I’m working on a new project for which a belt sander would be quite helpful but the old Hitachi is awful to work with. Unless you have a job where you want a big honkin belt sander with 36 grit belt to be more of a hand pwoer planer the Rotex is a much more useful tool. I very seldom use a portable belt sander anymore, I have a wide belt sander for smoothing glued up panels.
09-08-2016, 07:16 PM. Lately I have been reading up on Festool’s line of Rotex sanders. They are my go too sanders for the first few grits and they work fast. I have a rotex but frankly I prefer the regular 150 sanders.
The Festo 21″ x 3″ design is a perennial favourite, much copied & imitated, but never bettered and with double advantages of excellent, well designed sanding frames, tilting fences and inversion brackets & universally available belt sizes. Makita have generally less expensive, more modern tools with easily found belts, parts, accessories and repairs for a fraction of the price, from just about any hardware store in the country. Festo tools are rare, expensive, not necessarily uniformly suited to commonly available belt sizes, and extremely difficult to access repairs and parts availability.
festool rotex vs belt sander Related Question:
Is a belt sander better than a drum sander?
More complex to maintain, as wide belt sanders have more moving parts. Larger space between hold-down rollers, so smaller pieces must run end to end. For wide belt sanders to last longer, they need extra care and attention. Compared to drum sanders, they have more delicate parts, such as the abrasive belt and platen.
What is better than a belt sander?
For fine sanding work or rounding edges, the orbital sander is the tool for the job. It has much more flexibility than a belt sander and works well around corners. It can fit into corners, too, although a random orbital sander might be the better choice.
What is a belt sander best used for?
What are Belt Sanders? Belt sanders are multiuse tools. They are commonly used for trimming to a scribed line (photo), sanding very rough surfaces, leveling surfaces (like a replacement board in a hardwood floor) and freehand rounding and shaping.
How much material can a wide belt sander remove?
As mentioned earlier, abrasive belts can only remove a certain amount of stock dependent on grit size. With a three-head sander you can run a grit sequence of 100-150-180 and remove approximately 1/32 inch in one pass.
Can a belt sander be used on a hardwood floor?
A belt sander for finishing a wood floor should be a hand-held one so you can move the tool around on the surface of the floor. Belt sanders will do a good job of leveling out the floor and preparing it for a finer sand.
Do I really need a belt sander?
Belt sanders are highly effective tools for removing roughness and preparing woodwork for less aggressive tools in the process like random orbit and finishing sanders. It is crucial to belt-sand with the wood grain rather than across it. Otherwise, the belt sander’s lateral action can ruin the work.
Should I get a belt sander?
Good for initial wood work, a belt sander is perfect for getting wood ready to be worked on. A belt sander can remove any material off wood in no time.
What is the difference between a belt sander and regular sander?
In a nutshell, belt sanders are on the powerful side, able to strip down a piece of wood in a short amount of time. Orbital sanders, on the other hand, are finishing sanders that are used to get wood ultra-smooth.
What is the quietest belt sander?
Best Overall: Makita 9403 4-Inch x 24-Inch Belt Sander It’s powerful enough to be described as a “beast,” though it keeps its roar down, boasting the title of quietest belt sander in its class with noise levels limited to 84 dB.
What belt sanders are made in the USA?
Ickler Belt Sanders – Made in the USA Ickler has been manufacturing high-quality belt sanders since the mid-1930’s. Generations of professionals and do-it-your-selfers have put these rugged, Made in the USA tools to use.
What’s better orbital or belt sander?
A belt sander is more effective for large materials, while the orbital sander is ideal for small spaces and pieces of furniture. A belt sander works effectively on flat surfaces, while an orbital sander can work with various angles.
Can you use belt sander on cabinets?
Sometimes fine-wood cabinets or furniture might have decades of buildup on them from the different finishes applied. A belt sander can zip through the layers of paint, shellac, wax and other materials in a short time compared to other sanders and hand sanding. The belt sander is ideal for long, flat pieces of wood.
Can you use a belt sander to remove paint?
Belt Sander The handheld belt sanders remove paint from vertical or horizontal flat surfaces. Use this sander in the same direction as the grain of the wood. Large belt sanders are too heavy to use on vertical surfaces. Designed for floor and deck sanding, these heavy belt sanders work on large expanses.
How much tension should a belt sander have?
Most wood sanding applications (such as mould sanding using narrow cloth belts) require a belt tension of approximately 40 psi. However, there are some special exceptions. For example, abrasive planing operations using coarse grits typically demand belt tension in the range of 70 to 90 psi.
How much pressure should be in a belt sander?
The proper range for the tension pressure depends on whether your belt is paper, cloth, or Polyester. For paper – 45-55 psi, cloth – 55-65 psi and Polyester – 65-85 psi. Q) Is there a way to increase the life of the wide belt? A) Yes!