What belt sander to buy

I found a 1x42 Kalamazoo on CL for 60? bucks (under 70 for sure), only thing it did not have a belt when sold as it was. Micky provided me the link which ceramic belts to buy and I did. It is my first belt sander, so far I am pretty happy with what that compact like guy can do with the proper belts.
 
I built the same one ttabbal has. Wheel set off Ebay, motor out of a treadmill. Plenty accurate enough for me, altho it COULD use a bit more power. I think the 2.5 rated horsepower on the treadmill motor is a bit...optimistic. Amazon has belt assortments.
 
I was planning on building one but with all I have to do it wouldn't get done. I needed one now.
I bought the Kalamazoo 2x48 with the 3/4 Baldor motor.
It's not as versatile as some of those shown but it is very handy in the shop!
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ttabbal said:
If you can weld, the 2x72s are easy to build...
Click to expand...

I can weld but am still thinking about maybe this:

www.instructables.com

Bolt Together 2 X 72 Belt Grinder

Bolt Together 2 X 72 Belt Grinder: I have been wanting a 2 x 72 belt grinder ever since I started making knives on my wimpy 4 x 36 belt sander. After looking around at some designs I figured I could probably make one myself. I had access to our scrap bin at work that often had square…
www.instructables.com www.instructables.com
 
I recently ran across another design:
thepracticalengineer.com

My 2x48" Belt Grinder - its a beast! — The Practical Engineer

A belt grinder is a tool that I wanted to have for a long time. Now I finally got to it and started designing and making my own!
thepracticalengineer.com thepracticalengineer.com

He uses solid aluminum bar instead of hollow steel tube for the arms, and makes a sandwich with flat bar stock instead of filing the seam weld out to nest steel tubes. Other than that it's pretty conventional.
 
I have a 1x42 Rockwell but I do the majority of my tool grinding on an 8" grinder that you can buy at many places for $150. I see no real advantage to a belt grinder for doing tool bits, with good grinding wheels kept dressed you can do any tool bit you need.
 
I have a couple of 1" sanders that I used all the time. My serious belt grinder is a 2" I threw together around a treadmill motor. Phase 1 takes 48" belts. I later added Phase 2 - it now takes both 48" and 72" belts. Very quick to change belts. And yes, a solid platen - 3/8" thick.
 
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