Belt or disc

C-Bag said:
This is one of the many great things about working in my own shop. I don’t have meatheads wondering about leaving destroyed machines in their wake. I got schooled early on that you prematurely wear out grinder wheels, belts and disks just working one spot. So I’ve always been phobic about staying in one place and work the whole surface of whatever I’m grinding. Add to this these new zirconium belts and disks they just seem to last forever and cut fast.

This is why I’m a bit perplexed by the use of 2” wide belts. Yeah they are like 72” long but having only 2” wide to work would seem to wear the belt quicker. I do see the need for a narrow belt for getting into tight places and it would have been handy for a project I did recently where I was rounding off the ends of small links. I do have a small handheld HF 1” wide belt grinder that I can mount to a table to do these tiny intricate jobs.
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Along with the above 4" x 54.5" Walker Turner sander I also have a Craftsman 6" x 48" horizontal / vertical sander and a Delta 2" x 24" sander. I got a couple of hours use out of the Delta 2" x 24" sander before the plastic wheels exploded. In my opinion the 2" wide belts are by far the least useful of the bunch. I have elected to NOT fix the Delta sander as the wider ones are so much more useful.

I think it is the "Forged in fire" knife making show that has made the narrow width sanders so popular. My take away from the show is that pretty much any idiot can make a knife and the only challenge is the limited time they give you to make one.
 
MikeInOr said:
I think it is the "Forged in fire" knife making show that has made the narrow width sanders so popular. My take away from the show is that pretty much any idiot can make a knife and the only challenge is the limited time they give you to make one.
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LOL!!!! I had no idea how this whole knife making craze started but I also I never heard of the 2x72 type of belt sander before the knife craze started. So I knew that they had something to do with each other. Thanks for the source lesson. It also interesting that when I saw the first YT link to a DIY version they were not grinding a knife on it.
 
MikeInOr said:
Along with the above 4" x 54.5" Walker Turner sander I also have a Craftsman 6" x 48" horizontal / vertical sander and a Delta 2" x 24" sander. I got a couple of hours use out of the Delta 2" x 24" sander before the plastic wheels exploded. In my opinion the 2" wide belts are by far the least useful of the bunch. I have elected to NOT fix the Delta sander as the wider ones are so much more useful.

I think it is the "Forged in fire" knife making show that has made the narrow width sanders so popular. My take away from the show is that pretty much any idiot can make a knife and the only challenge is the limited time they give you to make one.
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That show is so idiotic and cringey.

Though, the only real use I can see where a 2" belt would be preferable would be sharpening a long blade.
 
I use both. But I find the belt grinder more versatile. Easy grit changes. I use the disc more when I want a mostly straight result. I use the belt for everything else. It’s been handy as heck.
 
C-Bag said:
Why is that?
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Vs a 6" belt you would have more control and less machine to get in the way.

My first hobby belt sander was a B&D 1" belt and when I moved up to a larger machine it seemed more difficult to do finer work.
 
MikeInOr said:
I think it is the "Forged in fire" knife making show that has made the narrow width sanders so popular. My take away from the show is that pretty much any idiot can make a knife and the only challenge is the limited time they give you to make one.
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Not just the 2x72 belt sanders, but also anvils, forges and big bench vises. Every wannabe blade-smith has to have 'em.
 
I have a 2x72 I’m looking to move on to a new owner after acquiring the Rockwell. Will list it here soon but probably to big to ship.

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Long ago I made wooden toys and had bought 2 Craftsman 6x48 sanders with the too small discs. I replaced the poor quality bearings and the diecast rollers with steel. They served me well. Still have them in storage. No room right now. They had inch ID & metric OD bearings that were not available any place except Sears Parts. Fixed that!
 
Larry$ said:
Long ago I made wooden toys and had bought 2 Craftsman 6x48 sanders with the too small discs. I replaced the poor quality bearings and the diecast rollers with steel. They served me well. Still have them in storage. No room right now. They had inch ID & metric OD bearings that were not available any place except Sears Parts. Fixed that!
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I have a Sears 6 x 48 sander with a buggered upper drum. I would love to see what you did to reengineer the drum and bearings if you wouldn't mind?
 
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