If you’re working on a project that requires you to remove wood or caked-on varnish from a surface, you may be wondering whether you should use a wide belt sander or a planer. The main difference between wide belt sanders and planers is that wide belt sanders use an abrasive belt to sand surfaces while planers are equipped with blades. It can take anywhere from two to 30 passes to remove the same amount of material with a wide belt sander that a planer can remove in one pass.
Still, we will cover some general guidelines that will help make your decision more straightforward in the drum sander vs planer debate. A belt-driven drum sander or belt sander is a sanding machine that uses a flexible wide belt to spread wood particles evenly over the surface. In the contest of drum sander vs planer, The planer is a quieter and more versatile power tool than a drum sander, producing less sawdust.
Two of the most common woodworking tools or machines that you may need include the belt sander and the planer. First off, we have the belt sander, which can come in the form of a small handheld belt sander or a larger tabletop belt sander. The primary difference between these two woodworking tools is that a belt sander uses sandpaper to sand away at the surface of wood, whereas planers use large blades to cut away at a certain depth in the wood.
I’ll echo Rags and Larry, but I’ll also agree with you that a lunchbox planer isn’t going to cut it in a production shop. “At $775, this grizz is an entry level induction powered planer that would probably provide several years of use. Once you step into the induction arena, you’re talking about being capable of passes to probably a good 1/8” at a shot if need be, these things are gonna run circles around a sander or even a lunchbox planer.
Develops expertise: Another delightful benefit of a belt sander is that it encourages a skill that you might not learn using other tools. Belt Sander: Pros & Cons Pros The durability of materials and high-grade engineering. Both the belt and planer sander are great tools when used specifically for what they are meant to accomplish.
wide belt sander vs planer Related Question:
Is a planer better than a sander?
Thickness Planers: Produce Boards of Even Thickness Whereas sanders are used to alter the finish of wood, a wood planer is used to even out wood to an exact thickness. Planers produce boards of even thickness. With a planer you can take several irregular pieces of wood and level them all to the same even thickness.
Can I use a belt sander instead of a planer?
The right one for you will depend on your application. If you need to even out a long wooden board, a planer will get the job done fast. On the other hand, if you want to strip away coatings, or make a surface smoother, a wide belt sander will be the better investment.
What is the difference between a planer and a belt sander?
The primary difference between these two woodworking tools is that a belt sander uses sandpaper to sand away at the surface of wood, whereas planers use large blades to cut away at a certain depth in the wood. Due to this difference in function, they are very different tools.
What does a wide belt sander do?
The wide belt sander is used to machine stock flat and to specific thicknesses. It can be used with solid wood and composite boards such as plywood and MDF. A rubber conveyor carries your stock through the machine while a wide abrasive belt removes material from the top surface.