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Thread: Stationary Belt vs Disk sander
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6th December 2018, 07:08 PM #1
Stationary Belt vs Disk sander
This question follows from a discussion I had on a US forum. There was a request for a design for a disk sander, which someone wished to build. I stated that I had come to the conclusion that a stationary belt sander was the better machine by far. I would be interested in your opinion - I am always open to be educated here. I think that many here could benefit from this discussion.
This was my argument ...
I have had a small 6" x 9" combo disk/belt sander for at least 15 years. For many years I used the 9" diameter disk sander to shape end grain. The 6" belt sander was largely unused. One day, out of curiosity, I raised the belt vertically and added a horizontal platform in front of it. This was so much better as a sanding tool. With the disk sander, you get uneven scratches, plus the speeds are uneven across the face. With the belt, the scratches are uniform and vertical. Control is so much better.
If I was to purchase or build a sanding machine, it would be one like this, rather than a disk sander ...
Gad, I'd love to find one like this!
There is just no way that a disk sander can offer the same even sanding pattern or squareness for edges.
After using a disk sander for many years, and even at one time planning to buy a large version, I am blown away with the ease of use and finish off my 6" wide vertical belt.
I came across this video of a vertical belt sander. Take note of the comment made at 7:30 about the 12" disk sander alongside.
As mentioned, my combo machine is a 6"x9" (6" wide belt and 9" diameter disk). The machine is built from cast iron and has a 3/4 hp motor running at 1450 rpm.
I have used the disk for many years and have a reasonable touch on it. What I dislike is that it cuts very aggressively and will burn wood if not careful. The disk does not have a large working area (one effectively can only use one side), and the degree of sanding varies across the surface (minor sanding at the centre, and increasingly aggressive as one moves to the outside).
The belt sander sports a MDF platform on top of the adjustable table (it switches around from the disk to the belt). I plan to build an improved table. The belt sits absolutely flat on the platen (the angles sanded are very accurate). The belt sander has an even removal of waste, and the slower speed plus long belt reduces heat to a minimum. There is no burning of end grain.
Regards from Perth
DerekVisit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.
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6th December 2018, 08:08 PM #2
Hi Derek,
I'm not sure if this is relevant, but I have found using a high quality Random Orbital Sander gives beautiful sanding finish for oil application. A ROS with a 3mm rotation gives excellent finish, both for application of oil or for a very smooth finish ready for application of some other finish. The Festool I use gives such clean result that it is very difficult to find a scratch at levels such as 400 and then higher, (up to 4000g), when Hard Burnishing the oil. This is the finish of choice for me. The durability and depth of finish are exemplary.
Regards,
Rob
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6th December 2018, 08:29 PM #3
Hi Rob
That's useful info, but a different application, I'm afraid. The ROS is generally used for face grain, and not end grain or edge shaping, which is the forte of the vertical belt sander or disk sander. The ROS is a finishing tool, by-and-large, while the others are shaping tools. The ROS works best on wide surfaces, but the other two are aimed at narrow surfaces.
Regards from Perth
DerekVisit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.
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6th December 2018, 08:31 PM #4
I pretty much agree with your comments; I had an old 24" disc sander in my Shipwrights shop in Darwin that was quite incapable of sanding without burning anywhere near the outer 4 or 5 inches. I now have a Triton disc and belt sander and the disc rarely sees wood.
I have a question regarding your set up; exactly what is the purpose of the auxiliary table? It doesn't look to be appreciably larger than the iron one and you have lost the mitre slot. Is it just to raise the work surface to a more comfortable working height?Nothing succeeds like a budgie without a beak.
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6th December 2018, 08:37 PM #5
Chief, it is just to raise the work above the disk. I am thinking about taking the machine apart and building it into a dedicated vertical sander. I'll build a wider table lower down with decent dust control.
Regards from Perth
DerekVisit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.
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6th December 2018, 08:58 PM #6Taking a break
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6th December 2018, 08:59 PM #7
Then why would anyone want to use a disk sander?
Regards from Perth
DerekVisit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.
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6th December 2018, 09:04 PM #8Taking a break
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The only thing I can think of is for sanding the ends of boards that are particularly wide; belt sanders tend to top out at 6" (maybe 8" if you hunt around), but disks went up to 36" which would give you 12-15" of usable space.
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6th December 2018, 09:45 PM #9
Gidday Derek
Ive got one of these and think they are the duks guts
Select-A-Rad 483 Tube Notcher / Belt Grinder | Radius Master Belt Grinders
Radiusmaster in my view make the best belt Grinders in the business [though they are expensive] I use mine for all sorts of tasks from slack belt grinding to platten grinding, blade sharpening and general metal
fabrication plus woodworking check out all the workstations for ideas as there are some caveats to their effectiveness eg: Best to have a platten, mountings for fixtures and so on and so fourth
As an ex metal fabricator a Great belt sander is one of the most useful tools in the shop
Regards LouJust Do The Best You Can With What You HAve At The Time
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6th December 2018, 09:46 PM #10.
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I can understand why many disc sanders don't get a lot of use in a wood shop and the main problem seems to be that they turn too rapidly on standard machines.
My 2m x 150 mm belt sander uses a 100mm diameter drive drum and a 300 mm disc so the outside of the disc is always traveling 3 times faster than the belt.
The machine uses a 415V 3P 3HP 2 speed (2850 and 1425 rpm) motor but when I converted the motor to run with a 240V VFD I lost the low speed but that doesn't matter because the VFD allows me to reduce the speed so I can still use the disc without burning wood.
Even so. I tend to use the disc for metal (ie chamfering and squaring up the ends of metal rectangular tubing) and the belt for wood and the belt/disc grit/types that I tend to leave on the belt and the disc reflects this.
The VFD is great for changing the belt speed as well, a bit slower when doing something critical and even a bit faster when you really want to quickly tidy up some rough cut timber.
One of the best things I did to my belt sander was to extend the length of the belt and leave the extended portion of the belt unsupported (ie nothing behind it) which is very useful for sanding curved surfaces. My Multitool linisher which I use for sanding metal has a similar capability. The linisher also has a 150mm disc but I prefer to use the 300 mm disc as it has a better work support table.
In all cases good dust extraction is essential.
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6th December 2018, 09:52 PM #11GOLD MEMBER
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I certainly use my belt sander more than the disc on the end of my lathe. My belt is 150mm wide and has a 900mm long table, I think the belt is 2mtrs long or there about? Not vertical like the ones you show. It’s one of the most used machines in the shed. I even made a jig to turn it into a thicknesser of sorts for my ukulele making (light passes only) belts last for a very long time too!
I will one day get a drum sander for this purpose though.
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6th December 2018, 09:56 PM #12China
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I have to 300 mm disc sanders one for metal. one for timber, however I have recently acquired a vertical 150 mm belt sander as said above I prefer it to the disc
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6th December 2018, 09:56 PM #13GOLD MEMBER
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Stationary Belt vs Disk sander
Deleted, duplicate post.
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6th December 2018, 10:08 PM #14Taking a break
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I wonder if it would be possible to make a disk sander that had concentric rings of, say, 100-150mm wide with a planetary reduction system to get them all at similar surface speeds.
I know it'd be totally impractical and cost a fortune to do, but just a thought...
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6th December 2018, 10:58 PM #15.
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