Belt sander recomendation

S

soloz2

Joined
Jul 27, 2012
Messages
84
Hello,
My next tool purchase is going to be a belt sander. I would really like a true multipurpose sander that I can use for wood, plastic, metal etc. I would also like to be able to use it to sharpen knives. Due to this requirement, I'm primarily looking at 1" and 2" wide belts with combo discs.

there are a few I'm considering as I'd really like to keep the price reasonable.

1. HF 1x30" belt sander w/ 5" disc
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-belt-and-5-disc-combination-sander-69033.html
This seems to work well for some folks, but has limitations that would have to be worked around.

2. Craftsman 2x42" w/ 6" disc
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-2151...p-00921513000P?prdNo=4&blockNo=4&blockType=G4
This one has the added bonus of the ability to use 1" belts as well as 2" belts. There are some mods posted online to aid in knife sharpening, but the sander spins quite fast 4400 sfpm which is not ideal.

3. Girzzly 1x42" w/ 8" disc
http://www.grizzly.com/products/1-X-42-Belt-with-8-Disc-Sander/H8192
I like that this one has a slightly slower speed than the Craftsman and an 8" disc, but it doesn't have the ability to use 2" belts. I'm not sure if this is the same as the Rikon, but it looks shockingly similar (so does the Jet version)
http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2084086/36736/Rikon-1-x-42-Belt-x-8-Disc-Sander.aspx

4. Kalamazoo 1x42"
http://www.use-enco.com/1/1/34901-1sm-kalamazoo-belt-disc-combination-sanders.html
This is quite a bit more expensive and does not have a disc, but it spins slowly so it would be better for knife sharpening. Additionally, it is made in the USA

5. Worksharp Ken Onion Edition
http://www.worksharptools.com/knife...r/knife-tool-sharpener-ken-onion-edition.html
This is actually very different from the other options I've listed. It is designed specifically to sharpen knives, but it does have available attachments to make it into a handheld detail belt sander. Not sure how useful it would be for that purpose though.

The other option would be to get something like the worksharp then a larger 4" or 6" belt sander. This would put me past my budget though and I would have to get one tool at a time.
 
Save your money, do it once and do it right. The above grinders are OK at best compared to a grinder/sander made for knife makers by a knife maker, Wilmont grinder! Wilmont has two models, both are 2x72. You will need the versatility to speed up or slow down the belt depending on the material. You will also need the HP if your grinding steel. You will need the ability to change from a flat platten to a round wheel and remove or move the tool rest when not needed.
Wilmont builds the best grinder on the market and display their stuff at the blade show every year.
 
If you're "just" looking to sharpen knives, I used to do a satisfactory job with my handheld belt sander clamped in a bench vise. (I still use it in a pinch to touch up chisels on the job site.) If you're looking for something to MAKE knives, a little research will show you that 2 x 72 is about the standard for knifemaking grinders. Some great discussions on these throughout the forum.

When my sons and I started getting into making knives, my father an accomplished knifemaker who frequents this forum bought us a Grizzly G1015 "Knife Grinder". It's adequate for doing blades with a little tweaking and I use it a lot for shaping wood and plastic as well. It has an outboard spindle for buffing wheels or flap sanding as well, but that increases the pucker factor exponentially.

We're saving our nickels for a "real" knife grinder.
 
I'm not really looking to make knives. For now I'd just like to sharpen them. Right now I'm leaning towards a 4x36 or 6x48 sander for woodworking and a worksharp or a 1x42 for sharpening. I haven't fully made up my mind yet though. For sharpening only do you think I'd be better off with a worksharp or an actual sander?
 
soloz2 said:
I'm not very good with stones. I have the Lansky system and that works pretty well, but takes forever to keep all the kitchen knives and my EDC knives sharp. I want something that would be quicker and easier.
Click to expand...

Quicker is a double edged sword. I have a craftsman 2x42, and had a 1x30 previously. It is hard to sharpen without burning the edge until you get the feel just right.
 
After thinking about and looking at units in the store I think I want at least an 8 or 9" disc and I want decent build quality.
The craftsman 6x48 with 9 disc looks to be fairly well constructed, has a 3/4hp motor and is less plastic than less expensive units. At roughly $250 its a decent price too. The plus would be that it would be great for woodworking and allow width up to 6" on the disc and 4" on the disc. The downside is that it does not have a table for the belt to use vertically and it would not be good for knife sharpening.

The other options are all similar. Grizzly, Rikon or Jet 1x42. They all look the same in pictures and are all speced the same. 1/3hp 1750rpm motor 8" disc. These appear to be built better than the craftsman 2x42 and have a larger disc. I'm thinking that all 3 come from the same factory, what I don't know is if rikon or jet have better quality control than Grizzly. The Grizzly is about $200 shipped. Woodcraft is going to have a sale on the Jet $400 and Rikon $230.

The other option, but would be out of the original budget would be to opt for the Jet 2x42 with 8"disc. It is going to be on sale for $400. I'm not sure it's worth the extra $150 over the cman or rikon units though. It has a 3/4hp motor and accepts 1" belts too, but the motor is not the slow 1750rpm kind so I'm not sure if it would be aby better for knife sharpening.
 
I'm leaning heavily towards getting the Craftsman 6x48 9" disc unit. It looks to be fairly well crafted and the price is very reasonable. I can get it for just over $200 after coupon and points. I can always add a 1" sander down the road
 
soloz2 said:
I'm leaning heavily towards getting the Craftsman 6x48 9" disc unit. It looks to be fairly well crafted and the price is very reasonable. I can get it for just over $200 after coupon and points. I can always add a 1" sander down the road
Click to expand...

I had a similar unit and threw it in a corner for 10 years until I sold it.




I would much rather have a 2x42 and then a seperate 9 inch disc
power, tracking, tension, it's all mostly non-adjustable or unusable
 
The Jet 2x42 looks to be pretty nice but will run 2x the price of the Craftsman. If that unit would be much more versatile than the Cman 6x48 I'd be willing to consider spending the extra $, but I'm leaning more towards getting two separate machines instead of one and trying to do everything on it. I'm thinking that a 4x36 or 6x48 would be better suited for woodworking, which I have more immediate need now. Then a 1x42 or 2x42 would be better suited for metal working and some detail woodworking.
 
the harbor freight grinder i have sucks. tracking is horrible belt jumps everywhere. i did manage to make a few knives but now am in search for a better grinder. i say if your strapped for cash get cheap one to play with until you can afford better. the hf one will always be good as a sharpener, handle work, and the little feller is cute to look at. lol
 
get the craftsman 2x42, it's tried and true, many starting makers use it and the belts (good ones) are easily available from places like true grit. It has decent adjustable tracking, it's fast but works. And right now it's $144 from Sears. Couple simple, cheap modifications and it's a decent machine for the $$

The HF 1x30 is disgusting do not waste the money
 
The Delta 1x30 has been good for sharpening. It's worked to make a few knives, but quality of work suffers due to tracking, speed and platen.

I have a HF 4x36 or whatever (ha), and it's been good for woodwork.

Neither excels at anything really, but for sharpening and wood grinding (respectively) they work well and are cheap enough that you can buy both. In terms of durability, I haven't had any complaints.

If I were in your position I'd look more closely at the KO Work sharp and buy the 2" Craftsman.
 
That's why I'm looking closely at the 6x9 Cman which will be better suited for wood then picking up a KO Worksharp or 1x42 with a slower speed than the Cman 2x42
 
I went with the Cman 6x9 sander. This will be a nice workhorse for me. I already have a couple projects planned that I just couldn't do on a smaller unit. I know I want to get a 1x42 eventually. The Grizzly or Rikon are priced reasonably and since they are betl driven I could probably mod one to run slower.

For knife sharpening I just need to decide if I should get a worksharp now or go for a 1x30 or 1x42 sander. The HF 1x30 unit is just so tempting at $30 after coupon. I've found the Worksharp KO for $130 shipped after coupon, and that would probably be easiest and most portable for sharpening knives but wouldn't be as versatile as a 1x30 until I can find a good used 1x42 or save up to buy a good one.
 
Well, today I unboxed my new 6x9 cman bench sander and my worksharp KO. I sharpened one of the cheap kitchen knives and need some more practice!
 
dedub said:
Save your money, do it once and do it right. The above grinders are OK at best compared to a grinder/sander made for knife makers by a knife maker, Wilmont grinder! Wilmont has two models, both are 2x72. You will need the versatility to speed up or slow down the belt depending on the material. You will also need the HP if your grinding steel. You will need the ability to change from a flat platten to a round wheel and remove or move the tool rest when not needed.
Wilmont builds the best grinder on the market and display their stuff at the blade show every year.
Click to expand...
I get so tired of seeing posts like this. Someone always says "save up!" and goes on to recommend a ~3,000 dollar grinder to someone inquiring about a ~200 dollar grinder. It isn't helpful, it doesn't serve the community well, and I think it's downright poor advice.
 
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