Belt and Disk Sanding Station
- Thread starter Gill
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Chris Knight
Established Member
Gill,
I think Adam has one - I expect he will be along soon.
I think Adam has one - I expect he will be along soon.
I haven't got that exact one, but its basically the same principle.
Obviously they generate a lot of dust, but the main (nontheless obvious) point is you need access to both the front and side, or to mount it on something which moves. The left hand edge of a workbench is ideal as you can use the disc bit by standing round the end. Unfortunately, the unit I have is too heavy to easily twist, nor have I any place to mount it to allow easy access. My (very) limited use of it so far has been on the belt only. Until such time as I have a larger workshop, its kind of wasted on me. A smaller unit might have been more use to me, as I could have picked it up and moved it when I needed it.
Adam
Obviously they generate a lot of dust, but the main (nontheless obvious) point is you need access to both the front and side, or to mount it on something which moves. The left hand edge of a workbench is ideal as you can use the disc bit by standing round the end. Unfortunately, the unit I have is too heavy to easily twist, nor have I any place to mount it to allow easy access. My (very) limited use of it so far has been on the belt only. Until such time as I have a larger workshop, its kind of wasted on me. A smaller unit might have been more use to me, as I could have picked it up and moved it when I needed it.
Adam
Mdotflorida
Established Member
I have the Jet version and agree with Adam that it generates enormous amounts of dust (not all of which is sucked away even when hooked up to teh extractor) and that it certainly couldn't be classed as portable. Given that the belt can usually be positioned either vertically or horizontally, they need a bit of room.
The Jet machine however has an optional cabinet style base with built in castors which I find invaluable and I use this machine a lot.
Jeff
The Jet machine however has an optional cabinet style base with built in castors which I find invaluable and I use this machine a lot.
Jeff
Chris Knight
Established Member
Gill,
I have a disk sander (sans the belt) and it is very useful for fine trimming/ adjustment of pieces for a fit. I have also used it for grinding chisels etc. which it does well. Mine has a velcro type fastening arrangement for the disks which I chose in preference to the pressure sensitive adhesive variety as the latter can apparently be a pain to change.
I have a disk sander (sans the belt) and it is very useful for fine trimming/ adjustment of pieces for a fit. I have also used it for grinding chisels etc. which it does well. Mine has a velcro type fastening arrangement for the disks which I chose in preference to the pressure sensitive adhesive variety as the latter can apparently be a pain to change.
Thanks for the help, guys. Since it looks as if a new sanding station will be heading in my direction, I've emailed the organisers of Woodex to find out which exhibitors will be there. Hopefully, I'll get one there at a reasonable price. I used to have a Clarke 4" station but it gave up the ghost when I used it to champfer ceramic tiles when we were decorating the bathroom a few years ago 
. This one will be used strictly for wood!
I take it that all the sanding stations are much of a muchness within a price range? SIP, Clarke, APTC and others all seem to provide pretty similar machines.
I'm also thinking of getting a soft drum sander to fit to a pillar drill. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Gill
. This one will be used strictly for wood!I take it that all the sanding stations are much of a muchness within a price range? SIP, Clarke, APTC and others all seem to provide pretty similar machines.
I'm also thinking of getting a soft drum sander to fit to a pillar drill. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Gill
Chris Knight
Established Member
Carroll make a big thing of their pillar drill drum sanders. I have a couple (and they are not particularly soft) which I find no better really than a cheap Chinese set I have with four different diameter sleeves.
For a really soft one, I think you need to look for the inflatable kind but I have no experience with those.
For a really soft one, I think you need to look for the inflatable kind but I have no experience with those.
Alf
Established Member
But they do have the benefit of not being restricted to using sleeves... (Carroll fan)waterhead37":o23spu9x said:
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Gill, as Chris mentioned a major consideration (for me anyway) is the method of attaching the sanding disc. With the PSA adhesive method a half worn disc is pretty much useless once it's torn off and replaced with a different grit whereas the velcro type is so much easier to swap about and re-use partially worn discs. Although I guess you could convert the PSA type with self-adhesive velcro.
noel
noel
Chris Knight
Established Member
Alf,
My cheapo Chinese ones are a Carroll knock-off using regular strip sandpaper.
However, I also have a pukka bobbin sander that does use sleeves and these outlast my Carroll or Chinese thingies by a factor of about a thousand to one. They cut better, last for ages and are much cheaper after a few outings.
My cheapo Chinese ones are a Carroll knock-off using regular strip sandpaper.
However, I also have a pukka bobbin sander that does use sleeves and these outlast my Carroll or Chinese thingies by a factor of about a thousand to one. They cut better, last for ages and are much cheaper after a few outings.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Gill
I have the Clarke version. It is pretty decent and I recently used it to help flatten my #6 and #7 planes. The fence on the belt section is pretty poor and flexes but you can mount the larger table with mitre guage on it if you wish.
The mitre slot on mine is the worst Ihave ever seen in my life. Slop does not begin to describe it
On the whole, a great piece of kit that removes wood or metal incredibly quickly
I have the Clarke version. It is pretty decent and I recently used it to help flatten my #6 and #7 planes. The fence on the belt section is pretty poor and flexes but you can mount the larger table with mitre guage on it if you wish.
The mitre slot on mine is the worst Ihave ever seen in my life. Slop does not begin to describe it
On the whole, a great piece of kit that removes wood or metal incredibly quickly
Alf
Established Member
waterhead37":1wu0vq8j said:
Hence my comment.
Of course if you don't want your Carroll ones...
:wink: Cheers, Alf
Chris Knight
Established Member
I can see that one day my careless, not to say sloppy, use of the Queen's English is going to get me into trouble..
Alf
Established Member
Chuckle
StevieB
Established Member
Hi Gill,
I bought the axminster perform version a month or so ago. It is the adhesive disc one and as already mentioned expect to bin any disc you remove. THe biggest problem I have found is with the belt - fitting a new one is a real pain and involves multiple screws and then realignment and tensioning to get it to run straight. With respect to sanding, dont hold your little finger over the edge of the workpiece while sanding on the belt (DAMHIKT )
Overall its handy to have, but i find the disc for trimming an edge or mitre to be the most useful feature.
Steve.
I bought the axminster perform version a month or so ago. It is the adhesive disc one and as already mentioned expect to bin any disc you remove. THe biggest problem I have found is with the belt - fitting a new one is a real pain and involves multiple screws and then realignment and tensioning to get it to run straight. With respect to sanding, dont hold your little finger over the edge of the workpiece while sanding on the belt (DAMHIKT
)Overall its handy to have, but i find the disc for trimming an edge or mitre to be the most useful feature.
Steve.
Argee
Established Member
From recent experience repairing a friend's sander - whichever model you settle on, make sure that you can obtain spare toothed drive belts - the disc is usually directly driven, the belt from a toothed belt. Once the belt breaks, the belt function is dead without a spare - might pay to get one in stock!
Ray.
Ray.
aldel
Established Member
Gill,
I have that very model of sander and had it for a few years now and couldn't be without it. Never given a stick of trouble.
Sometimes it wont start unless you give a 'flick' to get going but it has always been like that. Like all sanding stations it is a bit dusty. Get yourself some extra belts at the same time, I have found the coarser ones better and they can be a bit agressive when brand new but do last a long time. The self adhesive discs also last for a very long time.
It is heavy and so doesn't skip around but is small enough to live on the bench.
I also have the Axminster version of the Jet JSG-96 but cannot recommend that.
Regards Aldel
I have that very model of sander and had it for a few years now and couldn't be without it. Never given a stick of trouble.
Sometimes it wont start unless you give a 'flick' to get going but it has always been like that. Like all sanding stations it is a bit dusty. Get yourself some extra belts at the same time, I have found the coarser ones better and they can be a bit agressive when brand new but do last a long time. The self adhesive discs also last for a very long time.
It is heavy and so doesn't skip around but is small enough to live on the bench.
I also have the Axminster version of the Jet JSG-96 but cannot recommend that.
Regards Aldel
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