Below are a couple different belt sanders that I have used in the past. Since everyone’s needs and preferences vary, I try to include a few different choices for users to consider when buying a new tool.
Best Overall Sander
Makita 9403 Belt Sander – In my opinion, this is the Cadillac of belt sanders. It’s ease to use and features does make it more expensive than many sanders. You can pick it up here on Amazon.
This Makita is extremely easy to use and is balanced so that that it doesn’t feel like you are in a battle with it during use. I’ve used some sanders that feel like wild animals that you are trying to tame while using them. Not the case with this one, which is nice if you have a lot of wood to sand down. I’ve only used this around my workshop, however, I did have a neighborhood borrow mine sander to use it on his massive deck. He had nothing but great things to say about it.
The belt on this sander measure 4” by 24”. The speed is a respectable 22 feet per second. And for a belt sander, it’s super quiet. The decibel level is only 84 dB, so it’s easy on your ears. It does a superior job of stripping wood layers than almost any other sander on the market.
And the dust bag swivels 360 degrees for ease and convenience. It also has a powerful blower to keep heat and dust away from the belt. With this feature, you won’t have to clean your belts as often.
Best Budget Friendly Model
WEN 6321 Belt Sander -If you don’t anticipate the need for a belt sander often, you may want to go with a much cheaper option such as this model made by Wen. This model is very affordable and is perfect for the person that does random DIY wood projects on occasion. Obviously due to the price, it is made of far more plastic parts than the Makita that we looked at above. However, it does comes with a 2 year manufacturer’s warranty! You can grab this on Amazon here.
This particular model has a seven-amp motor that rotates its three-inch belt over 13 feet per second. Its performance rivals that of higher-priced models. There’s a lock-in feature on the safety grip. This ingenious add-in frees you from always having to apply pressure to the trigger, preventing your fingers from tiring out. One of the positives of having more parts that are made from plastic is that this sander only weighs six pounds. I’d definitely recommend picking up this sander if a heavier model is too much for you.
Sandpaper Cleaning Sticks
Prostik W1307 – Many first time belt sander users don’t realize how valuable cleaning sticks can be. They can save you time and money. After a few minutes of using a belt sander, the sand paper will begin to accumulate dust and debris. This will cause the effectiveness of the paper to decline significantly. Therefore, you’ll spend more time sanding a board than you would with a clean piece of sand paper.
This dust and debris build up also increases the risk of the paper tearing which will cause you to have to stop and replace the paper which can get pricey if you are sanding something large like a deck.
This is where cleaning sticks come in! The sticks are made of a rubber composite that you simply press lightly against the sandpaper as the belt machine is spinning. As it rotates, you’ll quickly see where the cleaning sticks are rubbing against the paper as it will remove the debris that has built up. After a few seconds of using these sticks, you are ready to return to your project with a much more effective setup!
