Need to replace my old handheld belt sander

reible · Post by **reible** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:28 pm

For good or bad I've made my choice. Hitachi.

I got to check out an earlier model which my son had borrowed from a guy he knows who is a Hitachi sales person. I liked it and was thinking about picking one up so I started pricing them. Menards had the best price at $149.

My son checked with the Hitachi guy, his cost was $129. Not wanting to use up any favors at this point I also found that:
The current model SB 8V2 is currently on sale at Menards stores for $129.00.

http://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardw ... -10088.htm

Picked up mine today but they are on sale until the end of Sept.

Stopped by the Lowes store and got a shopsmith belt for it on the way home. So I'm good to go now.

Of course I had to play with it this afternoon. So far so good and it does well at dust collection. I have a project, wood from my 10ER base needs some major cleaning up, maybe even tomorrow weather permitting.

Ed

ljhhontx · Post by **ljhhontx** » Tue Sep 17, 2013 7:18 am

I use a 4x24 Hitachi 2 speed, it's a beast, very good product.

reible · Post by **reible** » Tue Sep 17, 2013 6:40 pm

Today I sanded the wood for my 10ER. Some areas have "attachment" holes that were hand done and none to pretty. Some nail holes and clamping marks and I'm guess a small oil spill. One board is longer then the other by about 3/8" and the back side is notched for the cross bracing to the legs, it had a back on it at some point.

The belt sander made short work of most of the really bad issues but still looks pretty rustic. Rather then putting to much effort in to it I think I'll plug some of the bigger hole and do some filling on some of the smaller dents and then go back to a painted situation.

I'm even more happy with this belt sander after using it for a while longer today. I was going to hook up the shop vac but my hose ends don't fit, time for yet another adapter. Hope I have one that fits in my tub of adapters, to busy wanting to play to even look today.

The tracking of the belt was pretty easy to get set up and it seems to stay put, did no tracking adjustments since I first set it up yesterday. Hope it stays that way.

It has a 9 amp motor and that seems a good match for the weight of the sander. You need to use two hands for better control but that is how I use a belt sander anyway. The sander seems happy working under its own weight as it should.

Ed

Gene Howe · Post by **Gene Howe** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 12:37 pm

Thanks Ed, for the mini review. I've been watching this thread to see what you would go with. Sooner or later, my trusty little Sandcat will bite the dust, so to speak, and I've been looking for a replacement. Sounds like a Hitachi is the way to go.
Did you try any others. If so, were there ones we should not even consider?

reible · Post by **reible** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 1:07 pm

Gene Howe wrote:Thanks Ed, for the mini review. I've been watching this thread to see what you would go with. Sooner or later, my trusty little Sandcat will bite the dust, so to speak, and I've been looking for a replacement. Sounds like a Hitachi is the way to go.
Did you try any others. If so, were there ones we should not even consider?

Hi,

Given my $ range the high end sanders were never a possibility, I did look at the PC and it was in the running but was just above my ceiling. I could have gone for it but when the price on the Hitachi went to $129 I couldn't resist.

I did look at several of the sub $100 models but for me they did not seem like what I was looking for, this based on the heft of Hitachi and how I have used my previous belt sander. I also wanted the specific belt size so I could use up my collection of belts, a size able collect and investment.

The Hitachi is a two hand model, as was my previous one. Some of the smaller models seemed that they might be able to be used with just one hand. The problem is that one really needs to use a belt sander to know how it feels, since you can't in most cases do that it becomes a turkey shoot. Since I had the opportunity to experience the Hitachi before making the purchase was a big plus.

Ed

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 3:39 pm

Gene Howe wrote:My little 3X16 Skil SandCat has been superseded by this one: SANDCAT
I don't own one but if you can get by the color and if it's as good as it's little predecessor, it might fit your needs.

I needed a handheld belt sander recently, didn't want to spend much, and after a bit of research, review reading, and price comparison, decided on that Skil model. Going by Ace's web site, they had the best price and claimed to have it in stores. So I went by the local Ace Hardware and they didn't have it. I ended up buying a Craftsman model for about the same price. If I didn't need to use one that day, I would have probably ordered the Skil. The Craftsman is doing the job, but I don't know that I would recommend it. The plastic housing feels flimsy and dust collection is a joke.

ryanbp01 · Post by **ryanbp01** » Fri Sep 20, 2013 11:42 am

This thread has generated some interest for me. Last weekend my Master Mechanic belt sander gave up the ghost. I looked at Consumer Reports to research a replacement, but no luck. Does anyone here know of a good site for a side by side comparison?
BPR

ryanbp01 · Post by **ryanbp01** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 7:54 pm

Sorry to bother you with my last post. I found a site which answered my questions.
BPR

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 10:39 pm

ryanbp01 wrote:Sorry to bother you with my last post. I found a site which answered my questions.
BPR

No bother!(as long as you 'share' your 'findings').

reible · Post by **reible** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 12:04 am

ryanbp01 wrote:This thread has generated some interest for me. Last weekend my Master Mechanic belt sander gave up the ghost. I looked at Consumer Reports to research a replacement, but no luck. Does anyone here know of a good site for a side by side comparison?
BPR

I didn't go that route so I had/have no information to reply with.

Ed