The belt sander is a go-to tool for taking lots of wood off in a hurry. Getting the right one for your needs - and deciding between a belt sander and other options like the random orbit sander - will depend on your needs.

A thread at WoodNet set me off on a belt sander odyssey - here’s the original thread: Your preferred 3 by 21 Belt Sander. I poked around and found similar threads at other forums and counted up preferences to help you make the decision on a belt sander!

Mr. Stuart Ablett from the FamilyWoodworking forum had some great advice in a thread on picking out your next belt sander: “I have found that they way the fit your hand really matters, when you get to the good quality of the PC, Boschs, or say Makita, the fit in the hand, and the deal you can get comes into play.”

Here are the results of opinions from WoodNet, FamilyWoodworking and Sawmill Creek:

Porter-Cable: 21
Porter-Cable 352VS 8 Amp 3-Inch by 21-Inch Belt Sander

Dewalt: 8
DEWALT DW433K Heavy Duty 8 Amp 3-Inch by 21-Inch Variable Speed Belt Sander

Bosch: 6
Bosch 1274DVS 6.6 Amp 3-Inch by 21-Inch Belt Sander

Ryobi: 6
Ryobi ZRBE321VS 3-inch by 21-inch Belt Sander

B&D Dragster: 2
Black and Decker DS321 Dragster 6 Amp 3-Inch by 21-Inch Belt Sander

Makita: 2
Makita 9901 6.7Amp 3-Inch by 21-Inch Belt Sander

Rigid: 2
R2720 3″ X 21″ Belt Sander

Craftsman: 2
Craftsman 3 x 21 in. Belt Sander, 7.5 amp

Resources used in this post:
Your preferred 3 by 21 Belt Sander
PC Belt Sander Disappointment
Belt sander need
P-C Belt Sander Questions
Belt Sanders Get Better
Survey of 3-in. by 21-in. Belt Sanders (Taunton… from 1999 not included above)

The folks over at FamilyWoodworking have an interesting thread going on tool pride… Member Allen Grimes asked: “Over past 2 or 4 years, I’ve noticed that a lot of people take far too much pride in the tools they own. Festool and Mini Max owners especially, seem to jump on anybody who says anything bad about those brands and I also noticed that a lot of people are quick to say something bad about those brands whenever they get the chance.

So my question is: Why? Why do people have such strong feelings for these tools and brands?”

Have you noticed that yourself? I know when I was visiting my uncle and he showed me his Harbor Freight tools I had to fight the urge to preach about quality. But then… they work for him, so what’s the big deal?

Here are some insights from a great thread over at FamilyWoodworking:

Scott Spencer:
“Early on in this hobby, I was far more brand loyal that I am now. I guess you start out liking what you know, and wanting it to the best….regardless of whether it really is or not…ignorance is bliss, right?”

Stuart Ablett:
“SOME owners of Grizzly tools must bleed green when cut, or the owners of the Sawstop tools are just as solid in their support of their own tool choices.

If we take it a step further, ask some guys about pickups, Chevy vs Ford has been going on a lot longer than most of us have been alive. I think it is just human nature to defend one’s choices and purchases, especially if that choice is attacked, or they feel it is attacked.”

Gary Curtis:
“The comparison to truck loyalty is entirely fitting. These topics seem to excite the passions. So perhaps, the advertising is working. After all, I never argue about brands of potato chips!!!!”

Norman Hitt:
“The one thing I do have a problem with is someone that badmouths a piece of equipment but has never even used one, or someone that brags on a certain tool of a given brand and says it is the best, when in actuality, they may own another tool of that brand but not the tool in question.”

Frank Fusco:
“Yeppers, a Griz. And you are right. It would meet my needs perfectly. Might not meet the needs of others. But, they do have some whoppers going up to $16,000.00 that might be more ‘Tod worthy’.”

(In response to Tod Evans, a founding member of Family Woodworking and known “Grizzly Hater…” who actually recommended a Grizzly because it would meet Frank’s needs).

My suspicion is that it’s mostly woodworkers who are fairly new and have gotten their first taste of a really solid, well made tool. Because it’s the best tool for their needs they extrapolate and think it’s going to be the best tool for everyone else… But hey, that’s just my opinion

Other Resources:
Tool Pride
BOSCH Places Second in Battle of Power Tool Brands! Guess Who Got First…

You can’t ever have enough clamps. The longer you work with wood the truer this statement gets. Your budget might not agree with this fact however. If that’s the case then READ ON for some great ideas and tips for alternatives to clamping…

The guys at SawmillCreek have some great ideas for a fellow building a laminated workbench. Here’s the original thread: Alternative to lots of clamps?

john bateman:
If you really don’t want to get some big clamps, you could glue and screw each board to the next one, driving the screws directly through the faces of each board.

(this idea got the most agreement in the thread…)

Lance Norris:
How about threaded rod? You could make clamps with it. Take some 8/4 stock, say 2″ wide by 10″ long and drill a hole at each end, for 2 rods. Make 2 boards and run the rods through them and clamp your glue up between these. Wrenches and nuts will get you incredible force.

[example and pics of doing this from LumberJocks: Screw clamps, the easiest, cheapest and fastest (…for me)]

Jesse Cloud:
Make a bunch of wedges, about 3 inches long from scrap. Clamp one piece of the glue-up to your assembly table. In dry fit mode, add the other pieces to be glued up. After the last piece to be glued up, put pairs of wedges together loosely every few inches. Clamp a solid straight board after the wedges. Use a small hammer to bring the wedges together and act as clamps on your glueup.

Walt Nicholson:
I saw this years ago when a neighbor was making a laminated top for a country kitchen table top and (with no clamps) had to improvise. He glued his pieces together, put strong, straight 2X4s on either edge, placed 3 bottle jacks (one was a screw type from his car) in position on the 2X4s, looped and hooked some chain around them and then used the jacks to create the pressure. It was amazing how much glue was squeezed out and the finished product turned out very nice.

Mike Holden:
How about Friends? Friends with clamps that is.

David DeCristoforo:
Of course, there is also my “famous truck bumper” clamping system which involves laying your boards on saw horses against the side of your shop and backing your truck up against them.

Other suggestions:
Harbor Freight clamps
Ratchet Belts
Kreg Pocket Hole Jig

Other Resources:
Alternative to lots of clamps?
Screw clamps, the easiest, cheapest and fastest (…for me)
Parallel Clamps: Jet vs. Bessey
Tell me why I shouldn’t buy… (the cheap Harbor Freight clamps)