What type of sanding station is most useful?

[Tom Brown]

I know this is akin to asking what the best religion is but I'm considering a sanding station and wonder if I need an oscillating spindle sander. I've never had an OSS before, just a super old and not very good belt/disk sanding station. If that belt sander would have tracked better, I'd still be using it.

I'll be building cabinets, fireplace mantles, etc. Not too much fine furniture.

OSS or B/D? Opinions?

[hawk223]

When I read the title I wasn't thinking machines at all but more dust collection and down draft tables.

Sounds mostly like you'll be doing straight pieces? Will you be doing any concave curved pieces or patters? If not you likely will not need an OSS.

[Tom Brown]

Thanks for the note.

It's hard to say what I'll be doing long term but I'll definitely be doing lots of straight sanding in the immediate future.

Perhaps an oscillating edge sander is worth consideration? It seems to be the best of both worlds.

[hoss10]

I would like to have, in order.
1. Belt
2. Pneumatic Drum
3. Disk.
4. O Drum.

There is a General combination Belt/Pneu. Drum machine but it's expensive new. Had one at my previous job and really liked it. I now use an old Delta disk/belt combination machine, and a homemade creation with a pneumatic drum on one side and a mop sander on the other. Just my opinions.

[Randy in Calgary]

I know this is akin to asking what the best religion is but I'm considering a sanding station and wonder if I need an oscillating spindle sander. I've never had an OSS before, just a super old and not very good belt/disk sanding station. If that belt sander would have tracked better, I'd still be using it.

I'll be building cabinets, fireplace mantles, etc. Not too much fine furniture.

OSS or B/D? Opinions?

Don't get me started on religion. My holy book is the Lee Valley catalogue, but I digress. I have the Ridgid oscillating belt/spindle sander. Great unit for smaller stuff. For sanding long pieces, maybe you should look at one of the large industrial belt sanders (I've never owned one of those).

[Rick Thom]

+1 for Ridgid for many hobbyist projects. It has very good dust control as well. http://www.homedepot.ca/product/ridg...-sander/940118.
Very good value for money.

[callee]

Another one for the ridgid. switch easily between belt or spindles, performs excellently, value for money, lifetime service agreement. And on. I can't imagine any other kind of sander I would want more. Note that well - there's plenty of others I would still want, just none that I would want more! I'd take them all if I could, but if you're sending me to the desert island with only one, I wouldn't even have to think before grabbing the ridigd.

Before I bought mine I remember reading a thread here where someone asked how useful it would be and someone else replied that not a single piece left their shop without, at some point, going on the ridgid OSS. I had a hard time believing that, because I couldn't imagine that every project would need that kind of sanding. Certain types of projects, sure, but every project? Well, now that I've had mine a few years, I have to admit, I'm pretty sure it's true. If I've had a project that didn't go onto the OSS at least once, I can't remember what it was.

[StephenL]

Sorry but I wouldn't give a plugged nickel for the Ridgid. Bought one, sold it a short time later, more of a toy than anything else. I currently use a 12" disk, 16" Performax and various Ros/sheet sanders. Occasionally use an inflatable and solid drum in my drill press. Depends a lot on the type of work you plan to do.

[Don Kondra]

For flat work nothing beats a stroke sander

If I wouldn't have purchased one it's quite possible I may have gone back to my office job, he, he..

It does take up a lot of real estate but the quality of the surface and the time savings can't be stressed enough.

Cheers, Don