Still gearing up for a -9A build and my last bench tool is a belt sander. Saw this RIDGID Oscillating Edge/belt Spindle Sander at Home Depot and wonder if it will work instead of the traditional belt/disk sander?
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Need a belt sander and wonder how this will work
- Thread starter rfinch
- Start date
rv7boy
Forum Peruser
Belt Disc Sander
I agree with Bill.
Go with a Belt Disc Sander. While RIDGID makes great tools, unless you are a professional carpenter, etc. I would recommend you spend less money and still get good quality for your RV project. You could buy two belt disc sanders at Home Depot or Lowe's and perhaps three at Harbor Freight for $199.95.
Just my opinion...and it may not be worth much...but you asked.
Don
By the way I have two belt disc sanders. One was given to me as a Christmas gift (H-F) and the other I bought myself (Lowe's).
I agree with Bill.
Go with a Belt Disc Sander. While RIDGID makes great tools, unless you are a professional carpenter, etc. I would recommend you spend less money and still get good quality for your RV project. You could buy two belt disc sanders at Home Depot or Lowe's and perhaps three at Harbor Freight for $199.95.
Just my opinion...and it may not be worth much...but you asked.
Don
By the way I have two belt disc sanders. One was given to me as a Christmas gift (H-F) and the other I bought myself (Lowe's).
az_gila
Well Known Member
Spend less....
I also think a belt sander is the way to go. I bought a small Delta one a long time ago, and it's the only tool I wish I had bought bigger...
Mine has the narrow 1 inch belt.... this style would be better, and as previously mentioned 1/2 the price of the one you show....
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...3&productId=100067979&N=10000003+90401+527276
I use a pretty coarse grit on the sander, and take the work straight to the Scotchbrite wheel for final smoothing -- with the disk/belt combo you could leave two different grits on the machine.
gil A
I also think a belt sander is the way to go. I bought a small Delta one a long time ago, and it's the only tool I wish I had bought bigger...
Mine has the narrow 1 inch belt.... this style would be better, and as previously mentioned 1/2 the price of the one you show....
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...3&productId=100067979&N=10000003+90401+527276
I use a pretty coarse grit on the sander, and take the work straight to the Scotchbrite wheel for final smoothing -- with the disk/belt combo you could leave two different grits on the machine.
gil A
N941WR
Legacy Member
I agree with Gil.
I bought the Delta version of what he displayed for round $99. I used 80 grit on the disk and 120 on the belt. (After searching for a picture, I'm not sure Delta makes the unit I have any longer.) Buy a bunch of extra belts and disks. If you ever touch a piece of steal to the belts, pitch them. You don't want to push steel into your pieces of aluminum that you sand on next.
After cutting a chunk of aluminum on the band saw I would smooth it down on the belt and then take it to my 12" Delta drill press where I would have the scotch bright wheel mounted.
Easy access to the scotch bright wheel when mounted in the drill press and you can slow it down vs. the high speeds you see when mounted in a bench grinder.
While I'm pontificating, here is the list of power tools I used:
1) 14" 3 wheel band saw. (Paid $10 for it at a garage sale. Real POS but worked fine for cutting thin aluminum.)
2) Bench sander described above (About $100)
3) 12" Bench top drill press (About $200)
4) Bench grinder (Gift, no idea how much. DO NOT EVER use aluminum on a bench grinder. Do a search if you need to know why.)
5) Small chop saw as described on Dan's site. (Didn't use it often but it was worth the money)
Two things:
First, you will never have all the tools you need so just start building! Second, when you catch yourself saying, I can make THIS tool work even tough it is not the right tool for the job. STOP! Order the proper tool. Otherwise you will find yourself ordering the correct tool AND a replacement part. Just ask me how I know.
I bought the Delta version of what he displayed for round $99. I used 80 grit on the disk and 120 on the belt. (After searching for a picture, I'm not sure Delta makes the unit I have any longer.) Buy a bunch of extra belts and disks. If you ever touch a piece of steal to the belts, pitch them. You don't want to push steel into your pieces of aluminum that you sand on next.
After cutting a chunk of aluminum on the band saw I would smooth it down on the belt and then take it to my 12" Delta drill press where I would have the scotch bright wheel mounted.
Easy access to the scotch bright wheel when mounted in the drill press and you can slow it down vs. the high speeds you see when mounted in a bench grinder.
While I'm pontificating, here is the list of power tools I used:
1) 14" 3 wheel band saw. (Paid $10 for it at a garage sale. Real POS but worked fine for cutting thin aluminum.)
2) Bench sander described above (About $100)
3) 12" Bench top drill press (About $200)
4) Bench grinder (Gift, no idea how much. DO NOT EVER use aluminum on a bench grinder. Do a search if you need to know why.)
5) Small chop saw as described on Dan's site. (Didn't use it often but it was worth the money)
Two things:
First, you will never have all the tools you need so just start building! Second, when you catch yourself saying, I can make THIS tool work even tough it is not the right tool for the job. STOP! Order the proper tool. Otherwise you will find yourself ordering the correct tool AND a replacement part. Just ask me how I know.
Rick6a
Well Known Member
Grizzly 12" Sander
I vote for a dedicated 12" sander. In the aircraft production shop I came from, every manufacturing subshop had a small common area devoted to power tools. Always included in these areas was a band saw and the ubiqitious pedestal mounted 220V 12" sander. Those sanders always saw a lot of use. I find this heavy Grizzly 110V version be so well made and affordable that I bought two of them....one for home use and one for the hangar. Not only does the sander get used a lot working with aluminum parts, but also other projects including wood. I buy a variety of grits from Grizzly yet find that 80 grit paper....just like it was in my production days is used the most often.
Using the sander, fashioning bevels on the cowl pin retainer was a snap and just yesterday I had to sacrifice an open end wrench to reach a difficult area. The 12" bench sander make short work out of those jobs and countless other projects on and off the airplane.
I vote for a dedicated 12" sander. In the aircraft production shop I came from, every manufacturing subshop had a small common area devoted to power tools. Always included in these areas was a band saw and the ubiqitious pedestal mounted 220V 12" sander. Those sanders always saw a lot of use. I find this heavy Grizzly 110V version be so well made and affordable that I bought two of them....one for home use and one for the hangar. Not only does the sander get used a lot working with aluminum parts, but also other projects including wood. I buy a variety of grits from Grizzly yet find that 80 grit paper....just like it was in my production days is used the most often.
Using the sander, fashioning bevels on the cowl pin retainer was a snap and just yesterday I had to sacrifice an open end wrench to reach a difficult area. The 12" bench sander make short work out of those jobs and countless other projects on and off the airplane.
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Listen to Rick. Spend the extra bucks and buy a quality sander, the best and biggest you can afford.
The most-used power tool in my shop is a low-end industrial quality 6"x48" belt/12" disk combo sander. If the shop police said I could have only one major power tool, I'd pick the sander.
The most-used power tool in my shop is a low-end industrial quality 6"x48" belt/12" disk combo sander. If the shop police said I could have only one major power tool, I'd pick the sander.
az_gila
Well Known Member
Disks vs. Belts
Unlike Rick, I have some troubles using a disk sander on fairly large components. The differing speeds of the disk makes it hard for me to get even sanding. I much prefer a belt.
YMMV, but try out a large "disk-only" sander first before you buy one. Try converting a 12 inch long 3/4 by 1/16 angle into a 5/8 by 1/16 angle on it....
This should be one area to "try before you buy"...
...but the combo machine Dan H. mentions is a great solution....
gil A
Unlike Rick, I have some troubles using a disk sander on fairly large components. The differing speeds of the disk makes it hard for me to get even sanding. I much prefer a belt.
YMMV, but try out a large "disk-only" sander first before you buy one. Try converting a 12 inch long 3/4 by 1/16 angle into a 5/8 by 1/16 angle on it....
This should be one area to "try before you buy"...
...but the combo machine Dan H. mentions is a great solution....
gil A
Great replies, thanks guys! I went out Friday afternoon and got the $99 Ryobi belt/disk sander.
My emps are done through Wally Anderson's (Synergy Air) Empennage class. Yeah I need to get to work on the fiberglass tips now but really want to finish the garage setup. (QB fuse and wing should arrive in a couple of weeks). The sander was the last (ha-ha) bench tool I needed. So now I have a band saw, drill press, grinder wheel, and the band/disk sander. I put Scotchbrite wheels on the grinder (also Ryobi) so the sander will be for shaping and the grinder for polishing.
The first two (Ryobi and Craftsman respectively) I put on a 20"x30" table I built on wheels that I can push around the garage. The latter two I'm going to mount the same way on another table I'll build today. I already have a large table loosely based on the EAA table, but the top is an exterior blank door from Home Depot. Real heavy and solid.
Maybe I don't even need all those bench tools considering most of the structure is done. But buying the low end tools at Sears or Home Depot didn't cost much and I always wanted 'em! After 52 years I'm a kid again....
My emps are done through Wally Anderson's (Synergy Air) Empennage class. Yeah I need to get to work on the fiberglass tips now but really want to finish the garage setup. (QB fuse and wing should arrive in a couple of weeks). The sander was the last (ha-ha) bench tool I needed. So now I have a band saw, drill press, grinder wheel, and the band/disk sander. I put Scotchbrite wheels on the grinder (also Ryobi) so the sander will be for shaping and the grinder for polishing.
The first two (Ryobi and Craftsman respectively) I put on a 20"x30" table I built on wheels that I can push around the garage. The latter two I'm going to mount the same way on another table I'll build today. I already have a large table loosely based on the EAA table, but the top is an exterior blank door from Home Depot. Real heavy and solid.
Maybe I don't even need all those bench tools considering most of the structure is done. But buying the low end tools at Sears or Home Depot didn't cost much and I always wanted 'em! After 52 years I'm a kid again....
Mike S
Senior Curmudgeon
Gil, totally agree that the disc is awkward to use for delicate stuff.
I have a combo disc/belt unit that I keep a 120 belt on, and a 80 disc.
I do rough shaping/smoothing on the disc, and most finish work on the belt, sometimes follow up with the Scotch polishing wheel.
http://www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=3MW7A6
