Bench top belt sanders

[whateg01]

1hp/ 7amps is probably the bare minimum I would consider for a 4-6" wide belt

it WILL bog down, wood or metal

There seems to be this assumption that if you have a 4" wide belt, you will always be using the full width. I think my 4x6 is 1/3 HP and it definitely bogs down if I try to use the full width. But most of the time I'm only using a narrow section to round a corner or something. If I need to use more of it, I just don't lean into it.

 

[DGersic]

Look into Multitool grinder attachments. If you have a decent bench grinder, you install this attachment in place of the right side stone. It runs 2"x36" belts and also has 7" disc sander.

I have this, and it is a nice tool. It’s only problem is that the grinder I have it on isn’t up to the task and bogs easily. I need a better grinder to put it on.

 

[larry4406]

I have this, and it is a nice tool. It’s only problem is that the grinder I have it on isn’t up to the task and bogs easily. I need a better grinder to put it on.

What HP and brand grinder are you using it on? I like the multitool grinder attachment but don't own one (yet?).

 

[DGersic]

What HP and brand grinder are you using it on? I like the multitool grinder attachment but don't own one (yet?).

I don’t know how accurate the 1/3 HP rating is, seems a bit in the inflated / ambitious side of things. I think a true 1/2 HP or higher would work better. Not to say that this doesn’t work, it does, well enough that I’m not shopping for a bigger grinder to put it on. My use is pretty light duty, and it’s ok for that. If you’re going to have in in heavier use, you probably already have a bigger grinder to use it with.

 

[whateg01]

I don’t know how accurate the 1/3 HP rating is, seems a bit in the inflated / ambitious side of things. I think a true 1/2 HP or higher would work better.

You can get a better idea of the motor's capability by reading the amps drawn

 

[tool_scrounge]

Higher grade Baldor 1/3hp grinders were 3.1A at 120v, so the 2.8A on the Craftsman is a bit lower but at least in the ball park. The real issue is 1/3 hp is pretty low power for a 2” wide belt. I have a 3/4hp motor on a 2” Baldor belt grinder and would really like more.

 

[seber]

Having had and discarded that model of grinder, I would say that 1/3 horse is dreaming. I doubt it even gives a 1/4 hp. You will need a better grinder for the Multitool. It really should be an 8" with 3/4 hp. Certainly nothing less than 1/2.

 

[GeoBruin]

I have one on a 1 HP Craftsman and it works well. I had it on a 3/4 HP generic Taiwanese grinder and it also worked well, but the grinder was really wide so I switched to the Craftsman when I found it cheap on CL.

The only issue was the shaft was too long when the Multitool was mounded so I had to make a spacer to get the alignment correct.

 

[larry4406]

I have one on a 1 HP Craftsman and it works well. I had it on a 3/4 HP generic Taiwanese grinder and it also worked well, but the grinder was really wide so I switched to the Craftsman when I found it cheap on CL.

The only issue was the shaft was too long when the Multitool was mounded so I had to make a spacer to get the alignment correct.

Nice!

What made you decide to mount it on the left? Almost all the installations seem to have it in the right.

 

[GeoBruin]

Nice!

What made you decide to mount it on the left? Almost all the installations seem to have it in the right.

It's funny, I've had it this way for so long I forgot it's typically installed on the other side.

I'm very space constrained in my shop and as you can see, it sits right next to my blast cabinet. I just didn't have room for grinding some large/long items without hitting the blast cabinet so I swapped it so long things can just stick out the door when needed.

I found a picture of it mounted on it's old cart on the old grinder.

 

[bugzilla46310]

This is the sander you need! I have it on Marketplace in DeMotte IN!! It won’t walk off your bench. Hammond H/V 4x36.

 

[tool_scrounge]

This is the sander you need! I have it on Marketplace in DeMotte IN!! It won’t walk off your bench. Hammond H/V 4x36.

Hammond made some very nice industrial belt grinders. Built like a tank.

 

[GeoBruin]

Hammond made some very nice industrial belt grinders. Built like a tank.

This is the sander you need! I have it on Marketplace in DeMotte IN!! It won’t walk off your bench. Hammond H/V 4x36.

That looks solid! I really like how the cast base extends beneath the entire thing. Does it pivot upright as well?

I'm in the market for a heavy duty 4(ish) inch wide sander but I would mostly use it in the vertical configuration.

I thought I found a nice heavy duty project grinder for cheap on Craigslist, but when I arrived to take a look at it, it was bigger than I thought it was. I bought it anyway but when I got it home, I was convinced it is too big for my shop.

 

[whateg01]

... it was bigger than I thought it was. I bought it anyway but when I got it home, I was convinced it is too big for my shop.

So how much bigger is your shop now?

 

[GeoBruin]

So how much bigger is your shop now?

Still the same shop

We plan to move within the next year but at best I'll be going from a 1-car garage to a 2-car garage, so still likely not practical to hold on to this thing. That said, I haven't got rid of it yet, and I even found a nice 5HP Baldor motor for it, so maybe there's hope...

 

[sparky 1971]

I have the Bauer, which is probably no different than any of the other cheap versions but with red paint. It works perfect for my needs but that's not saying much. I think I've used the belt twice and the disc once.

 

[whateg01]

Still the same shop

We plan to move within the next year but at best I'll be going from a 1-car garage to a 2-car garage, so still likely not practical to hold on to this thing. That said, I haven't got rid of it yet, and I even found a nice 5HP Baldor motor for it, so maybe there's hope...

I think the biggest drawback to that would be the max belt speed, depending on what you would do with it. Looks like it probably runs on plain bearings.

 

[bugzilla46310]

That looks solid! I really like how the cast base extends beneath the entire thing. Does it pivot upright as well?

I'm in the market for a heavy duty 4(ish) inch wide sander but I would mostly use it in the vertical configuration.

I thought I found a nice heavy duty project grinder for cheap on Craigslist, but when I arrived to take a look at it, it was bigger than I thought it was. I bought it anyway but when I got it home, I was convinced it is too big for my shop.

The belt sander is a horizontal/vertical sander.

 

[bugzilla46310]

That looks solid! I really like how the cast base extends beneath the entire thing. Does it pivot upright as well?

I'm in the market for a heavy duty 4(ish) inch wide sander but I would mostly use it in the vertical configuration.

I thought I found a nice heavy duty project grinder for cheap on Craigslist, but when I arrived to take a look at it, it was bigger than I thought it was. I bought it anyway but when I got it home, I was convinced it is too big for my shop.

That is definitely a beast!

 

[GeoBruin]

I think the biggest drawback to that would be the max belt speed, depending on what you would do with it. Looks like it probably runs on plain bearings.

1,725 RPM motor with a 10" diameter wheel = 4,515 SFM. Seemed about right for what I would use it for.

 

[whateg01]

1,725 RPM motor with a 10" diameter wheel = 4,515 SFM. Seemed about right for what I would use it for.

I stand corrected! I want to see how it compares to the fireball belt grinder

 

[GeoBruin]

I stand corrected! I want to see how it compares to the fireball belt grinder

Now that thing was fast!

 

[NUTTSGT]

I also have a 4" belt/6" disc Craftsman somebody gave to me, and I wouldn't touch this POS with a 10-ft pole. It's used once or twice per year when my wife asks me to smoothen the bottoms of some pieces of her pottery. Boy, I hate this flimsy toy! This is a typical example of what they sell in HF calling them "buffers", "belt sanders", "bench grinders", "lathes", etc.

Curious as to how old of a Cman unit ?

I had two from probably the '80s. One for woodworking, which works fine, no complaints.

I bought a second for metal working and it was never right. I ended up cutting bait and scrapped it. I bought the one pictured prior.

 

[MichaelP]

Looks like '97.