I've been looking at this one
http://www.harborfreight.com/c...93981


I was wondering if anybody has the smaller of the two. I need it to flatten out piping/tubing ends and making small angles on piping/tubing ends as well. Will it be enough? I don't want to buy the damn thing and have it not able to perform the work I'm hoping to do with it.

 

Dont mean to be off topic, but im new and cant find a way to speak with you about that Turbo you have for sale.. Can you send me an email at Ocurrey@atlas.valenciacc.edu.. Thanks..

 

I have that same one, used it for a while the sanding paper it comes with wears out fast.... I use the shop saw now to trim, sand, flatten down pipes works a lot better.

 

I have been using the Ryobi 4 x 36 belt sander for some time now. It works fine for sanding and beveling pipes. I use the belt for sanding flat obviously, then I tilt the table next to the disc for beveling. It works very well and is very quick.

I chose the Ryobi over the harbor freight one just because I trust Ryobi and have several of their products. It's essentially the same thing though, and only cost 10 dollars more at Home Depot.

The only downfall to the sander is it is driven by a small rubber belt. You can't put a ton of load on it, it won't take it (as I found out). I have now ordered two of the belts as extras, but now I know how much pressure I can apply so I'll probably never use the extras.

 

i talked to a welder that was installing some new bars at the local prison and he said he notches his pipes at his shop with a belt sander. this if for fitting in between existing bars. i may sound ignorant but im surprised a belt sanders paper wouldnt shred. must take a decent amount of time to do so. he said it takes no time at all.

 

Nah...they hold up really well. I notch the sc10 stuff with the belt sander, it's pretty quick to do that. The belts are pretty strong for one, plus you let the sander do the work...you don't have to lay on the work.

 

I would think this would only work if the radius of the sander end met the desired tubing diameter. Seams like a hole saw bit would work much better, but might require additional setup time.