Alternatives to Rigid OSS/belt sander?

[Ken Platt]

Folks -

I just finished boxing up a new Ridgid belt/OSS for return. The spindle has a huge runout - about 1/10th inch or so measured by my dial indicator, although the wobble is grossly obvious. Grrrrrr.

Anyhow, I'm wondering if there are any other spindle sanders out there that combine an edge-type sander with the OSS similar to the Rigid model. I like the idea and think it could be very useful, but I'm not especially inclined to give Ridgid another shot, given the time I wasted setting up and returning this one.

So - anything out there like that? As an aside, I'm curious who would give the Ridgid a second chance?

Ken

[Alan Schwabacher]

That sounds bad enough it would have to be returned no matter what brand it was. Since the Ridgid has received good reviews, I can't believe that many are that bad. I probably would have tried again.

[Prashun Patel]

I'd give the Ridgid a second chance.
I love mine and haven't often heard the complaint you're experiencing.

[David Hostetler]

I have the Ridgid and love it. No problems here. Take yours back for exchange... Sounds like perhaps a bent spindle on yours... Mind you, this IS an oscillating sander, and you aren't going to get perfect no runout whatsoever, but 1/10" seems a bit much...

[Neil Brooks]

Mine was dead-on, and operationally perfect, when I set it up, last Thursday night.

I'd tend to agree: another try. Great product for the $$.

[Adam Strong]

I agree with the others... I own many Ridgid tools and have found them all to be exceptional. The OSS has always had great reviews and there is no reason to not try out a second one before labeling it a bad product.

[Bill White]

Mine has been a real work horse. Try again.
Bill

[Rob Lindquist]

I have the Rigid and it seemed perfect at first. But with use I notice lately now it does have a lot of runout/vibration, have not measured it but it has been buggin me as to why it recently started doing this. I was going to look to see if something has come loose.

[Prashun Patel]

Maybe I'm missing something or am not using my Ridgid OSS optimally, but even if it has runout, I'm not sure I'd notice. I mean, it's not like a set-it-and-hopefully-forget it tool like a tablesaw, where you need that kind of accuracy. Usually, I use mine for cleaning up; I sand to a line. It's a lot of art and feel. Not sure 0 runout would make much difference...

[Kevin Womer]

I'd give the Ridgid a second chance.
I love mine and haven't often heard the complaint you're experiencing.

+1 Had mine for about three years, while it may not be heavy duty it performs well if you just don't try to hog a ton of material off at once.

[Ken Platt]

OK, I'm convinced to try again. An HD on my way home from work says they have 3 of them in stock, so I'll swap mine there tomorrow.

Regarding the runout, anyone would have noticed this. With this amount of wobble the spindle would essentially be bumping the workpiece back and forth. This amount of wobbling is just not compatible with any usefullness for this unit.

Ridgid, here's your second chance!

Thanks folks -

Ken

[Terry Welty]

mine works superdeedooper.

[Jeff Miller]

I sold mine and got one of these used for $225.00



http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f32/woodfarmer/GRIZZLY/Harley051.jpg?t=1265158807



http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f32/woodfarmer/GRIZZLY/Harley053.jpg?t=1265158852




JEFF:D

[Paul Ryan]

I have had mine for 3 years, never an issue. If was the best $150 I have spent on a sander. I dont know of anything equal. I use my belt 90% of the time. The curves at the ends of the belts work for most of my inside sanding. It is a great machine. I wish they would come out with one with a cast table on a stand, 6" instead of 4, but keep the belt and spindle options.

[Jeff Nolan]

I had one for years and really liked it... then I gave it to my best friend because I was convinced I needed a more "industrial strength" machine. I bought a Powermatic 31A to replace and there wasn't a day that I used that machine when I didn't wish I still had that Ridgid instead of the Powermatic.

I don't think there is anything else like it on the market and yes it does vibrate something fierce but it still works really well. I'd take the one you have back and just get a replacement.

[glenn bradley]

Mine also works quite well. I am glad I got it as I was preparing to pick up a much larger and more expensive spindle sander. Now, for the reasonable cost of $200, I have figured out that I really need an oscillating belt sander that might also support a spindle ;-) Cheaper lesson than if I had learned it the other way.

[Noah Katz]

You don't have to "set it up", just open the box and plug it in & check before leaving the store.

[mreza Salav]

I am among the very few that don't give this sander an excellent mark.
It's a good combination machine but the edge sander setup is useless as it doesn't give you a flat and perpendicular edge (I know you can adjust the table).
Try it out and see if you can join the edges that are sanded;
the trouble is the surface beneath the sanding belt isn't that flat.
Learned it the hard way when sanding a few segmented pieces.
For that, I'd use a disk sander.

But the spindle setup works fine for me.

[Van Huskey]

I am among the very few that don't give this sander an excellent mark.
It's a good combination machine but the edge sander setup is useless as it doesn't give you a flat and perpendicular edge (I know you can adjust the table).
Try it out and see if you can join the edges that are sanded;
the trouble is the surface beneath the sanding belt isn't that flat.
Learned it the hard way when sanding a few segmented pieces.
For that, I'd use a disk sander.

But the spindle setup works fine for me.

I agree, great spindle sander but thats about as far as it goes, but for the price that is all it needs to be.

[Brian Penning]

I agree, great spindle sander but thats about as far as it goes, but for the price that is all it needs to be.

I'd say the belt sander is on mine 99% of the time.
So much that it gets quite tough to get it off the shaft when I do use the spindle.

[Gene Howe]

Mine performs exquisitely!
Used primarily for sanding to a line for patterns in 3/4" MDF. Nary a problem and I don't know how I'd do it otherwise without separate machines, for which there is no space or $$.

[Ken Platt]

The end of the story - Went back to HD and traded for another. This one works well, no wobble in the spindle. A couple other minor things about the fit and finish on this one are also better, so the other must just have been a lemon. Used the belt briefly, I think that will also get a lot of use as it's easier to control the sanding than with my small disk sander, which has also been my go-to for sanding edges.

Ken

[Adam Strong]

Great to hear! I don't have the OSS, but have been saving up some HD store credit from returning job overages ( must say: I own the business, I'm not ripping anyone off) and plan on getting one soon. I have mostly Ridgid tools and have yet to find a bad one.