Bench Belt/disc Sander recommendations

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SteveJD

Member
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Location
Burlington NC
I am considering buying a bench belt/disc sander for squaring pen blanks. I am just starting turning pens and can see it becoming addicting. I see the Buck Tools 6 & 8 inch sanders has some good reviews.
I am currently using a 6" disc sander my Dad made and I inherited but doesn't do good job at squaring.
Anyone have any recommendations in the $250 price range.
Thanks.
 
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I have the Buck 8" after owning a Delta 6". I have nothing bad to say about it. Love the Buck unit. It just take up some room. Lol
 
If you are talking bench top, basically they all come off the same assembly line and basically all the same. The Buck is probably a step up because more of a professional sander because of the design. https://www.amazon.com/BUCKTOOL-Sander-Benchtop-Direct-drive-Portable/dp/B08G4B7K9D The Jet is probably in the same line as the Buck but for the price you can buy 2 of the Bucks. I have a Delta 6" but also have a Jet 12" floor model that I use mostly.
 
I don't have a belt sander, and use a barrel trimmer on the lathe. It is better for me. I centre drill the blank, drill the hole, square off the end with a barrel trimmer and glue the tube into the blank all whilst the blank is in the chuck without removing it.
That just leaves trimming the other end of the blank when the glue has cured

Works for me

Mike
 
I've had several brand name of the combo 6" disc / 36" belt. At the end of the day, they were all pretty much equivalent. Don't over think it, just buy what is in your budget and some good sanding discs and belts and let it eat.
 
cmmyakman said:
I use this tool from woodpeckers and it works great - https://www.woodpeck.com/ultra-shear-pen-mill-inserts.html

At first I used in the drill press and wasn't always getting good results. For a while now I have been using it in my lathe and it works perfectly. It also cleans out the tube of any excess epoxy resin that may have inadvertely found its way to the inside of the tube.
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I have the same setup. The full kit with all the size pilots was on sale. Fantastic.
 
I have been a cabinet maker for over 30 years, in that time I have never been able to SAND anything square or flat, especially with power sanding. I assume it's physics, the part of the sand paper nearest the power turns faster than the parts further away. Presumably there is a "technique" to overcome this (i.e., moving item fast across the sander, alternating pressure, etc) but I have never mastered it. So I avoid power sanding anything for square. Professional miter techniques for picture frames involve a small 45 shaving cut from a trimmer (never sand, tight square joinery has always been based on cuts). A barrel trimmer or mill is the closest to this "cutting" approach ---- but they are expensive and require sharpening or replacing after too many uses. My suggestion:
  • get a good jig to re-cut your blanks after gluing barrel (band saw or miter saw)
  • cut them very close to barrel
  • use mill/trimmer in a drill press (because you are only trimming small amounts of wood the cutter last longer
  • after turning- if needed final squaring by hand sanding with a jig that uses little discs of and paper on a mandrel that keeps your tube square to the sanding disc (some guy on here sells these jigs at a reasonable price)

If you are still set on a power sander - there is a commercial jig - I believe it would work best dead center on the disc - which I think means you will go through the center area of those expensive 12" sand discs - and I agree not much difference in any of the combo bench top sanders - probably better with a 12" disc BUT the most important part of the equation is if the sanding table can be squared to the disc and is big enough to use that commercial jig - my 6" combo sander table wasn't big enough for my squaring jig
 
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jttheclockman said:
If you are talking bench top, basically they all come off the same assembly line and basically all the same. The Buck is probably a step up because more of a professional sander because of the design. https://www.amazon.com/BUCKTOOL-Sander-Benchtop-Direct-drive-Portable/dp/B08G4B7K9D The Jet is probably in the same line as the Buck but for the price you can buy 2 of the Bucks. I have a Delta 6" but also have a Jet 12" floor model that I use mostly.
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Is the quality the same for 6 and 8" aside from disc size and HP? What are the short comings of the 6 vs 8. I'm doing small jobs only.
 
WriteON said:
Is the quality the same for 6 and 8" aside from disc size and HP? What are the short comings of the 6 vs 8. I'm doing small jobs only.
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Same quality. Bigger is always better. The old adage you can do more on a larger tool than you can a smaller one. When talking benchtop disc sanders HP is not a factor. You are not going to load the tool down with pressure. That is the worse thing you can do. Many times the things to look for is table ease to square with disc and to vary degrees and lock and stay steady. Then the miter gauge and slot it rides in needs to be true to both gauge and to the disc. Many people just amke their own and do not use those plastic ones. I did that years ago. I have a Delta benchtop but my big go to is a Jet 12"
 
jttheclockman said:
Same quality. Bigger is always better. The old adage you can do more on a larger tool than you can a smaller one. When talking benchtop disc sanders HP is not a factor. You are not going to load the tool down with pressure. That is the worse thing you can do. Many times the things to look for is table ease to square with disc and to vary degrees and lock and stay steady. Then the miter gauge and slot it rides in needs to be true to both gauge and to the disc. Many people just amke their own and do not use those plastic ones. I did that years ago. I have a Delta benchtop but my big go to is a Jet 12"
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So you're endorsing the Buck8? My finger is on the green button. I'm ready to push it. I do like the 4" belt. Alternative is a dedicated disc with no belt. Where does a belt come into play?
 
WriteON said:
So you're endorsing the Buck8? My finger is on the green button. I'm ready to push it. I do like the 4" belt. Alternative is a dedicated disc with no belt. Where does a belt come into play?
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It is a well built tool and as you see a more professional sander. I use my benchtop sander for many things but you ask about the belt. I make many things in my shop and the one thing the belt is great for in my arena is making the bands on my desk watches because I can use the rounded portion as well as the flat area to shape the bands.

Copy of IMGP0509.JPG
 
jttheclockman said:
It is a well built tool and as you see a more professional sander. I use my benchtop sander for many things but you ask about the belt. I make many things in my shop and the one thing the belt is great for in my arena is making the bands on my desk watches because I can use the rounded portion as well as the flat area to shape the bands.

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Nice JT… real nice.
 
Yours can be for metal also. Just change to the blue paper. Made for metals. The outlet port is aluminum instead of plastic so it will not melt. But unless you are sanding lots of metals than you still can do light sanding of metals on a wood sander too.
 
Funny I just threw one out. Did not have the casters but could have easily added them. Had an older scrollsaw on it. I then used to hold my mitersaw on it. When I bought new rolling workbenches i did not need it any more and finally got it out of the basement. I got into buying these rolling workbenches to hold various tools and also is now where I store all my pen kits. One I set up with my Festool dust collector and also my mini tablesaw and drum sander. Just yesterday had to bring the mitersaw upstairs where I will need it for moldings that I am installing.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XVZ88N5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
jttheclockman said:
Funny I just threw one out. Did not have the casters but could have easily added them. Had an older scrollsaw on it. I then used to hold my mitersaw on it. When I bought new rolling workbenches i did not need it any more and finally got it out of the basement. I got into buying these rolling workbenches to hold various tools and also is now where I store all my pen kits. One I set up with my Festool dust collector and also my mini tablesaw and drum sander. Just yesterday had to bring the mitersaw upstairs where I will need it for moldings that I am installing.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XVZ88N5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc
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Thanks. Will look into rolling work bench.
 
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Update on the Buck 8. Mine is the metal not wood grinder. Difference aside from belts …are the platforms.
The disc is Velcro not self stick. Is Velcro ok or is it too cushy to get a well faced blank. I was going to use the 4" belt but shifting toward the disc. How much of a project is getting the Velcro off of the disc.
 
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I do not use mine for squaring blanks. I do that on the lathe. I do have the velcro on my disk sander that is the bench top but not on my larger floor model. Sticky back paper is better for that. The velcro is probably sticky back adhesive so heat gun probably will work.
 
jttheclockman said:
I do not use mine for squaring blanks. I do that on the lathe. I do have the velcro on my disk sander that is the bench top but not on my larger floor model. Sticky back paper is better for that. The velcro is probably sticky back adhesive so heat gun probably will work.
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Thanks JT. I square on the lathe. The disc would be used with Ricks gizmo to take a tad off of an almost turned or finished blank…. Not for squaring a new blank.
 
Recommendations for a Heat Gun...I realize it's not a complicated purchase however I don't want junk. I'm looking a the "BLACK+DECKER Heat Gun, Dual Temperature (HG1300)"
 
I removed the Velcro attached to the metal plate. Cleaned it pretty good. The stick on disc is separating. Did I buy cheap junk or is the metal plate not prepped properly.
Edit update. Disc fell off. Not sure if it's a skid row grade disc.
 

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