Thread: Belt Sander - Hafco or Carbatec

Hey guys.
First time poster. Let me tell you a little about myself, im a uni student, with a passion for knives and have just started knife making as a hobby. I've come here since you guys have a great knowledge about the machinery im looking at.

At the moment, im using a hand held Ozito belt sander. Needless to say, this thing hasn't got alot of power and the belts are short, making progress slow and belt life not so great. What do you expect for $40 right?
Anyway, im looking at stepping up to something a little better.
Namely,
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Pr...stockCode=L107
or
Carba-Tec® 6"x9" Belt/Disc Sander with Stand : CARBA-TEC

Now I do know that this type of setup is not ideal for knife making and a thinner belt is usually desired. But given my modest budget and since im only a beginner I figured this would suffice for now.

A couple of questions.
The machines are very similar no doubt, but would one be more suitable to my purpose than the other? I've heard that Hafco machinery is usually better suited to metal than Carbatec machinery.
And the belts at Carbatec are $18 but they are $10 at Hafco, would there be a noticeable difference in cutting ability/life between the two?

Or, can anyone provide advice as to whether I would be able to get a more traditional knife making type grinder in the Melbourne area for <$500?

Thank you in advance,
Zac