Rigid Oscillating Belt Sander

[Rob Sack]

I need a lightweight horizontal belt sander for job site use only. Home Depot sells the Rigid and Rockler sells the Triton. I realize that these are inexpensive, lightweight tools. Anyone have any experience with either one?

[Paul F Franklin]

I have the rigid and have found it to work very well and to be an excellent value. Dust collection is only so-so, and I doubt it would hold up to heavy production use, but I think hard to beat for the money for light to moderate use.

[Matt Day]

You’ll find lots of great reviews of the Ridgid if you search for it.

[Cary Falk]

I hated my Ridgid and sold it. The belt wouldn't track, The coating on the table wore off and left marks on the wood. The spindle was too short and the retaining nut would always lock itself on with the force of 1000 freight trains. I seem to be the only person on the planet that hates it.

[Jack Frederick 135]

The Ridgid is awesome. You won’t go wrong there. Agree that it’s not a production tool, but, it’s solid nonetheless.

[Larry Anderson]

I hated my Ridgid and sold it. The belt wouldn't track, Th ecoating on the table wore off and left makrs on the owwd. The spindle was too short and the retaining nut would always clamp lock itself on with the force of 1000 freight trains. I seem to be the only person on the planed that hates it.

I have one, and like most love it for hobbyist use. Not sure it would hold up in a commercial setting.

[Cary Falk]

Had you been drinking when you wrote this?...owwd, planed.

I have one, and like most love it for hobbyist use. Not sure it would hold up in a commercial setting.

Typing in the dark on a laptop. Post edited

[Matthew Hills]

I like the tool for hobby use -- spindle and edge sanding are a very useful combination (compared to a vertical belt and disc, or separate tools).

I'd like it more if the belt and spindle had a bit more capacity and I had a more consistent square edge between table and belt sander.

For dust, I would recommend using outside, or with a fan pushing the air away...
(might also work well with a big dust funnel, like they use on lathes, picking up near the table)

Matt

[Ralph Okonieski]

I have the Rigid sander. As a hobby user, it serves my purpose very well. As Paul mentioned, dust collection is Ok but not great. For the price Paid, I would buy it again with no qualms.

[Frank Pratt]

First impression of the Ridgid was not great, but once I started using it, I loved it. The belts are super easy to change & adjusting tracking on a new belt only takes seconds & then it just stays on track. The table is square to the belt. The paint is wearing off the table, but it's never left marks on the wood. I've put the thing through hard use for hours at a time & it's never had a problem. I built a compact dust hood that goes behind & around the belt that has made dust collection very good.This is one tool that they seem to have gotten the right balance of cost, features, and durability.

It is definitely a hobby oriented machine though.

[John K Jordan]

Typing in the dark on a laptop. Post edited

I used my last laptop so much the lettering wore off on about half the keys making it more interesting, even in good room lighting. Fortunately I don't look at the keys when I type so the only problem was being careful to get my hands in the right places before typing. When I replaced my last laptop I got one with lighted keys - not only is it easier for keys out of the standard position, the light-transmitting "labels" go all the way through the plastic keys.

I need a lightweight horizontal belt sander for job site use only. Home Depot sells the Rigid and Rockler sells the Triton. I realize that these are inexpensive, lightweight tools. Anyone have any experience with either one?

I've had the Ridgid for maybe 15 years and like it a lot, both with the spindles and the oscillating belt. I don't use it a lot but so far it as always worked. I use the belt more than the spindles and it has always tracked perfectly.

Of course, I have no idea if what they sell now is made to the same quality.

The dust collection is in fact rather wimpy. I solved that by using the sander on a covered shop porch. Might not matter much for job site use.


JKJ

[Ted Baxter]

three plus years with mine and it has never giving me any trouble very happy with it paint wearing off happens to anything that is used I will but it again if it ever dies.

[Michael Costa]

Any time I ever see a picture of someone's shop (including my own) I always seem to spot the orange Ridgid oscillating sander in the background.

[Frank Pratt]

Any time I ever see a picture of someone's shop (including my own) I always seem to spot the orange Ridgid oscillating sander in the background.

They do seem to be pretty ubiquitous. If mine died, I'd go buy another one tomorrow.

[Bill White]

Ridgid here, and I'm well pleased.