Recent hand held belt sander reviews?? Top Value one?

[David Kuzdrall]

I am currently in the market for a decent hand held belt sander but can't seem to find any recent comparisons or side-by-side reviews. I will be using it to flatten glued up panels, end-grain cutting boards, and work slabs that are too tricky and / or too large for any stationary planer / jointer that I will ever own.

is there a consensus on what make / model represents a good value in a belt sander for these applications?

thx

[george wilson]

I like my Porter Cable,though it is at least 15 years old. They may not make the same quality now.

[Al Launier]

Using a hand held belt sander to "flatten" a glued up panel can be tricky, especially if the panel section are out of plane to each other. Had experience with this many years ago when starting out with limited tools. Using a hand plane might serve you better if you have one. Just a thought.

[Mike Kees]

Hi David ,I own a porter cable 4x24 that is a real beast .I have used it to sand hardwood floors down for refinishing and other demanding jobs and it never missed a beat. One of my real good friends prefers the makita 3x21. Jason installed cabinets for about 10-12 years and they liked the lighter wieght and reliability of the makita. Anyhow that would give you two real good options from real world experience. Good luck with your decision.

[Sam Murdoch]

A serious suggestion though not a direct response- look into a Festool RO150. This tool can be as aggressive as needed and used all the way through the process from rough board to finish sanding. So much easier and safer to control than any belt sander (in my experience).

As for belt sanders left in my shop, I highly recommend the Porter-Cable 371K Compact Belt Sander. It is a perfect little one hand operable belt sander - especially good for edges and cutting to scribe lines or any narrow controlled sanding required.

[John A langley]

I have two Makitas one is model 9401 is the old one, Newer one is model 9404 they been real good Sanders I would recommend at least get a 4 inch wide one, and let the weight of the sander do the work

[Stephen Tashiro]

One comparison to make is 4" vs 3" sanders. Unless you frequently sand things wider than 4", get a 3" sander. On jobs only a few inches wide, I find the 3" sanders easier to use and they actually seem to work faster on those jobs than 4" sanders.

Another intersting point to debate is how big a nose roller you want. I haven't used any belt sander with a tiny nose roller. Those I've read about got bad reviews.

I've used sanders with fat nose and drive rollers. These were the GMC BS900MUL and the DeWalt DW433K. You can't use the nose of this type of sanders to sand, but for me that's good - it removes the temptation. I very much like how easy it is to use the dial-type belt release mechanisms on these sanders. However, I wouldn't recommend either them.

I haven't found any place to get a replacment drive wheel for the GMC BS900MUL. On one of the the two that I own, the end of the shaft on the drive roller snapped off. The GMC is a light weight sander that is pleasant to use and I'd happily put up with repairing it periodically if I could get parts.

I've owned two DW433Ks. One had an unreliable speed control chip and would just stop after the tool got hot. I easily found replacment parts for the DW433K, but replacing the chip didn't fix the problem. ( I despise the tool case for the DW433K. You get your fingers pinched putting the tool in it. ).

The belt sanders I most often use are two Hitachi SB8V2. The SB8V2 is an "old school" design. It has a dust bags as opposed to impractical filter cannisters (like those on the GMC and the Dewalt).. It has an old fashioned metal belt release lever. As a gesture of mercy there is plastic pad on the metal tab of it.

(I admit that I have more sanders than sanding.)

[Cary Falk]

I have the Makita 9404 and an older Makita 3x18 which they don't make anymore. I love both of them. The 3x18 is light and easy to maneuver in odd places. It works well in home projects where I need to sand vertical or over my head. The 9404 is a beast and works great for working large panels. I prefer a sander with a flat top so I can flip hem on their back and use them as a stationary belt sander if needed. I never cared for tall Porter Cable pones. Everyone I have used I found tippy. That was 20 years ago so thing s have changed. I also have a 6" Makita ROS which I love also. I know a lot of people hate belt sanders and would rather use planes. I grew up around belt sanders instead of planes so that is what I use.

[Bill McNiel]

I use my belt sander alot. A couple of years ago my thirty some odd year old Rockwell died. I replaced it with a PC 360 VS (3 x 24). It has performed very well and as a bonus it easily connects it to my Festool Vac and give the best dust collection I have seen with a belt sander, not spotless by any means but a significant improvement. Weight and balance are very similar to my old Rockwell.

[David Kuzdrall]

One comparison to make is 4" vs 3" sanders. Unless you frequently sand things wider than 4", get a 3" sander. On jobs only a few inches wide, I find the 3" sanders easier to use and they actually seem to work faster on those jobs than 4" sanders.

Another intersting point to debate is how big a nose roller you want. I haven't used any belt sander with a tiny nose roller. Those I've read about got bad reviews.

I've used sanders with fat nose and drive rollers. These were the GMC BS900MUL and the DeWalt DW433K. You can't use the nose of this type of sanders to sand, but for me that's good - it removes the temptation. I very much like how easy it is to use the dial-type belt release mechanisms on these sanders. However, I wouldn't recommend either them.

I haven't found any place to get a replacment drive wheel for the GMC BS900MUL. On one of the the two that I own, the end of the shaft on the drive roller snapped off. The GMC is a light weight sander that is pleasant to use and I'd happily put up with repairing it periodically if I could get parts.

I've owned two DW433Ks. One had an unreliable speed control chip and would just stop after the tool got hot. I easily found replacment parts for the DW433K, but replacing the chip didn't fix the problem. ( I despise the tool case for the DW433K. You get your fingers pinched putting the tool in it. ).

The belt sanders I most often use are two Hitachi SB8V2. The SB8V2 is an "old school" design. It has a dust bags as opposed to impractical filter cannisters (like those on the GMC and the Dewalt).. It has an old fashioned metal belt release lever. As a gesture of mercy there is plastic pad on the metal tab of it.

(I admit that I have more sanders than sanding.)

will the 4" versions stay flatter easier the the 3" ones?? Is it a significant difference?

[Kent A Bathurst]

I like my Porter Cable,though it is at least 15 years old. They may not make the same quality now.

Ditto. word-for-word. 360 VS 3" x 24"

Or - go find one of these on the used market somewhere. Affectionately known as the "locomotive":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7Ae68TtklQ

[Mike Cutler]

I have a Porter Cable 3x21. It's done everything I need to do.

You can mess up some wood really fast with a belt sander.:(

[Kent A Bathurst]

I have a Porter Cable 3x21. It's done everything I need to do.

You can mess up any and all wood incredibly fast with a belt sander.:(
Corrected it for you, Mike..........

[John A langley]

David four-inch will stay flatter than a 3 inch one will rock 'n roll ,I started out in 1961 working on a 3 inch porta cable
locomotive and would much prefer its big brother the only thing a belt sander is good for fast removal of material if you learned to let the weight of the sander do the work you get better results

[Rick Lizek]

http://www.wwgoa.com/master-the-belt-sander/
Get one with a sanding frame or shoe

[Robert Chapman]

I agree with Kent - you can easily mess up any and all wood with lightening speed with a belt sander - especially a large, heavy one. I much prefer a stationary six or eight inch belt sander. Much more user control and better results.

[David Kuzdrall]

I agree with Kent - you can easily mess up any and all wood with lightening speed with a belt sander - especially a large, heavy one. I much prefer a stationary six or eight inch belt sander. Much more user control and better results.

How would one go about flattening a slab or large glue-up table top with a stationary six inch sander?

[Stephen Tashiro]

will the 4" versions stay flatter easier the the 3" ones?? Is it a significant difference?

My constructoins are just good capentry, not fine woodworking. So I don't worry about precisely flat surfaces.

I cannot precisely level a surface holding a belt sander in my hands. It would take skill and time that I don't have to do that. There are online articles about using a beld sander in a sanding frame and various jigs to level surfaces. I've never tried that.

In general the 4" sanders weigh more 3" sanders. The 3" sanders are much more convenient if you need to sand a surface that is not horizontal.

[Jim Finn]

I recently bought a DeWalt 433 hand held belt sander and it works well for me. It is a three inch sander. The reason I choose this sander is : It comes with a separate stabilizer so that I can use it on large surfaces without it rocking and gouging the wood. This stabilizer holds the sander up off of the wood a little. This height can be adjusted to do more or less aggressive sanding. This way the sander does not gouge the wood.

[David Kuzdrall]

Using a hand held belt sander to "flatten" a glued up panel can be tricky, especially if the panel section are out of plane to each other. Had experience with this many years ago when starting out with limited tools. Using a hand plane might serve you better if you have one. Just a thought.

I have plenty of planes and use them regularly but it may be my impatience or lack of skill (or both) but I never have much success on glued up panels. It actually happened yesterday when cleaning up a 12-board glue-up...inevitably a number of those boards have reversing or opposing grain to each other and when I am in the area of the glue join I end up with a nice shaving on one side of plane and tear out on the other.

my thought was that I can knock down the high boards and high spots after a big glue up quickly with a belt sander then go to the ROS for my glued up panels.

[Jim Andrew]

There are some good uses for a hand held belt sander, but not for flattening panels. I had planned to use a 4x24 belt sander that way, got tired of the "turkey tracks" in my panels and moved to a small widebelt sander, Grizzly G9983 a couple years ago. They had the sander on their Christmas sale, and I can really flatten a panel now, the sander is only 15" cut, but I can reverse the panel and do one twice that wide. Just did a wood top for a cabinet, 25" wide x 73" long, and it is perfectly flat. Solid end panels come out the same way. I use it on face frames as well. Makes everthing fit together perfectly. No comparison to a hand held belt sander.

[David Kuzdrall]

There are some good uses for a hand held belt sander, but not for flattening panels. I had planned to use a 4x24 belt sander that way, got tired of the "turkey tracks" in my panels and moved to a small widebelt sander, Grizzly G9983 a couple years ago. They had the sander on their Christmas sale, and I can really flatten a panel now, the sander is only 15" cut, but I can reverse the panel and do one twice that wide. Just did a wood top for a cabinet, 25" wide x 73" long, and it is perfectly flat. Solid end panels come out the same way. I use it on face frames as well. Makes everthing fit together perfectly. No comparison to a hand held belt sander.

a widebelt sander would defiantly be the way to go but (at least for my current project) I don't need machine grade flat....just not visually wonky. I just cut out the top from my glue up for a round top dining table 64" in diameter....no way can that get through a widebelt sander that I will ever have acces to. The material is hard maple so I figured that given it's size and material a belt sander would be the way to go... Maybe not?

[Tom Ewell]

Back in the day we used to do on-site bar tops using various species of wood flooring. Only option at the time was belt sanding. Technique used was stroking diagonally to the grain both ways to rough flatten and working toward the grain as grits became finer, final touch-up with the old oscillating pad sanders and hand pads as needed before finishing.

We used both 4" and 3" belts, results came out looking just like a well done floor, using finishes with higher gloss did not show remarkably ugly evidence of belt sanding.

As mentioned though, handle with care, get to know which ever machine you get 'cause these beasts can be aggressive.

I've only got two of these sanders now, a DW 430 (bag on front) and the little PC one hander. Recollection of the old group included PC's and Craftsman Industrials

[Larry Copas]

I'm a old guy and grew up using the old style PC locomotive sanders. Today I have a new PC 362 4 X 24 sander. I think the old style is much easier to control because the handle is straight back. The new style has the handle sort of on top. Any wrong movement at all causes a divot in the top. For that reason I've picked up a couple of the old style for less than $20. Had to put new brushes in one and it still needs an oil seal.

I've been thinking about buying a Rotex 150. It's said to be nearly as good as a belt sander with much better dust collection. Anybody that has one is welcome to comment and push me over the edge.

[Kent A Bathurst]

How would one go about flattening a slab or large glue-up table top with a stationary six inch sander?

Can't be done.

The point is to use the hand-held, but turn it on off the wood, lower it gently, keep it moving at all times, and DON"T lean on it - just let the weight of the sander do the work - light grip to guide it and keep it moving.

I don't even try to "sand with the grain' because I will be coming back with an ROS later. 45* left on the entire surface then 45* right. Cross grain. one kind of with the grain. Even when going with the grain, I hold it at a slight angle v straight on.

You can do it - we all do it - was just a heads-up on the tool.

It is very impressive what you can do with a hand-held and an 80g or 100g belt...............

[scott vroom]

I do as Kent does: sand at 45 degrees to grain direction. My thinking is that I'm less likely to groove the surface if sanding off-angle to grain.

Mostly we use the belt to clean up jig saw scribe cuts.

[Tom Ewell]

I've been thinking about buying a Rotex 150. It's said to be nearly as good as a belt sander with much better dust collection. Anybody that has one is welcome to comment and push me over the edge.

Took a rough sawn cherry slab down to a raw buffed wax finish with one just to try it.

It worked great, don't know if it was faster than grinding down with a belt first but the process went pretty quick and dust was virtually non existent during sanding, buffing threw some compound dust about but not much (solid pad, no vacuum).

My Rotex 150 is the old pre FEQ fixed cord version, has done a bunch of work and is still kickin' just as strong when new (per my recollection of new )

[Dave Lehnert]

For flattening panels, I have messed up a bunch trying to use a belt sander. Always thought I needed a bigger more expensive sander to do the job. First time I flatted a panel using a hand plane I thought "You got to be kidding me" It was fast with much, much better results. I cant tell you where my belt sander is now. Never use it.
FYI- I never have used a hand plane for end-grain cutting boards. May want to look at the hand tool forum if you want to explore the use of hand planes for end-grain cutting boards.

[Ole Anderson]

Porter Cable seems to be the gold standard. I have owned a 3x21 for 25 years now, used it in production putting a "brushed" finish on 1.5" and 2" aluminum tubes, 6 feet long, 5000 of them. Went through a couple of bearings and brushes and pads. I bought a 4x24 PC figuring it would do even better, but the 3x21 out preformed it. Sold the 4x24, kept the 3x21. My 3x21 looks the same as the ones sold today.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I will be using it to flatten glued up panels, end-grain cutting boards, and work slabs that are too tricky and / or too large for any stationary planer / jointer that I will ever own.
Have you considered using a router sled and bottom cleanout bit?

[Scott T Smith]

David, I don't think that I've touched my belt sander since I bought the Rotex. I *think* that I have a PC 4 x 24, will have to check. You're welcome to borrow it.

However, I see your present situation as a great incentive to invest in a Festool RO150.... <grin>

[Sam Murdoch]

I'm a old guy and grew up using the old style PC locomotive sanders. Today I have a new PC 362 4 X 24 sander. I think the old style is much easier to control because the handle is straight back. The new style has the handle sort of on top. Any wrong movement at all causes a divot in the top. For that reason I've picked up a couple of the old style for less than $20. Had to put new brushes in one and it still needs an oil seal.

I've been thinking about buying a Rotex 150. It's said to be nearly as good as a belt sander with much better dust collection. Anybody that has one is welcome to comment and push me over the edge.

See my earlier post # 5 this thread.

[Jonathan Moncton]

A scraper with a good hook is the best tool I have found for getting panel glue ups ready for a ROS, like a Stanley #80. No tearout, no dust, no noise, no gouging.

[Larry Edgerton]

I have just about every Porter Cable they made up until Dewalt takeover. I tried others along the way because of curiosity, liked the Bosch, not the Makita's but stick with the PC's. I have a Locomotive, but find it top heavy. Cool though, looks good on the shelf.

My favorites are the 3x21 for freehand stuff, the 3x24 Whisper Series because it is much quieter and a nice sander for work on a bench, and the 4x24 with a sanding frame for large surfaces I need to knock down reasonably flat.

The sanding frame is finicky, and once set up I just leave it alone and made that a dedicated sander. You can make one but I think PC still has them available for a couple of models. Works kind of like a hand plane but no tearout on fussy grain. I go from that to a random orbit air sander and can get a pretty flat panel fairly fast.

Larry

[Michael Kellough]

Larry, I've never seen a sanding frame (or shoe) for a PC belt sander. Do you have any more information?

IMO a belt sander is a half baked idea if it doesn't have a frame to keep the belt parallel to the work surface.
Like using a drill as a router.

[Jim German]

I've got the rigid belt sander, it works well enough. It makes a mess, and gouges the wood nicely, like other belt sanders I've used.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

You'll love the rotex

[Edward Oleen]

I used to use a belt sander: I had (courtesy of my long-suffering better half) a Sears Craftsman 4x21 - yes: 4inches wide by 21 inches long, not 3x21 or 4x24 - belt sander. The only place to get belts, aside from custom ordering them on the Web, is.... Sears...

Well, it worked for a while, and then the foregrip snapped off. It sat on the shelf for a while, until I built a stand to convert it into a stationary sander.

I then bought a DeWalt ROS: It does all the work the belt sander did, and then some. It is easier to use, for one thing, and the paper is less expensive, and I can get them anywhere.
Just about the only thing it doesn't have is the ability to use both hands to hold/control it. On the other hand, it is much easier to use on vertical surfaces and takes up less space to store, aside from being lighter to carry around.

I'd skip the belt sander unless you intend to do a lot of sanding of long, horizontal surfaces...

[David Kuzdrall]

You'll love the rotex

you guys are going to cost me some money......Can it really leave a finish grade surface after going through the grits?

[Kent A Bathurst]

David, I don't think that I've touched my belt sander since I bought the Rotex. I *think* that I have a PC 4 x 24, will have to check. You're welcome to borrow it.

However, I see your present situation as a great incentive to invest in a Festool RO150.... <grin>


Drink up, fellas !!!!!!!! :p :p


294788

[Larry Edgerton]

Larry, I've never seen a sanding frame (or shoe) for a PC belt sander. Do you have any more information?

IMO a belt sander is a half baked idea if it doesn't have a frame to keep the belt parallel to the work surface.
Like using a drill as a router.

I bought it with the sander about thirty years ago before dewalt screwed up Porter Cable, Not available any more and mine is not for sale.

You guys that are knocking belt sanders must be the same guys that bo-hoo biscuit joiners. I say you either don't know how to use them or are trying to use them for the wrong application. They are the perfect tool for the job when that is what is called for. I use them very seldom, but when I do they do what I ask.

I own a Rotex and it is a nice tool but not a replacement for a belt sander

Larry

[Tom Ewell]

Can it really leave a finish grade surface after going through the grits?

Here's a video demonstrating similar to what I did with the cherry slab,
The demo is long winded but it shows the steps and results.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh1YM5AFffg

When I did my slab, air dried sawmill stuff, I started with 36grit and took it to 600 or so (as I recall) before hitting it with Beall buffing compounds and carnuba on felt pads.

The method is not unique to the Rotex and can be done with other machines, it's just one good way to go with great dust control and available features.

[David Kuzdrall]

I bought it with the sander about thirty years ago before dewalt screwed up Porter Cable, Not available any more and mine is not for sale.

You guys that are knocking belt sanders must be the same guys that bo-hoo biscuit joiners. I say you either don't know how to use them or are trying to use them for the wrong application. They are the perfect tool for the job when that is what is called for. I use them very seldom, but when I do they do what I ask.

I own a Rotex and it is a nice tool but not a replacement for a belt sander

Larry

How well does that rotex do on the fine sanding side of its operating range?

[Jim German]

A reasonable belt sander costs less than two boxes of Festool paper. If you want a Rotex, thats fine, but I wouldn't be getting one instead of a belt sander. Its like saying I needed a shovel so I bought a backhoe.

[Sam Murdoch]

You guys that are knocking belt sanders must be the same guys that bo-hoo biscuit joiners. I say you either don't know how to use them or are trying to use them for the wrong application. They are the perfect tool for the job when that is what is called for. I use them very seldom, but when I do they do what I ask.

I own a Rotex and it is a nice tool but not a replacement for a belt sander

Larry

OK - I'll bite :). With respect Larry I love my biscuiter though I am more selective how I use it now that I own a Domino. I am not "knocking belt sanders" but based on my own subjective experience I am very comfortable recommending the RO150 as being a much more versatile and - most importantly - a safer tool for big work sanding. I have been a very good belt sander user - good control and steady hand - but as most of us know, at some point if you need to reach past your comfortable reach or let your awareness slip for a second - the belt sander can track a groove very quickly. That groove (and/or others) can add soooo much unnecessary work for a split second of inattention.

The ROs are capable of working from very rough to finish sanding with each step of the way being safe and controlled and - if you are using attached to a good collector - virtually dust free. Yes, owning a Festool RO has relegated my belt sanders to the bottom of my tool chest. I just thought it was worth adding to this conversation as an alternative, albeit, an expensive alternative, even though an RO can serve the purpose of multiple sanders.

As for "Its like saying I needed a shovel so I bought a backhoe." That may be true if you are using the shovel to dig a few post holes but if after you dig the post holes, you will trench a ditch along your driveway and then later remove some stumps, along with other future digging projects around the property - the backhoe will be a welcome relief - cost notwithstanding.

Just offering an alternative - all I'm sayin'.

[Michael W. Clark]

I have an inexpensive belt sander I was using to flatten end-grain cutting boards. I got an RO150 and it did the job much quicker. I know skill comes into play and I'm comparing the cheapest belt sander to one of the most expensive random orbit sanders, so not necessarily a fair comparison. I wouldn't say that the RO replaces the belt sander, there are still some things I use it for.

I use the Rotex mode for quick material removal, then switch to random orbit mode for finish sanding. It leaves a good enough finish that I have trouble justifying another ROS.

If you are starting from rough on a big slab, I think I would start with a hand plane or the router sled method, then switch to a sander. I think the sander first would be too time consuming.

[Pat Barry]

I have an older Dewalt 3 inch belt sander ~ 10 years old. It works great except that it makes a lot of sawdust in a pretty big hurry, therefore I need to be emptying the relatively small dust collector bag on it frequently. If I don't do this before the bag fills up then the dust collection port clogs up and its a mess to get it back right again. It didn't come with a vacuum attachment and I wish it did. Right now if I were buying, the ability to hook up to a vacuum cleaner would be a priority for me.

[Kent A Bathurst]

.......You guys that are knocking belt sanders must be the same guys that bo-hoo biscuit joiners. I say you either don't know how to use them or are trying to use them for the wrong application. They are the perfect tool for the job when that is what is called for. I use them very seldom, but when I do they do what I ask.
Larry

Love my belt sander - use it seldom, but it is the perfect tool for the job. Will never part with it - use it once per year, on average, is my guess. Sold the biscuit joiner - worthless tool, IMO, except for one very specific task - face frames onto built-in cabinets.

So - Larry - where does that put me on your sliding scale? :p :p

[Larry Edgerton]

Ha! You are always way up on my scale Kent.

I always have one on site, houses are not perfect, and they are a great adjustment tool. I just finished a post and beam job and all the beams were sanded with a belt sander before going up, Making countertops fit the wall, stuff like that. I almost never use the in the shop, but they do make a nice quick ax sharpener.:p

Oh, and Sam, I do have a backhoe........

Larry

[Edward Oleen]

I bought it with the sander about thirty years ago before dewalt screwed up Porter Cable, Not available any more and mine is not for sale.

You guys that are knocking belt sanders must be the same guys that bo-hoo biscuit joiners. I say you either don't know how to use them or are trying to use them for the wrong application. They are the perfect tool for the job when that is what is called for. I use them very seldom, but when I do they do what I ask.

I own a Rotex and it is a nice tool but not a replacement for a belt sander

Larry

You are wrong, at least as far as I go. I love my biscuit joiner - wouldn't be without it. I takes all the fuss out of gluing up panels, making picture frames, and a bunch of other things. I don't depend on biscuits for things that they aren't: they aren't the strongest joint out there and they aren't a replacement for dowels. or mortise-and-tenon joinery. I resort to my Keller jig whenever I need or want to do a dovetailed joint. But the biscuit is the tops when it comes to applying a face-frame. A buddy of mine - a pocket-hole addict - uses them, without glue, to keep things aligned when using his Kreg jig on long pieces.

I don't want to have to go back to the belt sander simply because of the weight, the tendency to run away, especially with the coarser grits, the same tendency to dig itself into the work piece if you pause for too long, and the cost of the belts. I find the ROS does the same or better job and I don't have to fight it.