I have decided to use a belt sander for guide preparation, but I am not finding a smallish unit of quality. I am looking for a 1 inch belt with disk sander optional.

I do not like the Chinese imports that you find at Harbor Freight, inc.. I know someone who has a Dremel unit, but Dremel has discontinued that model. I found a Delta SA180 Shopmaster, but it is awfully big just for guide feet. Sure could have used that when I built my wooden kayak.

Am I missing anything out there? The Delta may be overkill, but at $129.00 it is not much more than the imported crap you pay $60.00 for.

Thanks,

Tony

I used a dremel for the longest time but ,after reading what someone (mighta been Tom, I dont recall) on this site does, I now simply run the guide foot along the fine side of a file about 5 to 6 times. I think they come out just fine, and no overheating concern.

I have a Delta Shopmaster SA150. I think it was about $100. For real woodworking, it's a piece of junk. For grinding guide feet (what I bought it for) it's a great unit.

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Where would you guess that Delta's made? Surely not Tupelo Mississippi like they used to be. China....

For what you're doing, don't fear the import. Unless you've got a few of hundred to throw at it, that's what you're going to get anyway. the main difference that you'll probably find between the Delta and Harbor Freight units is the alignment of the plattens (the metal surface that backs up the belt). On guide feet, I tend not to use it anyway as I do most of my grinding above the platten and below the upper wheel as the shaping is much less aggressive and easier (for me anyway) to get a nice smooth, even contour on the feet, making platten alignment a mute point anyway.

If you buy an "off brand", make sure of two things. First, don't buy it from an un-known. Buy it from some place that you can go back to if you have any issues. Second, pay close attention to the belt size. You don't want anything that takes a propriotory belt size. 1" X 42" was the industrial standard and 1" X 30" pretty much dominates the home shop units. Check your local sources of supply for belts (Lowes, Depot, etc...) to make sure you can get belts without having to order them special. breaking a belt on a Sunday is a whole lot easier to deal with when you can get a replacement locally rather than having to order it and wait.

Mark Griffin
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C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California

I have the Delta SA180.

Very happy with it.

Just like any good tool...even though you bought it for one use...after a while you find a lot more uses for it. I'm glad I went with the larger model as its been benficial on more than one occassion.



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Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

I use diamond files, I got from Harbor freight five or 6 passes with the file and I get a smooth conture. On small guidesI use a Xacto small blade handle.
Good Wraps Bob

I got the Delta 180 as well, I only paid $60 for it, but imo it's still worth it at $130 if youhave the money and build enouhg rods to warrant it. While I got it soley for guide feet, I end up using it a LOT - I sharpen everything, knives (600 grit cork belts), lathe tools, scissors. I round the edges on grips - like the front of the NPS seat after it is cut back and it not round, I square things off with the disk before drilling. I don't know what a good belt sander is capable of, I do know for ROdbuilding I've gotten way more than my $60 worth since I got mine. What irritates me is that HOme Depo, wher eI bought it - doesnt' sell 8" disks.

I bought one of the Harbor Freight 1x30's back in 1998 or 1999 for knifemaking. Worked OK, great for sharpening and smoothing out handles! Not so great on steel though. It also has the disc on the side. It's still going strong! Works great for guide feet prep (I usually slack belt them, only use the platen when thinning out guide feet to make them more flexy). The platen isn't dead straight under the belt, but you need to adjust it for each belt anyway with the tracking. No biggie! Does a great job on knife edges, too! 1x30 belts are pretty easy to find. Slack belting the guide feet is really quick and easy I am using either a worn 120 or 220 belt.

You might take a look at Sears Craftsman. My late wife bout me one for a Christmas gift 1 year. It takes a 1 inch belt and has the disc on the side also. Works great.

Bill in WV

I've decided to keep the baby. I don't like my other options (or lack of them) and know I will use it for more some day.

Thanks to all who responded.

Mark I never bothered to look at the brand name on the one you sold me - took the top guard off to violate safety procedures to do seat openings - It is covered up with piles and piles of sanding dust from seats, corks, guide frames, and peppermint sticks so I can not see the name on the front plate. I use it at least four to five times a day - after I found the belt adjustment a new belt now lasts me for months. Best and most used tool in my shop!

Tony,
I have had both the delta and the harbor freight sander.
I wore out the delta. Actually , I had a fairly earily failure on bearings, and the main drive pulleys also failed fairly quickly.

I have since had the harbor freight for several years with no problem.
I do agree that the obvious quality of the delta, but the harbor freight has held in just fine.

Another option is the use of a 42 inch sander. I have a couple of them that I use all the time in the shop. I keep one with coarse paper and one with fine paper.
I have also modified the drives and drive wheels to get the belt speed up. I use 3600 rpm 1/2 hp motors on both units and they do a super job in sanding.
As with any tool that gets a lot of use, I have also have had to replace bearings on these sanders as well. Lots of use, requires a bit of maintenance.

I picked up both of these sanders on @#$%& for about $40. One came with a motor and one without. In any event, I put different motors on both of them and rewired them.

I have also had one of the craftsman sanders that I worked over and ended up giving to my son. The only problem with the craftsman is that the sander comes with a pretty weak motor. It if fine for some jobs, but it is fairly shy on power.

Although a bit more money - here is a nice industrial sander that will hold up for a long time:

[www.grainger.com]

Here is a 2" craftsman sander on @#$%&:
[]

Here is an example of the 1 inch by 42 inch sander that I have.

This is actually for the wheels and not for the sander, but it gives you an idea of what the sander looks like:
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I have seen a few of these in use, and they hold up very well.
They also do a super job to chop blanks as well:

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Take care
Roger

One time While I was in a Pawn Shop looking for a Meketa cordless drill I noticed a Craftsman benchtop 1" belt sander for a very cheap price. You might check around and see what they have for tools. Just have a good idea what they usually cost new.

I often wish we still sold those Bill. The problem was no parts source and the importer would be out of stock for months at a time. A minor thing like your missing foot, meant we stripped one from a stock unit. Not a good situation. I still have a couple of "parts" units if you ever need anything for it.

Mark Griffin
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C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California

tony, you may try one of the hobby vendors or shops. i bet there is a small belt sander if size is your main concern. they have micro table saws so i would imagine there are belt sanders in small sizes. if not the delta is not bad for the price. i have one

tony, you may try one of the hobby vendors or shops. i bet there is a small belt sander if size is your main concern. they have micro table saws so i would imagine there are belt sanders in small sizes. if not the delta is not bad for the price. i have one

Tony Scott,

You can not beat diamond wheels for tapering your guide feet. Smooth cutting and no heat fi you don't press hard.

click on this link:

[www.harborfreight.com]

You can also get them with a 2 inch diameter wheel on the @#$%& website.

Rena

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I wish I had to time to shop, but I have a demanding day job and need to find it on the internet. I did find a number of hobby shops and they all listed the same units I am finding everywhere else, most notably the Harbor Freight. One had continued to list the Dremel by mistake.

Proxxon makes a belt sander that is perfect for guide feet. I dont have the model with me right now but I have been using it for about a year and it is awesome. Hand held, 1/2 inch belt (different grits) flat surface and flexible for grinding the bottom and top of guide foot. I'll get the model later but Woodcraft has em. About 140

You will not find an easier or quicker method for tapering than guide feet than a belt sander with about 100 grit. For what you're talking about doing, most any belt sander is going to work. The longer the belt, of course, the longer the belt will last. That would be the one consideration in determining how much you want to spend.

Tapering on the belt only takes a few seconds and it would be extremely rare that you'd ever overheat anything.

To polish the foot, the single most exceptional product is the "Unified Wheel" which can be bought from Bingham Enterprises. Just 2 or 3 seconds on that wheel does a polishing job that is unparalled.

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