Advice on a belt sander needed

[Hammock Hamster]

Hi all,

Swmbo and I are due to move next month and will finally have a garden to call out own! Even more importantly I will have my long awaited workshop and space to tinker, chop, carve, hammer and otherwise keep out of her way! Hopefully lots of projects to post up here in the not so distant future.

Now I will have the space for a few things I have been lusting after (no not that blonde from page 3) one of which is a belt sander.
I am after a bench top model with an interchangeable belt so it will be suitable for both woodworking and light metal work (blade profiling and bevelling).

Can anyone recommend me something that would suit my needs I the sub £150 region, I have found plenty on t'interweb In this price bracket but not knowing much about them was hoping someone may have some experience and can recommend a good option or two.

Cheers, Hamster

 

[Hammock Hamster]

Ah, before I forget I'm also planning on running it on a standard mains supply with and rcd protector so nothing massively industrial.

Cheers, Hamster

 

[John Fenna]

I use a Draper 350w 50021 belt and disk sander - Sub £150 and OK for me for both wood and metal. I just wore one out and bought another!

 

[HillBill]

I wouldn't bother. Save a bit more (double) and get one worth having. Mine cost £250, and i've made about 750 knives on it and still going strong.

 

[david1]

I wouldn't bother. Save a bit more (double) and get one worth having. Mine cost £250, and i've made about 750 knives on it and still going strong.

got a link ?

 

[HillBill]

Yeah sure. Its gone up a bit in price in the last 5 years since i bought one.
http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-hobby-series-awebds610-belt-disc-sander

got a link ?

 

[Gill]

Yeah sure. Its gone up a bit in price in the last 5 years since i bought one.
http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-hobby-series-awebds610-belt-disc-sander

is that what u still use Mark?

 

[Hammock Hamster]

Cheers guys, not looking to spend much more than the 150 mark at the mo but may invest laster if it gets the sort of use I'm hoping.
I take it the draper and similar models will do the job for basic knife making and general woodworking though?


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[HillBill]

Yeah, its all i have ever used. I have a radius master too, but only use it for the underside of the handle profile. All the bevels are done on the axminster one. Only had to replace the capacitor once, changed the platen twice and had to build a guide plate to set angles for the bevels.

It looks like this now.

is that what u still use Mark?

 

[Gill]

Jeez I thought the radius master would have got the most work Mark!

 

[HillBill]

I was too used to using it when i got the RM, can do anything on it more or less with a slight mod or two. It has a great motor, lots of power. Only downside is the price and availability of belts. £90 for 10 80g ceramics... but i can get 10 scandis off of one belt easily.

 

[brancho]

Yeah sure. Its gone up a bit in price in the last 5 years since i bought one.
http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-hobby-series-awebds610-belt-disc-sander

I have used 1 of them and its and it was great much better than mine.


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[John Fenna]

Cheers guys, not looking to spend much more than the 150 mark at the mo but may invest laster if it gets the sort of use I'm hoping.
I take it the draper and similar models will do the job for basic knife making and general woodworking though?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

It is what I use mine for - I do not do as much knife making as Hillbill!

 

[Gill]

Want to sell me your radius master then Mark u could buy another axminster lol

 

[HillBill]

Haha Setting it up for convex grinds soon.

Want to sell me your radius master then Mark u could buy another axminster lol

 

[Seabass]

Mark have you added some extra plate underneath the belt to get a clearance when at the ricasso end of the grind? Ie to stop the unground blade touching the bed?

Just about to to mod my sander in a very similar way.

 

[HillBill]

Yeah, i put a 2mm piece of steel plate on top of the foamy stuff that was on there. Mainly to get flat bevels, but also for the clearance on thicker blades.

 

[Seabass]

Thanks buddy. Next job is to fab something like your bevel platten. I might get round to finishing the set of four knives I started a couple of years ago! Hand filing bevels up to now on a jig I made....

 

[petrochemicals]

Hill bill, sell him yours and buy one of these,

http://www.metprep.co.uk/products/manual-preparation/jade-700-wet-linisher/
Or a high speed wet grinder

 

[Shinken]

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-hobby-series-aw130bd2-belt-disc-sander

I prefer this type of belt sander if your only an occasional user