looking for a 12" disc sander

[BTL-A4]

I'd like to get a 12" disc sander, since I'm finding my 6" one is often too small. Saw one near me for $600! It's 3/4 HP, 110V on a stand. I've included a picture.
New ones at Grizzly are $270, 1 HP bench-top mounted, which is fine. Is this the going price for a used one? Seems way too high, but I thought I'd ask.

I'd be sanding wood and metal, nothing heavy-duty.

 

[HMCFab9]

I hate to say it....but the one from harbor freight is decent for the price

 

[BTL-A4]

So are these just expensive, even used? I was surprised to see a used one for $600. New ones are not all that cheap either. I hesitate to buy HF, but their 12" disc sander got mostly decent reviews.
I think I'd prefer a bench top one, but I might have room for one with a stand.
I just want to make sure I have realistic expectations. CL is full of people who think they have solid gold. Offering way less than the asking price may not work.

 

[matt_i]

I'd look for a 6x48 plus 12" disc machine. My opinion is that those are more common than a 12" disc-only.

The disc has some downsides like flinging stuff (metal dust) all over the place. The belt at least directs it down towards the floor. You can use 2 grits then.

That disc unit pictured looks partially homebrewed. That there's no top-rim guard and the support channels point the same direction doesn't look OEM to me.

 

[metlmunchr]

I've got a Delta 6x48 belt only machine and a Powermatic 6x48 w/12" disc. Both the belts get quite a bit of use, but I really couldn't even say when I last used the disc for anything. I'm sure they're quite useful for something as compared to a belt but in 50 years of fooling with metal, I haven't found it.

 

[platypus20]

Damn it!! $600 !! I had to give mine away 2 years ago. I went to a 2” x 48” belt grinder, and haven’t looked back. I hated the 12” disk sander, paper wore out quickly and I felt it was dangerous, I saw a guy get his hand mangled by one.

 

[MFolks]

www.eastwood.com has a 12" disc sander, and other body shop tools.

 

[rvieceli]

The 12 inch Harbor Freight is a very nice machine. I think it's one of their best tools. Mine is well balanced and does a good job. The thing lacking of the cheaper machine versus the expensive ones is the table. The HF one as is most of the cheapies made from aluminum. But it can be trued up and generally stays there. To make it stay in place better you'll want to replace at least one handle on each side of the table with a hex bolt and washer that you can tighten with a wrench.

I replaced the miter gauge with a DIY sled that rides in the miter slot. Works better.

Ron

 

[mikegt4]

Back in the 1970's when I worked as a pattern/mold maker in the industrial molded fiberglass industry I used a 12" sander similar to the one that the OP pictured. It was a beast, cast iron with a big 3 phase motor. It would sand down hard maple patterns like they were made of soft butter. It would also sand down anything near it,,, like your fingers. The big advantage is the large table which gives much more support and stability to the piece that you are sanding. Probably an overkill for a home shop.

 

[BTL-A4]

The more I think about it, I might just put the table from the disc to the belt on mine. My belt is horizontal, not vertical, but it can be moved. I think mikegt4 is right; a 12" disc might be more dangerous and overkill. Too bad they don't make an 8" sander.

When I was a kid in jr high, I sanded my fingers on a 12" disc and when I taught woodshop a few years ago, someone sanded her fingers with it. It makes a large wound and makes it quick and hurts like heck.

I did find a 12" disc/4" belt/spindle combo sander that looks interesting. My concern is that I might put my hands into the belt when working with the spindle.

I figured if I bought one from HF I'd have to perform some QC on it and possibly fix some cheap feature on it to make it functional. The Eastwood one is $10 more, but might be worth it.

Maybe I'll move the belt horizontal and see how that goes.

 

[ZRX61]

I've had the Grizzly one for at least 12 years. No issues.

 

[rsanter]

Those are fairly easy to make if you really want one.
I have a shopsmith that you could use to combers into a disc sander easily

 

[PugetDude]

Too bad they don't make an 8" sander.

Look no further... I have this one and have used the heck out of it. It's not an industrial-duty machine, but it suits my needs.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/PORTER-CABLE-5-Amp-Benchtop-Sander/3163789

 

[BTL-A4]

Look no further... I have this one and have used the heck out of it. It's not an industrial-duty machine, but it suits my needs.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/PORTER-CABLE-5-Amp-Benchtop-Sander/3163789

Thanks! I saw this online, but just assumed it was a 6 disc. I clicked on it this time and saw that it is indeed an 8". I'll have to check it out in the store.

 

[BTL-A4]

Look no further... I have this one and have used the heck out of it. It's not an industrial-duty machine, but it suits my needs.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/PORTER-CABLE-5-Amp-Benchtop-Sander/3163789

So I checked this one out. In the store, the work tables were missing on the display model, so I couldn't evaluate them. According to reviews, people seem to love it or have issues with the motor burning out. One guy replaced the capacitors. It also states in the owner's manual that this is for wood only; I need to be able to sand metal. I use my Craftsman sander for metal all the rime, though, so I'm not worried. I suspect this has plastic parts that will possibly melt if they get hot metal on them.

I may just switch the table to the belt.

 

[PNWguy]

There's a 12" disc from Griz that I've been looking at. It's more than you are looking at spending, but it's a very interesting tool - especially for wood.

It's a 12" disc and a spindle sander, which as far as I know is a unique combo. Probably not what you want, but I think it's worth mentioning because not many people know about them.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-Oscillating-Spindle-12-Disc-Sander/G0529

 

[BTL-A4]

I saw a Craftsman 351.225950 for sale. Any thoughts from anyone if this is a good one? Seems like it would work for my needs.

I think a 12" disc is way too big. Also, I think I'd like a more stable table. Mine sticks out on a mounting rod and the miter gauge is way off, partially because I had to tighten the table bolt to get it to stay and that tweaked it a bit, partly because it's a bit crooked (good enough for the average homeowner, I guess Sears thought), and partly because the miter gauge is a plastic piece of **** that fits sloppily in the Gauge slot.

 

[BTL-A4]

There's a 12" disc from Griz that I've been looking at. It's more than you are looking at spending, but it's a very interesting tool - especially for wood.

It's a 12" disc and a spindle sander, which as far as I know is a unique combo. Probably not what you want, but I think it's worth mentioning because not many people know about them.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-Oscillating-Spindle-12-Disc-Sander/G0529

Interesting. I saw a Palmgren sanding center that had a disc, belt and spindle. It was sold in a day.

 

[BTL-A4]

Look no further... I have this one and have used the heck out of it. It's not an industrial-duty machine, but it suits my needs.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/PORTER-CABLE-5-Amp-Benchtop-Sander/3163789

How stable are the tables? How accurate is the miter gauge? I don't need angle accuracy to tenths of a degree, but I'd like something that is not sloppy. So, if I want to sand a 45 degree angle, I'd like it to be 45 degrees, not 48 or 42. I'd like the table to not move when I put a little pressure on it to hold down the work.

 

[rayra]

I found a deal on a 12" table sander from a guy that seemed to specialize in rehabbing old tools. Belt driven, a newer electric motor, a modern switchbox. The table stand, thing's probably a 100yrs old, thick cast iron, has to weigh over 100-lbs on its own. It's a great pain to drag it from its 'stored' location when I use it, but it's real nice and easy to use for some of my woodworking projects, like shaping plank ends for adirondack chairs. Makes real quick work of most shaping or rounding jobs.
Needs some mods for a proper duck collection hookup. Right now stuff just piles up between the adjustable steel work platform and the table proper.
iirc I got it for $140 and was happy to find it. Can't wait to arrange a proper shop, where it will have it's own position along murderer's row.

Suggest to the OP to keep looking, lots of good values in old or refurbished tools.

 

[Prospecter]

I have the 12" HF and the PC combo prev mentioned. Been happy with both. The miter gauges are not worth much on either. I keep heavier grits on the HF, which has a more robust motor. The HF was a coupon deal. The PC was a floor model.

 

[PugetDude]

So I checked this one out. In the store, the work tables were missing on the display model, so I couldn't evaluate them. According to reviews, people seem to love it or have issues with the motor burning out. One guy replaced the capacitors. It also states in the owner's manual that this is for wood only; I need to be able to sand metal. I use my Craftsman sander for metal all the rime, though, so I'm not worried. I suspect this has plastic parts that will possibly melt if they get hot metal on them.

I may just switch the table to the belt.

I sand metal with mine all the time, smoothing sawn edges, rounding over corners, deburring cuts. The fan that evacuates the dust appears to be some sort of glass-filled nylon, fairly sturdy- until it sucked up a chunk of 1/4" plate about the size of a 1/4" nut. It broke a fan blade- but the replacement fan was only $9.35; bought two and still haven't used the second one.

It's not an industrial-duty machine by any stretch of the imagination- but it works great for what I use it for.

 

[gc427]

The Harbor Freight 12” disc sander is hard to beat for the money.

I’ve had one for 10 years and always performs flawlessly.

One of these days I will build a dedicated stand and larger table for it.

 

[zmotorsports]

I'd look for a 6x48 plus 12" disc machine. My opinion is that those are more common than a 12" disc-only.

The disc has some downsides like flinging stuff (metal dust) all over the place. The belt at least directs it down towards the floor. You can use 2 grits then.

That disc unit pictured looks partially homebrewed. That there's no top-rim guard and the support channels point the same direction doesn't look OEM to me.

^^This. We had a 20" disc at work years ago and it worked great but a bit overkill for most applications.

In my home shop I bought a Wilton/Delta combination 12" disc/6x48 belt and absolutely love it. I suggest getting a good one and buy once, cry once. I use 50-grit on my 12" disc for roughing and rounding corners then I have 120-grit 6"x48" belt for deburring. My disc/belt sander is probably one of the most used pieces of equipment in my shop and I'm glad I bought a quality one as much as I use it.

 

[NUTTSGT]

It's been awhile since I have looked at it but my step dad made one from and old floor buffer.

 

[jumbo61]

I have the HF 12" and it's works great. Remember you're only using 6" of the disc. So it's not really big.

 

[like2wheel]

I have the HF 12" and it's works great. Remember you're only using 6" of the disc. So it's not really big.

Yeah actually even less than that. As you get to the center of the disc, the feet/second gets so low it hardly does any work.

I sometimes find that annoying, so my go-to is still the 6x48.

 

[ljhhontx]

Find an old Shopsmith, they have 12" disc sander with 1 hp motor, variable speed.

 

[Cooter Brown]

How 'bout an Oliver? It's a 30 incher, so the paper will last longer, and it's got that handy spindle sander too!

 

[Iron-Iceberg]

Yea time to step up! This ones on C list right now.

 

[LeonardY]

I've seen that on craigslist for a while. If your patient, a good one pops up every now and then. I happened across a Jet. New in the box. It is this one, only 110V.
The dust collection is awesome on this and it sands really well too.
https://www.amazon.com/708433-jds-12b-1-horsepower-benchtop-230-volt/dp/b00006j6ps

On a side note. They seem to stop selling this model in the US. Not sure why.

 

[PNWguy]

How 'bout an Oliver? It's a 30 incher, so the paper will last longer, and it's got that handy spindle sander too!

That's a beauty! Yours?
I've done fairly well finding old iron, even though there isn't that much in the small towns of the Pacific Northwest - but I've never seen anything like that.

 

[Cooter Brown]

That's a beauty! Yours?
I've done fairly well finding old iron, even though there isn't that much in the small towns of the Pacific Northwest - but I've never seen anything like that.

No, I wish!! It belongs to a world class woodworker who lives and works in the PNW. He completely tore it down and rebuilt it better than new and chronicled it on the Old Woodworking Machinery forum.

He got it on a govt. auction.

It's truly is a thing of beauty.

 

[bjkulawi]

I picked up this JET 1x42" and 8"disc sander for $147 a couple days ago. I don't know if they'll get them back in stock but you can sign to send an email if they do. I thought it was a good buy

https://www.cpooutlets.com/jet-577003-1-x-42-in.-belt-and-8-in.-disc-sander/jetn577003.html

Sent from my SM-G930V using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[brownbagg]

make one, get a washing machine motor and add a disc to it

 

[isb cornbinder]

I built my own 12 inch disc grinder. The project started in shop class in the 1960s and I fininshed it with a shop made stand and a new US Motor two years ago. The guideway for the miter gauge was milled in 2017, in my shop.
It took the best part of 60 years from start to finish.
The trunnions and the knobs are copies of a Delta Rockwell bandsaw. The tilting table was also cast from aluminium.
I may offer this sander for sale. I have a Rockwell/Delta.
This MADE IN USA disc/belt grinder is about 35 years old and it runs like new. I will always buy old Made in North America before offshore.
These great machines are still out there and sometimes for sale. Check Craigslist. If and when the price is right, I will always buy another Rockwell-Delta.
These machines are totally rebuildable, if they ever need help. The last unit I bought is three phase.

 

[crguy]

Just buy a Delta 6x 48 belt/disc unit and never look back.
Notice how the majority of people with cheaper HF, etc., units are making apologies for their shortcomings/weaknesses?
The Delta unit will last forever and parts will always be available if needed.
The pleasure of using a quality machine far outweighs any cost savings with a lesser machine.

 

[isb cornbinder]

The Delta unit will last forever and parts will always be available if needed.
The pleasure of using a quality machine far outweighs any cost savings with a lesser machine.[/QUOTE]

I agree, 100%