Anyone still use a belt sander?

[Dave Lehnert]

Anyone still use a portable belt sander? Don't look like DeWalt makes one any longer.

My 30 year old Skill belt sander gave up and wondering if I should replace it with a cheap one or something better. Never got used much but handy when needed.

[Doug Garson]

I've got an old Black and Decker screamer, hate it but if I need to remove a lot of material in a hurry I pull it out. Can't help you on what's good to buy now as mine is 30+ years old.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

I've got an old Black and Decker screamer, hate it but if I need to remove a lot of material in a hurry I pull it out. Can't help you on what's good to buy now as mine is 30+ years old.

Same here. I purchased both a B&D belt sander and a Bosch random 1/3 sheet sander at the first years of 1990s. The sheet sander was replaced by another one last year after fail beyond repair.

I have no ROS. Probably a good ROS could replace both my belt and random shhet sanders...

[John Goodin]

I bought a Makita recently to replace an old metal craftsman from the 60s. I love it and use it quite a bit. IIRC, the Mikita was one of the better reviewed belt sanders on the market.

[Mike Kees]

I agree with John.The only other one that I would look at would be a Porter Cable. The makita is lighter and the Porter cables are heavy and have strong motors. Mike.

[Warren Lake]

have a Rockwell 3 x 21 with about 40 years on it sometimes tortured being used when there should have been a stroke sander doing the work. Only repair the on off switch, put a heavy duty one in. I like the balance of it. Porter Cable is the new version that looks the same but likely lighter so inside not all the same but probably fairly close. There were some really good older US tools made this one being one.

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[Rich Engelhardt]

Back in the 80's, when I worked for Builder's Square, the Makita sales rep would do a demo with the Makita belt sander(s).
He'd plug it into a couple of 100 foot extension cords, sit on it, and ride it across the floor.
I'm guessing that he weighed about 175 pounds or so.

My belt sander is a 3x21 B&D "Dragster". I bought it for one simple reason.....the nose fit under the bottom of a railing on a deck I had to sand down.
I worked to daylights out of it sanding down a couple of 200 square foot decks.

FWIW - the last deck I sanded down, I went with my 5" DeWalt ROS and my 6" Ridgid ROS. They both worked as well as the belt sander.
My "vote" is - forget about replacing it since the newer random orbital sanders can do almost as well.
Also - the Makita is a little over $200. Were I to sink that much into a sander, that's as limited as a belt sander, I'd think long and hard about putting that money towards a Festool Rotex.

[Bill Adamsen]

I have several 4x24 and 3x21 units ... Bosch for the former and Ryobi for the latter. Typically I reach for the Festool Rotex before using a belt sander. For me, that decision is likely as much about dust collection and available abrasives as how the tool performs. For most projects the belt sander would likely work as well if not better.

I'd probably look to buy a good used one locally. I see a number of Makita and PC 3x21 units listed locally for $50 +/-.

[andy bessette]

Love my Bosch 3 x 21.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I have the classic old PC sander, it's one tough machine. Got it for floors, doubt it'll ever get much use in the woodshop.

[Thomas L Carpenter]

I replaced an old Craftsman 4 inch wide with a new Hitachi 3 inch wide. The 4 inch belts were getting hard to find locally and it was as old as the hills so I replaced it. Other than being much heavier, i still like the Craftsman because, for me, it's much more stable and less likely to gouge the stock. Don't use either one often.

[Dick Mahany]

Makita 9924DB here. At least 25 yrs old and doesn't get as much use as in the past. That is about to change as my next project is to build a bench holder for inverted use. Although a somewhat limited use tool, there just isn't a substitute for one when you need it.

[Stan Calow]

I use mine about once a year, usually for trimming end grain that is in a place not easily planable. So the old USA Skil I bought at garage sale for $10 is just right. I would look for another garage sale if ever needed to replace it.

[Dave Sabo]

Given the age of Dave's sander I'm guessing it's the lightweight 7313 with a 3 x 18" belt. That was a pretty good sander considering the plastic case and lightweight nature.

If that indeed is what you have , then you should try and find a Makita 9911. They sold for $99 at the Depot for a long time but have been discontinued by Makita for the U.S. market. That is the closet belt sander to what you had and is a good performer to boot.

[Jim Becker]

I have a Bosch 3x21 and have used it maybe five times over the nearly two decades I've owned it. Two or so of those times, it was clamped up-side-down in my bench vice and used for "stationary" shaping before I bought a combo sander...which also is rarely used. Nice to have, but I could live without either it if necessary for the work I tend to do.