few PC 3x21's, and a 4 x 24, and my favorite the PC 3x 24 Whisper Series. All are good.

PM me an address and I will send you a 3x21 no charge. I have more than I need as I do not have crews any more and they are a nice handy unit for when weight of the larger ones is too much.

isawlogs

 I have two Makita 3X24. One with coarse grit one with fine grit. These have a 4" base plates and I run them with the 4X24 sanding paper. Have had one for over 20 years and the other I got at a garage sale, it was not running at the time I bought it. Who ever had it before me had spliced the cord about a foot away from the handle, wires had come apart  :-\  I cut the cord and rewired it, these having a eight foot cord on them made it easy.  :)
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

opticsguy

The cord on my Bosch was damaged and replaced it with a 20 foot cord. Wow, does that make it a much much more functional tool.
TK 1220 band mill,  1952 Ford F-2, 1925 Dodge touring, too many telescopes.

isawlogs

 When someone cuts the cord on any of my tools he usualy goes and replaces the short ones with a ten foot cord.  ;D
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

SwampDonkey

20 feet is way too long for me, I don't like fighting cords around other objects. :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

WDH

Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

hackberry jake

I actually ordered a cheap Amazon belt sander. A WEN 3X21. It was less than $50 and came with a 2 year warranty. I bought an additional 2 years of warranty for $4. They also sell a handheld planer for about $40 with the same warranty... Never used the handheld variety before but I know a lot of people think they're handy. The sander is supposed to get here Thursday.I don't have super high hopes for $50.
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

mesquite buckeye

Those handheld planers are super handy to level out big unwieldy boards and other stuff. Mine sure came in handy making that bathroom sink and leveling up my crooked counter boards. ;D
Manage 80 acre tree farm in central Missouri and Mesquite timber and about a gozillion saguaros in Arizona.

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