Is the Belt Sander worth it?

[Mike_Chrest]

Hi Michael,
  I tried to get the adapter in the States with no luck. I just emailed Axminster in the land of perpetual drizzle and clever Rottweilers. I think the sanding frame will fit as well. Could you post a picture of your AEG frame?
Mike

 

[Mike_Chrest]

Chad,
  What voltage is your BS 105 ? How do you run it in the US?
Mike

 

[womackdesign]

I have a bunch of Festool stuff the I brought with me when I moved back from England. It runs on a 220 volt circuit. I brought a few English style outlets with me an have UK circuit in shop.

 

[Mike_Chrest]

Chad,
  I thought the frequency was 50Hz in the UK and since ours is 60 Hz the motors would have problems? ??? Have you noticed any difference in the operation? How long have you run the sander here?
Mike

 

[womackdesign]

Mike, I checked with Festool before I brought my tools back from England and they reviewed my list and the only issue was with my belt belt sander unit for the the Basis system and that they said would run a little faster. I have not had any problems with my sanders,routers or saws.

 

[richard.selwyn]

Mike, I checked with Festool before I brought my tools back from England and they reviewed my list and the only issue was with my belt belt sander unit for the the Basis system and that they said would run a little faster. I have not had any problems with my sanders,routers or saws.

I've been tempted by the sanding unit - are you pleased with it, do you use it a lot?  I use a Festool belt sander (plus stand) and have a couple of sanding attachments for my shaper (spindle moulder), but think that your sanding attachment might be handy.  Any comments appreciated.

 

[James Metcalf]

Matthew

We had a poll in the U.S. a long time back asking if we would be intrested in a beltsander. My vote and the votes of many others would be diffrent now with the sanding frame in the picture. It changes everything. How about a new poll with the sanding frame in the picture. The head of Festool's product management department will be in Las Vegas next week.

 

[Eli]

Wouldn't it be cool if they had a belt sander the size of the PC 371K with a frame? That would be plenty big to clean up glue lines. Might even be a bit more affordable, being smaller.
http://www.toolbarn.com/product/portercable/371K/?ref=base

 

[womackdesign]

Richard, I have the Basis Plus Table and swap the Work Module for the 2000 Router"Basis 6" and the CB120 sander. I think the sander is worth considering if you already are using the Basis system for another function. If you just want it as a stand alone sander I think I would look carefully at the other sanders available. I do find the unit hard to get in and out of the Basis table when I want to swap. I pinched my finger one time pretty good installing the unit into the table. The adjustment for the belt tracking could be improved. I do like the sander,it is nice for making shaper and router patterns. I also have the sliding stop with the longitudinal stop "mitre gage" which is a really nice feature to have with a sander. Chad

 

[Michael Kellough]

Wouldn't it be cool if they had a belt sander the size of the PC 371K with a frame? That would be plenty big to clean up glue lines. Might even be a bit more affordable, being smaller.
http://www.toolbarn.com/product/portercable/371K/?ref=base

I have this belt sander and it would be good for knocking down glue lines if it had a frame but it wouldn't be much good in flattening misaligned panels as the platen is too short. In fact, IMO, the platen is so short (the belt across the platen isn't even flat) that this sander is even more difficult to use on a flat surface than any other BS I've used. But, it is ideal for scribing (removing material to a scribed line) and back beveling the edge of a surface that meets another surface (such as a counter top). And, the dust collection is excellent. The dust hose makes the otherwise easy to handle sander a little awkward, a more flexible (than Festool hoses) 6 or 8 foot hose would be welcome.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Matthew

We had a poll in the U.S. a long time back asking if we would be intrested in a beltsander. My vote and the votes of many others would be diffrent now with the sanding frame in the picture. It changes everything. How about a new poll with the sanding frame in the picture. The head of Festool's product management department will be in Las Vegas next week.

James,
Go right ahead -- feel free to create a new poll any time you want!
Matthew

 

[richard.selwyn]

I have this belt sander and it would be good for knocking down glue lines if it had a frame but it wouldn't be much good in flattening misaligned panels as the platen is too short. In fact, IMO, the platen is so short (the belt across the platen isn't even flat) that this sander is even more difficult to use on a flat surface than any other BS I've used.
[/quote]

I'm sorry to let my ignorance show, but I don't undertand. Why does it matter if the belt is flat across the 'platen'  I've used the smaller 75 for flattening glue ups with and without the frame and get a finish that I never could achieve with my much more "volatile" makita.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I'm sorry to let my ignorance show, but I don't undertand. Why does it matter if the belt is flat across the 'platen'  I've used the smaller 75 for flattening glue ups with and without the frame and get a finish that I never could achieve with my much more "volatile" makita.

Did you check out the the Porter Cable 2 1/4" belt sander we were talking about?

The AEG/Festool 75 mm wide belt sander platen (the contact surface that backs up the belt) is about 50% wider and longer than the PC 371 platen. Further, the PC platen is just thin spring steel over cork so the working surface is a bit convex so the whenever the belt comes in contact with the work the sander does a "wheelie". When that happens it is very difficult to keep the sander from tipping sideways and gouging the work, something that is all too common with most sanders that don't have sanding frames. If the PC 371 had a sanding frame or homemade outriggers to prevent tipping it still wouldn't be too good for sanding flat surfaces because only about 2 square inches contact the work.

The AEG/Festool belt sanders have a better platen, among the flattest I've seen. To get the platen even flatter I replaced it with a graphite filled canvas buffer. With care you can sand flat surfaces without the sanding frame, but I can't (can't keep up the concentration) so I use the sanding frame (all the time really) but especially when the piece needs to be really flat with crisp edges. RO sanders are what I usually use on hard woods but when the wood is soft they (ROs) tend to overcut the softer areas and round the edges. A belt sander in a properly adjusted sanding frame won't overcut.

 

[Tezzer]

Sanded the first table top today with the BS105 and the result was a clear 10/10.

Under very close inspection out in the sun, it was impossible to find even the smallest evidence that it was sanded using a belt sander with only 60 and 80# belts.

It was as close to perfect as you could get. Identical to the result of puting it through an expensive drum sander with an 80# belt. Just perfect.

The sanding frame is the key (big - 390 x 235mm) Its perfectly parallel with the sanding platern and can be adjusted easly by 0.1mm. Sand some pre veneered board and stop moving the sander and leave it in one spot for a minute and it will only skim off the amount you have dialed in. Its a pearler.

Sanding the top today, with a flick of a lever you use it on normal mode with 60# in a cross thatched stroke quickly just to roughly flatten and take the edges off, then pencil marked it all over, and a quick flick of the lever to engage the sanding frame and  straighten up to sand the pencil lines off.

Changed to 80# re-pencil and take your time (around 15-20 minutes i spent for the 2mt top) and straight up and down and it will blow you away at how "flat and scratchless" the top quickly becomes.

This is one massive, heavy, awesome beast and will give you fatigue, but the results are so impressive.

If an expensive drum or wide belt is out of the question (and you can get access to this sander) and you have a few muscles to lug it around, go see your bank manager and grab the mighty BS105.... You wont be dissapointed ;D ;D ;D

 

[Llap Goch]

Lig

Glad you are enjoying your big un'.

As I BS75 owner I was dismayed to read your comment in the other place.

"There is a lighter version (BS75 for the powder puffs) but i like the heavy weight as it will be mainly for table tops."

Does this mean that Faculty Rules 1,3,5 and 7 of the University of Woolloomooloo are still extant?

I hope not as, armed with my trusty BS75 and Simou, I was going to apply for the UofW Workshop Shavings Sweeper job that is currently advertised in this months edition of "Baldwins Vacancies for Itinerant Poms."

Grateful for an early reply before I fork out 10GBP on the 'Assisted Passage to the Colonies' scheme.

Patricia (formely known as Pat)

 

[Eli]

Belt Sander envy is a new sensation. I'm going down the same road you've led me with the domino.

 

[Eli]

Llap-
Living where you do, you have to steal a loaf of bread or marry an aussie girl in order for Simou to chew on the handle of this sander.

 

[VictorL]

Somebody mentioned poll in NA for Festool's Belt Sander. Are we polling or not?  ???

 

[Llap Goch]

Eli

Damm. I was under the impression that any misdemeanour would do. A friend of mine recently emigrated to Australia. His application was fast-tracked when he was asked whether he had a criminal record and he confessed to owning the Bee Gee's Greatest Hits.

 

[Tezzer]

Lig
Does this mean that Faculty Rules 1,3,5 and 7 of the University of Woolloomooloo are still extant?

Thats right Bruce... Is your name Not Bruce?... If not it will cause some confusion here... Mind if i call you Bruce ???

Rules 1.3.5. of the University of Woolloomooloo clearly state "Nooooooo Poo.." i mean Noooooo Patricias  8)

And Rule 7... Their is Noooooooo rule 7