Thread: Need some clarification!

Belt sanders will remove a lot of material in a hurry. The belts usually come in 40 grit and 80 grit, sometimes 120 grit. I use mine more for shaping. Usually, I clamp it upside down on the workbench and move the piece over it. They can remove a lot of timber in a hurry, and it's easy to remove too much, so I use it sparingly.

Random orbital sanders are better for smoothing. I usually start with 80 or 120 grit to remove saw marks, then work up through about 400 grit, then apply the finish. Other people work differently. A random orbital is not so good for shaping as a belt sander. However, the random action does a good job of removing its own grit marks, where a belt sander will leave long grit marks in whatever you're doing.

So if you want to prep a piece for finish, use the ROS. If you want to shape or remove a lot of material quickly, use the belt.

Tex

Belt sanders... with furniture/cabinet work cant see the point when hand planes will do a better and faster job(and im a powertool head...).
To me its a tool for construction chippys and sculptural work.

I only use my belt sander for end-grain carving plywood and other stuff where lots of strange things meet with epoxy goop on boats. Pretty much as Harry says really. If you have a use for them, they are great, but they just sit in their box the other 51 weeks a year!

Cheers,

P

Originally Posted by bitingmidge

If you have a use for them, they are great, but they just sit in their box the other 51 weeks a year!

Isn't that why belt-sander races were invented? Also helps to kill a couple of hours on a lazy day...

Hint: never put any coin on an Ozito to win, even if it's a one-sander race!

Agree with Harry72 totally.

I have a hand-held electric belt sander, but use it very infrequently. Hand planes do a much better job, and leave a surface to die for. Not quite the case with a belt sander :eek:

Poor old Ozito, eh Skew?

They do take a bit of a bashing, but then cheap shyte really is just cheap shyte...

Thanks guys, for clearing things up for me... everyone was most helpful with their suggestions and comments. I think I'll be sticking with the ROS for now, until I can afford the belt sander... I just need to smooth surfaces, not much shaping at all.. .

Originally Posted by bitingmidge

...they just sit in their box the other 51 weeks a year!

Cheers,

P

Thanks for reminding me Midge, it's so long since I used it I'd forgotten where it was.

Belt sanders aren't entirely useless, but it is probably one of the least used tools in my workshop.

what kind of beds do you make? Send us some pics.

Do you do any beds with slab heads? if so then a belt sander can be great to clean the slabs back, admittedly I am trying to convince my other half to let me get a gorgeous new jointing plane to clean slabs up - she's still not quite convinced

Originally Posted by Auld Bassoon

Poor old Ozito, eh Skew?

They do take a bit of a bashing, but then cheap shyte really is just cheap shyte...

There are some brands which are cheap and nastily made but at least they'll see a days' work and pay for themselves before being relegated to the dumpster. Some will even continue to embarass us by refusing to break under constant abuse you'd never even consider applying to a "respectable" tool. :eek:

Then there are other brands, also cheap and nastily made, which tend to break within 15 minutes of unpacking... if the act of unpacking doesn't, in itself, render the tool inoperable.

I dislike bagging any brand, but I think it's safe to say I believe Ozito belongs in the latter category.

Originally Posted by Harry72

Belt sanders... with furniture/cabinet work cant see the point when hand planes will do a better and faster job(and im a powertool head...).
To me its a tool for construction chippys and sculptural work.

Originally Posted by Auld Bassoon

Agree with Harry72 totally.

I have a hand-held electric belt sander, but use it very infrequently. Hand planes do a much better job, and leave a surface to die for. Not quite the case with a belt sander :eek:

I agree with the above.

Earlier days when I was very limited in the tools department the Belt sander was OK but rough and made a mess of as many things as it successfully achieved. I have found a good use for it over the last few years. Paint or varnish stripper with a 40 grid belt ... end of story.

the trouble with Skew is that after you look at the quality of his work and read and look at his tutes ya just got to listen to his opinions, sigh. )

Originally Posted by tashammer

the trouble with Skew is that after you look at the quality of his work and read and look at his tutes ya just got to listen to his opinions, sigh. )