Replies

1. 
   DJK | Jan 13, 2006 05:08pm | #1

   Purchase a WoodMaster, new or used. Don't consider the toy sanders.

   DJK

1. 
   JMartinsky | Apr 25, 2006 05:23am | #16

   Dear DJK,
   Why the Wood Master?John

2. 
   bones | Jan 13, 2006 05:39pm | #2

   I bought the delta x5. I did a lot of comparing and I wittled it down to the performax and the delta. They both have nice features. I ended up going with the Delta, because of all the rebates. Woodcraft has delta day's where you get 10% off, and I had a 10% birthday cupon, and Delta had a rebate going with free PC router. I don't know if they still have the rebate going, but it's worth a look.  I can't speak to the performax, but I have been very happy with the delta. I have read of people becoming frustrated with sanders, because they think they will be able to use it as a thicknessing device like a planer.  You have to be patient for sure. I think you would be happy with either the performax or Delta.  Be sure to use a DC. That think puts out an ocean of dust.  Good luck on the decision.

3. 
   Michael | Jan 14, 2006 08:26am | #3

   Hrm... You've two options in that price range.

   A used wide belt sander, which is by far THE best option... but heavy and big.

   Or, a drum sander.

   As mentioned the 18-36 is a decent enough unit.

   I own the performax 22-44pro and really like it.  Very solid and effective at what it's supposed to do.  It doesn't thickness quickly... think 10minutes per 1/8 inch.  But, it does do the job, which is the only way to handle really gnarly woods / figured grain.

   I would never personally load any grit finer than 150 on mine, and rarely exceed 120 (100 is what I have on 80% of the time).

   My performax weighs nearly 300 lbs... has infeed and outfeed tables and is a serious tool.  BUT, keep in mind it also takes up a great deal of real estate (bigger than my 15" stationary planer with infeed / outfeed tables).

   Performax has been doing this a long time and they built their reputation was built on just one product.  Sure, the Jet Group owns them now, but it's the exact same design as it was.  Delta copied a good thing and successfully marketed it (not knockin Delta, just they were later to the party and didn't bring any new innovation).

   I think you'd be happy with either unit, but I would choose my performax again given my budget, space, and needs.

   Cheers,

   michael

1. 
   alanplanesaw | Jan 14, 2006 08:56am | #4

   Michael,

   Thanks for your experience and detail info. 

   Alan - planesaw

2. 
   RickL | Jan 16, 2006 07:00pm | #5

   Pretty unlikely to find a used widebelt sander near $1,500.

   Actually there is another option, a stroke sander. In the big shops I worked in we always had a widebelt and several stroke sanders. Very affordable option and has some advantages over a widebelt. Can actually do wider pieces. Belts are real fast to change and pretty cheap. I've even used them to sand the dovetails on assembled drawers.

    

   You must be fairly young or never have worked in a large shop or you'd probably know about stroke sanders. They even use then in metal fabrication shops.

1. 
   Michael | Jan 16, 2006 08:21pm | #6

   Nope, no large shop experience here.

   Indeed, I had overlooked a stroke sander as an option.  I've never made it past the evaluation stage with them as the footprint is bigger than I can dedicate to a sander currently.

   Everything I've read or heard about them is good, and those who have worked with them have nothing but praise for them.  I was under the impression though at least during the times I looked, that they ran upwards of $2500 for a good one?

   Cheers,

   michael

1. 
   ring | Jan 16, 2006 08:45pm | #7

   Michael,

   I can't help with advice on what to buy, but I can give you a few thoughts on stroke- versus drum- sanders.  My shop has a large stroke sander (8' bed) and an SCMI 20" oscillating drum sander as well.  They are not interchangeable.  The stroke sander is great for large slabs, tabletops, and effectively has no size limits because you can position the board anywhere (more or less) under the moving paper.  But you cannot get uniform thickness out of it.  We use the drum sander to sand frame and panel doors after glue-up, and anything where the thickness is critical.  You can run a veneered panel through with fine grit paper.  Putting veneer on the stroke sander is asking for trouble - you will go through the veneer in some corner 9 times out of 10. 

   So figure out first what your needs are and then look at the machine that suits.

   DR

1. 
   RickL | Jan 17, 2006 02:54am | #9

   Actually the stroke sander is quite good for veneers but it takes some practice. Silas Kopf, the famed marquetarian, uses one for his marquetry and we used it extensively for veneers and solids. Great control is certainly possible but practice and the right pad make all the difference in the world. We once sanded a veneered panel three times because something got screwed up with the stain and were able to salvage it successfully. This was a standard commercial veneered panel so the veneer was pretty thin to begin with.

2. 
   RickL | Jan 17, 2006 02:59am | #10

   You can pick up stroke sanders pretty cheap if you look around. I put one in a metal fab shop and it cost $700. It was a Mattison and you could put the pedestals any distance apart. Smaller ones are available from Grizzly, etc for under $1,500 new.

4. 
   Michael | Jan 16, 2006 10:53pm | #8

   Thanks Ring.

   I'm replying to Planesaw for this however since he's the one in the market and not I :)

   I own a 22-44 Pro which suits my needs very well.  Would I like an Oscillating Belt sander as well as a stroke?  Heck Yeah!  However, the Performax suits my needs quite well :)

   Looks like some good discussion occurred though, which should provide a bit more help in picking the right unit.

   Cheers

   michael

1. 
   alanplanesaw | Jan 17, 2006 06:02am | #11

   Michael, and other posters,

   Thanks.  I am a serious woodworker with the handicap of a more than fulltime job unrelated to woodworking.   That means I don't have near as much time as I would like to do woodworking.

   Since that is the case, I have tried to make sure I get good equipment so that when I do have time I am making sawdust and not trying to get the equipment to work.

   I had not heard of stroke sanders, nor Woodmaster, and I hadn't considered belt sanders.  So, I will be doing some more checking into those.

   And, like so many others, I have twice as much "stuff" than I do shop space.  Whatever I get get, if I do, I'll have to mount from the ceiling.

   Thanks for the advice,

   Alan - planesaw

1. 
   Michael | Jan 17, 2006 07:43am | #12

   Completely understand the situation Alan.

   I too have a full time non-woodworking related job.  Makes it hard to complete some of these epic pieces I've seen so many great wood workers post here.  However, I love ever moment I get to spend in my shop these days, even if it's fleeting.

   Finding time to do things is a challenge for me, and therefore I prefer to get the best / right tool for the job rather than just doing something because it's the way it has been done.

   G'luck in your sanding research / endeavor.

   michael

2. 
   dgreen | Apr 25, 2006 03:28am | #13

   Shop Fox has a double drum sander you might want to consider. Capacity is 26" wide 6" tall. Cost is within a hundred bucks or so of the top of your price range. I started with the Delta and liked it but got very tired of changing grits. I keep 80 grit on the first drum and 120 on the second. The height of the rear drum is adjustable independant of the first. 5 horse 220 motor spins the drums and 1/4 horse gear motor on the conveyor with variable speed on the conveyor. It gets a lot of use in my shop and has been trouble free. I've had it about 2 years now.

1. 
   alanplanesaw | Apr 25, 2006 04:36am | #14

   Thanks.  I'll look into ShopFox.

   Alan - planesaw

5. 
   dchyatt | Apr 25, 2006 04:48am | #15

   I have had very good experience with a Performax double-drum sander that I used every day in a furniture shop. This machine can be very efficient and inexpensive to operate if you frequently clean the belts with one of those large crepe rubber blocks (i.e. every few minutes). The belts can be made to last for a long time if kept clean. The big problem with wide-belt sanders is their tendancy for the sanding belts to become clogged and start to leave burn marks.

1. 
   dgreen | Apr 25, 2006 06:57am | #17

   Absolutely agree on the crepe cleaners, a neccesity on any power sander as far as I'm concerned. Gives me about 5 times the life I figure, especially on the inflatable drum machines. Also helps to take multiple light passes on the wide machines whether it's a $10,000 machine or a $900.00 one. Once it burns a line onto the paper you are screwed as far as production is concerned, hobbyist might stretch it some by avoiding that spot but what a pain.