Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm thinking that I should finally spend some money and invest in some machinery. Problem is, I'm not sure what I should get first...

I've been looking at disc sanders, belt sanders, and spindle sanders, but I don't know what I would get the most use out of. I figure I'll find more uses for the machines after I buy them, but I can't decide which of the three would be most useful- disc, belt, or spindle sander.

I might be wrong, but it looks like a belt sander can do everything a disc sander could do, so long as it has a table. A spindle sander can do inside curves and would be great for making jigs and forms.

It seems like most of the machines over here in the UK are some sort of disc/belt sander combo, and the disc sander might not really be necessary if I had a 6 x 48 inch belt sander. Would there be an advantage to the combo machine or should I look for just a belt sander and maybe get the spindle sometime down the road?

I don't have either of these tools, but just based on what I know about building and what these machines would be used for, I think a belt sander or a spindle sander either one would be more useful than a disc sander. If I had my choice of two out of three I'd go belt and spindle every time. MHO.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Spindle, especially if you want to make molds or sand curves quickly. I find my belt sander nearly worthless. However, disk sanders are great.

Maybe a drill press with drum sanders for sanding curves. Much slower than an occillating spindle sander, but there are lots more that you can use it for, if you don't already have one.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

For me, the belt/disc sander combo in the 4" x 36" is priceless. I use it on more processes than I'd be able to remember here.
Also, I picked up some of those spindle sander attachments for the drill press and they're pretty handy too. I keep thinking about
the stand alone oscillating spindle, but I haven't found anything I couldn't do with I already have, so it's off the list for now.
I even thickness head plates & recently my bridge blank on the belt sander.

Not sure how much money you want to spend or how big of a machine you're shooting for, but for guitar size stuff the Ridgid oscillating edge/spindle sander is a great buy at $199. Also, not sure of its availability in the UK. I have one though and think it is well made for a "bench top" type tool. It doesn't offer the weight or power that a floor machine would, but I don't personally need that for what I do.

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sweat the small stuff.

+1 here for me. One of the most versatile tools in my shop, use it for all sorts of things. Mine is a cheaper Delta bench top model, and I sometimes think it would be nice to have the larger one with a 6" belt, or even a floor mount model. And a spindle sander is definitely on my wish list, but will have to wait for disposable income.

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Phil

http://www.oleninstruments.com

"Those who tilt at windmills are only considered insane by those who can't see the dragon."

Is there anything a belt sander can do that a disc sander can't do?

+1 on that. I'm amazed at how well this thing works. I'm sure there's better but for this price…sheesh!

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http://www.birkonium.com CNC Products for Luthiers
http://banduramaker.blogspot.com

For years I got by with just a portable belt sander. I made a simple fixture for it to use it on edge like a mini edge sander. I can sand some inside curves using the front roller. I still use it quite a bit for shape sanding parts, thinning and flattening boards and numerous luthier and general cabinet making tasks.
I found a cheap (craftsman?) spindle sander at a yardsale for $30. It does work much better than the drum sanders I was using in my drill press. It does a good job sanding curves, and being a light weight tabletop affair it can be stored in an odd corner when not in use.
Simon Fay sent me an extra 12" sanding disc he had (Thanks again Simon!) which I mounted to an old motor I had laying around. It is AWESOME! It is amazingly fast for sanding edges straight and shape sanding small parts.
I think the belt/disc combo Eric and Phil mentioned will give you the most versatility in a stand alone machine.

This Grizzly combo looks to be the business.

The only slight downside to a disk sander as opposed to a belt sander is that you can't conveniently change back and forth between grit sizes (let's face it, real men don't use velcro discs on disk sanders ...PSA is the only option... )

100 grit is IMO the optimum compromise.

I came to guitar building with a shop already in place. I have used the 6 X 48 belt sander and have not problems - it does everything I need it to do except a couple of items I use the drum sander on the drill press for.

Look at Frank Ford's site - Frets.com - and he says the tool that gets the most use in his shop full of repair people is the 1" vertical belt sander. He has modified it in various ways and looks pretty interesting.

My daughter has a vintage repair shop and the only sanders there are a 4 X 24 belt sander and the drum on the drill press. Different needs than a building shop.

If I had £2000 I'd buy a second-hand Wadkin disk and bobbin sander from Daltons Machinery.
If you go for a belt sander make sure you can adjust the belt so it come DOWN onto the table as well as across it. Otherwise its dangerous shaping small awkward shapes.
The disk sander is very safe and gets things flatter.
Bobbin sander great for all things related to neck building.
Don't buy Axminster machinery.

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We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at guitars.

We have that Grizzly tool Murray linked to at work. Lots of plastic and less than ideal shaped/sized parts, but it has survived in an educational shop setting so it can't be that bad!

In my shop at home I had first a 4x36 belt/disc and then upgraded to a Rikon 6x48/10" disc machine. I recently sold that after I refurbed an old Delta/Rockwell 6x48 stand alone machine. I'm much happier. The table and trunnion is much more solid and reliable than any of the ones on newer Chinese/Taiwan made machines. Being able to set the angle exactly and keep it there was something I really wanted. I use the top of the drum not infrequently when doing a quick curve and have broken out the spindle for my drill press on occasion. I would like a spindle sander but the belt sander (for me) is absolutely more important, I use it all the time. I have no desire for the disc or a larger belt with my current setup.

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Burton
http://www.legeytinstruments.com
Brookline, MA.

Thicknessing headstocks.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

+ Ridgid oscillating edge/spindle sander

But, I do like to use a belt sander like Terence to thickness headstocks and wings of bridges, etc. and a disk sander for edges of things, like bridges, nuts, etc. (i.e., small disk/belt combination).

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

I have a cheap 4"/36" combo. I don't use the belt sander much except for maybe the occasional lapping the sole of an old hand plane or sharpening an axe. The 4" disc is almost too small for many lutherie related applications I think. My next power tool purchase will be a high quality 12" stand alone disc sander. I have a Jet desktop spindle sander that gets much use. I really like it.

I just picked up the Ridgid oscillating edge/spindle sander in December, and question whether my old Craftsman 36" belt/disk combo is long for this world (or at least my world). I never have liked the horizontal belt anyway, and would much rather have a full size edge sander if I were to replace the floor machine. (I'd rather look down on a process than crouch and look from the side). Previously, my only access to something more like a spindle was a set of drums for the drill press. No comparison.

I did have an interesting time buying the Ridgid, though. The first one shook like mad and was obviously eating some internal plastic parts, judging from the fine black plastic filaments accumulating in the exhaust port. The second one was used - way used, like someone had decided they didn't want it after using it for a year and just put it back in the box and returned it. Some clown put it back on the shelf. Third time was a charm.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

I ended up getting a disc sander. I've got my sights set on a spindle sander, but there's no point in rushing. It seems like there are tons of jobs I can do with a disc sander and I'm quite happy with the purchase.

Thanks for the advice everybody.

I have several sanders.

One is a 6-36 disc/belt sander. The belt part is useful for thicknessing headstocks (moving back and forth sideways takes care of the crown issue) and scooping braces along with general sanding. I use the disc part all the time to put angles on small parts, squaring ends, and so on. I probably turn this sander on more often than any of them. When this one dies I would like to get a bigger/higher-quality one. I am jealous of those with enough room for dedicated disc and belt sanders but my shop is just not big enough.

Another is the Rigid oscillating unit - it's great for inside curves on stuff. I don't use the belt attachment as often but it does come in handy. If it broke I would go buy another one.

There is also the Luthier's friend which I don't use much. I do thickness saddles and other small stuff with it but if you're not careful it will shoot your part out in the shop to be lost forever. A sled for the belt sander would do the same job. It's a well made little unit but if I didn't already have this I wouldn't buy it again.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"