The Ryobi 4" belt and 6" disc sander weighs in at a hefty 53 pounds. It's table dimensions are 8 1/2" x 5 3/4". Not something you would call a "miniature tool" but then again...I've seen some fairly large sanders in my life. This one is comparitively smaller...and cheaper. This particular model runs about $100, not a bad price for what you actually get.
Features:
BEVEL GAUGE
The worktable comes equipped with a bevel gauge that
indicates the degrees the worktable can be tilted up to 45°.
BELT TENSION LEVER
The belt tension lever releases the belt tension for easy belt
replacement.
HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL POSITION HOLES
The horizontal and vertical position holes are used for
changing the position of the belt from horizontal to vertical.
SANDING BELT
The sanding belt can be adjusted from horizontal to vertical
providing different positions for sanding workpieces of
different shapes and sizes.
SANDING DISC
A round sanding disc located on the side of the belt/disc
sander.
SWITCH AND SWITCH KEY
Your disc/belt sander has an easy access power switch. To
lock in the OFF position, remove the switch key. Place the
key in a location inaccessible to children and others not
qualified to use the tool.
TRACKING KNOB
A tracking knob aids in centering the sanding belt.
WORK SUPPORT
Supports the workpiece on the sanding belt.
WORKTABLE
Equipped with a sturdy, worktable that provides a stable
surface when using either the disc sanding or the belt sanding
feature.
This sanding machine is absolutely amazing for sanding wood but it's also excellent for sanding HA blocks, foam, certain types of metals, etc. Truly one of the best "recent" additions to my tool collection. Did I mention it was fairly compact? for this reason, it enables me to set up a small work space which quickly cleans up when I'm done making the controlled mess...this model also comes with a vacuum port that hooks into a shop-vac, which makes much less of a mess.
In regards to HA bricks, let me tell you how awesome this machine is for making the bricks "level" in one rapid shot. You can even use the gauge to make exact sands time and time again. Imagine sanding your miscasts to fit perfectly together...takes a long long time to do, right? not with this.
In regards to Ryobi, this is only the second tool from them that I've purchased. So far they seem to be fairly sturdy and dependable tools. Not a whole lot of experience with them, however.
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