This is more like a celebration thread for me, but here's the point:

At work we had some extra $$$ laying around, so I decided to buy a belt sander, since I knew I needed it for an upcoming job. Holy crap I seriously didn't know what I was missing! I have been an upstart fabricator for the past few years, and neglected to purchase one thinking it was a commodity and not a necessity. Wrong!

Anyways, life in the shop has become easier, and the machine runs for a good hour at a time with all the stuff I run on it. 6" belt and 10(?)" Disc.

Yay

 

What kind did you get? I just picked up a 20" disc sander, its gotta be one of the most useful tools

 

Wilton. I love it. 20" Disc sander? What do you use it for?

 

having the right tool for the job makes you way more productive and safer at the same time.

 

My buddy had some rinky dink belt sander from home depot, you could stop the belt with your hand, lol. I kept telling him to buy a nice one, that he'd use it more than anything else in his shop, but he kept putting it off. He finally bought one and called me like a week later telling me how useful it was and how he couldn't believe he went so long w/o one. Definitely a very useful tool!

 

Exactly right! Here I was squaring the ends of header tubing by hand. 3 seconds on the belt sander vs 15 minutes using an angle grinder = I was a moron.

 

Belt sanders are the bomb! Just watch your fingers and for flying objects... (I've seen pieces of metal go shooting across the shop )

 

Haha just today I replicated the scene from Tommy Boy. Except it was a collector and not an oil filter.

Yes the collector was worthless afterwards (16ga header collector)

 

yea we have about 3 belt sanders and one disc. very useful especially since i was trimming a lip for my car

 

at my shop we always used a 6" belt sander, but recently picked up a 1" "burr-king" model, and have to say it is a way better all around sander. I dont think anyone has touched the old 6" since.

 

I need a belt sander that can do the width of a flange. I have a little delta one for doing headers or making collectors flat... but Im looking for something a little more "industrial strength" any suggestions?

 

How much you looking to spend RTErnie?

 

enough money to get what I need

 

I can definitely vouch for the fact that the Home Depot style 4" belt sanders are marginal performance wise. I don't think I'd be sticking my hand on it to stop it, but you can't really take off alot of material very quickly. I bevel els with it, remove some surface for fine fitment....I can't say it doesn't work, but I can imagine a true beasty belt sander is probably a heck of a wonderful thing.

 

You guy should look more into belt grinders rather then sanders. Belt grinders have a really high belt speed and rubber contact wheels designed for metal sanding.