Features

• Five year limited warranty on machines, parts and accessories
• 1-1/2 hp induction motor is located beneath the sander to protect it from sawdust
• 90V Permanent magnetic motor
• 80 grit abrasive sanding wrap, steel stand, integral dust chute hood
• Includes (5) 80 grit sanding wraps and (4) 120 grit sanding wrapsand

Reviews (10)

Don't understand the problems mentioned
I carefully compared this to the Performax 16-32 at a woodworking show. I had planned on Performax because a friend has the 22-44, but that's an entirely different machine (much beefier) than the 16-32. Side by side I decided on the Delta. Although it is more expensive, it is beefier (I could rack the performax arm).

It was true right out of the box. Set up and alignment is straightforward and well explained by the manual. It is on a 20 amp circuit. However, this is a sander, not a planer. Stalling, tripping, or burning problems are signs of trying to remove too much material. I suppose with 36 grit paper you could remove stock, but even then only 1/64 to 1/32 at a time.

I have noticed no meaningful vibration, the unit is very quiet, even when removing stock (can hardly hear if no stock is in the sander). Belt change is simple (would have prefered 3" belts, but the 2" work fine).

Maybe quality control is really as bad as some of the reviews indicate. Mine was better than expected.

poorly designed
This sander is EXPENSIVE but very weak in it's performance. I am truly disapointed in this sander. It looks good but the drum can't keep up with the in-feed belt if it is set for maximum run. The machine's drum binds against the wood being fed into it if there are knots or if the wood is a hard wood. I paid well over $800.00 for what I was told was a great drum sander. I tried to return it the very next day as I found out that first night how poorly this thing performs. Save your money, but a different brand if you want a machine that sands like it should. Shame on you Delta!

Pretty Satisfied
Trouble tracking the conveyor belt. Learned to live with it.
Other wise ok.

after a year I am loving it
This machine gets used as much as any in my shop. Once I figured out the limitations of the machine (feed rate and depth of cut), I have been enjoying using it. I used to pop the circuit breaker fairly often because I was asking too much of the machine.

This machine has improved my woodworking.

I find this machine to be very useful as an abrasive planer. Put a 36 grit belt on it, and it does a suprisingly good job of flattening. (Follow that with an 80 grit, and then 120 - and you'll be happy)

I found that my opinion of this machine has steadily improved over the year I have owned it, and now I can't imagine not owning it - it is a real time saver.

just what I needed
I would love to have a dual drum sander, such as grizzly's 24" model. I don't really need the extra capacity of the Delta. However after much thought (my wife calls it indecision) I decided on the 31-255. As a part time job we rehab/restore old houses which results in the need to move my entire workshop every couple of years, more often if the house doesn't have a garage or barn, so the 450lb grizzly beast was out.

I've had the delta for two weeks now and I don't know how I survived without it. Assemby took about an hour. The first time I turned on the drum I couldn't believe how quiet it was. There was no wobble or shake to it. As a sander it's great, keep in mind it's not a planer, and expect to make multiple passes.

It's worked great on cabinet doors, old barn boards and cabinet stiles and rails. However, its not so great on larger face frames a r/o sander is quicker and easier. I haven't tried any really big and heavy pieces yet but so farn snipe has not been a problem. I find that my planer and jointer have gotten less use but they are still needed from time to time

One side note -- after buying the delta it came to my attention that Sears sells a 18x36 drum sander that seems similar to the performax 16-32 for $699
available online only : ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

If only we'd had one of these when we built those doll cradles--and sanded all the little curves and crannies by hand! This beauty takes all the work out of jobs like that. No burn marks--ever--because of the oscillating action. Sure, you can chuck a little drum sander into your drill press, but you'll have to deal with that annoying gap between the drum and the table. This sander eliminates that. The large cast-iron table measures 18 inches in diameter and sits atop a 1/4-horsepower single-phase motor. A built-in dust collection fan draws down dust and chips through the table insert and into the dust-collection bag. There's room on board to store all the included accessory sanding drums and sleeves. It's light--just 45 pounds--and can be used as a portable sander or mounted to a stand or workbench through predrilled holes in the base. In addition to the standard 3/4-inch sanding drum and sleeve, the kit includes 1-, 1-1/2-, 2-, and 3-inch rubber spindles, drum plates, abrasive sleeves, and table inserts. --Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• 2-year limited warranty on machines, parts, and accessories
• Oscillating action prevents burning of workpiece
• Heavy-duty motor assembly for quiet, smooth operation
• Large cast iron table provides stability and support for the workpiece
• Built in dust collection fan and collection bag for a cleaner work environment

Reviews (5)

3 stars
This Delta Sander is very quiet and smooth and the workmanship appears to be good. The table top is flat.

On the negative side, the dust collection is poor. The power is adequate for a home shop.

Not quite the Boss
I have two neg. comments on this peice of equitment. The only place I can find the 3" sleves is at Sears. And the Dust collecting bag leaves a lot to be desired.

Small furniture builder
the delta sa350k Shopmaster boss spindle sander works fine. However; I suggest every buyer read the well defined directions. the guide post was off center. when centering adjust screws so the yoke will slide freely. <<<<<>>>> otherwise a very nice tool.

Quiet, smooth, and powerful.
I looked at this machine for a long time before I bought it. I thought that the motor might be too small and that the unit might be under-powered. When I finally purchased one I was pleasantly surprised. The machine is very quiet and operates incredibly smoothly. There is no hint of vibration and even with a 3 inch spindle and moderate to high sanding pressure, the motor did not show any evidence of stalling. If you have a home of small shop and want a great little oscillating sander, this is the one for you.

Very good spindle sander.
The Delta spindle sander I received had some minor problems. The unit was noisy. Under the 2 year warranty I could have taken it to a service location, but that would have meant a delay. Instead I made the adjustment noted in the directions. This adjustment is supposed to be made after many hours of use. Anyway, it did solve the noise problem.

One of the steel arms (called a link) that raises and lowers the motor assembly was bent. I removed it and straightened it out. It appeared this was a factory defect since it did not happen during shipping. The unit was made in Taiwan. Quality control is poor at the assembly plant I guess. This is the main reason for 4 stars and not 5.

The operation of the sander is very good. There is minimum vibration and noise during use. The dust bag included does a good job collecting most of the dust. It is easy to control the wood on the nice flat machined table.

Make sure you get the free spindle set that is being included. It has an assortment of spindles that are needed. The one included is the narrow spindle and limits the abilities of this sander.

Despite the minor problems that may have been unique to this one sander, I have to recommend it. It performs above average. And the price is right. ... Read more

Features

• Includes two-year limited warranty on parts and accessories
• Powerful 1-1/2 HP induction-type ball bearing motor
• Guarded on-off toggle switch
• Cam-lock belt tensioning lever for automatic belt tensioning
• Star-wheel, eccentric belt tracking control for easy accurate belt alignment

Reviews (1)

I like it but still too early to give 5 stars
I purchased this sander about two months ago from Tool Crib to replace a Sears's stationary sander that is 20 years old. Compared to my old sander this is one heck of a machine. Very heavy and solid. Much more powerful than the Sears sander it replaced.

Pros:
Price: The least expensive sander in its category.

Heavy Duty! This is a beefy machine compared to the Craftsman. Appears to be a quality, industrial grade tool. Be sure to run a dedicated 30A circuit for this sander. I ran a new 30A, 120-volt circuit, but ran my shop vac and sander on the same circuit and tripped the breaker several times in less than 10 minutes.

Powerful! You cannot stop the sanding belt no matter how much pressure you put on your work piece. Aggressive sanding with the belt that shipped with the sander.

The 12" disk sander works very well. The tables seem flat and generously large compared to my old machine. The stand, even though having 4 legs instead of a cabinet is sturdy and stable.

Cons:
Not too much of a problem, but worth mentioning: the sanding surface is several inches shorter than the Sears sander (same belt size 6 x 48 inches) because the front roller on the Delta has a much larger diameter than my old Sears model.

There is a small tag riveted to the top of the unit, just proud of, and parallel to the sanding belt on the right side. As you move your work piece side to side while sanding, the tag won't let you move a wide board off the right side of the belt. Again, not too big a problem, just grind off the rivets attaching the metal tag and remove it. Delta should re-evaluate placing the tag there in the first place.

The tracking of the belt that shipped with my sander does move from side to side while in use, and I can't seem to stop the movement by adjusting the tracking. It's possible the sanding belt is defective, I'm going to try a new sanding belt to see if that helps. Even though the sanding belt tracks side to side, it does not come off, and I am able to use the machine. If this is normal tracking for this machine I'll be disappointed, I'd think the belt should track pretty much perfectly straight. But, like I said, it's still too early to say for sure.

The Dust collection port is sized for a 4-inch dust collection hose. I use a Porter Cable shop vacuum with a 2 1/2-inch hose. Delta does not offer an adapter that allows easy use of a 2 1/2-inch hose. At Delta Customer Support I was advised to have an adapter fabricated at a sheet metal shop. That is a dumb remedy on the part of Delta. However, the dust collection hood that was a part of my Dewalt 734 thickness planer came with a plastic adapter that works perfect. It slips over and attaches to the Delta 4" dust port, and a standard 2 1/2" vac hose slips inside the adapter. No hose clamps are needed. The adapters are available from the Dewalt web site, listed as a replacement part for the DW734 for $3 each. Delta should get smart and ship their product with a similar adapter.

Conclusion: Again, I have not used this machine long enough to know everything about it, nor have I used any other sander in this catagory other than my old Sears model to compare it to. I do have a few other quality machines for comparison, old Delta Unisaw, Powermatic 8" jointer, etc., and I think the Delta sander is close to being in that class. Over all, I like the sander, and would purchase it again if I had it to do over. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Durably constructed with a fully enclosed 1-horsepower induction motor and a die-cast aluminum base to dampen vibration, Delta's combination belt/disc sanding station is designed to make removing both small and large amounts of material a quick and easy operation. To round corners and smooth over large curves, the 9-inch disc sander spins quietly at 2,800 rpm. Its cohort, the versatile 48-by-6-inch belt, cycles 2,200 square feet per minute over a heat-reducing graphite pad that helps increase belt life. In tests, we found it quickly adjusted from horizontal to vertical and locked easily into position for use on 180-degree curves and cutouts. The tool-free tracking knob makes it easy tomaintain belt alignment, and the cast-aluminum worktable bevels 45 degrees to accommodate angles on either surface. We found changing sandpaper on both tools relatively easy, and appreciated the integral 2-1/4-inch port for dust collection. The included steel stand is sturdy and features nonslip pads to help keep it in place. --Justin Paul ... Read more

Features

• Two-year limited warranty on machines, parts, and accessories
• Belt unit can be used vertically or horizontally for a variety of applications
• Tilting table has a miter gauge slot and can be used with either the belt or disc unit
• Belt tensioning lever and tracking control knob provide easy belt replacement and adjustment
• Built -in dust port for use with a vacuum or dust collector

Reviews (11)

Works OK, but could be better.
I needed a stationary sander, and Delta's 31-695 was the unit that was in my price range. It went together well, and sands satisfactorily, but just seems to lack something. I didn't want to spend the nearly $800 for the Delta sanding center, but in the long run..., I probably should've held out. The cast aluminum table for the disc sander is flimsy, and does not adjust well to angled sanding. I've already stripped out one of the retention knobs and have noticed a little difficulty with belt tracking. Other than those issues, it's OK, I wouldn't purchase another one though.

Great Tool
I purchased this sander as an upgrade to my 4" belt / 6" disk sander. The smaller unit worked fairly well but was underpowered and sometimes I could stop the belt. The sanding belt always seemed to be a little too narrow. This unit seems right on the money.

I use it to sand a lot of scroll saw projects (stackable baskets, collapsible baskets, ornaments, candle holders, puzzles, etc.) I can place the wood on the belt next to the stop and hold it down with a push block. I then turn the sander on. That gives me complete control over sanding 1/8" to 1/4" thick material without sanding my fingers or pinching them. The 1 HP motor has plenty of power to start up under a load. I also have the accessory fence unit. This allows me to sand large areas flat that were cut with a scroll saw. The disc is excellent for smoothing out curves and removing burn marks. This is a must have tool if you do a lot of scroll sawing. I even use it for finish sanding using a 220 grit belt. I also use it for sanding finger joints flush on oak, maple and poplar boxes. One final use is sanding smaller cupped stock flat for use as sliding box lids.

You can sand puzzles easily by placing on the belt before starting and holding the pieces with the push block. You can sand off pattern paper. You can shape up the edges on collapsible baskets and remove blade burn marks. You can smooth out and flatten large edges. Interestingly enough, I have yet to use the edge of the belt to sand.

The tool is noisier than the 4/6 unit. I would compare its noise level as slightly louder than my Delta 14" band saw. It is not bad but I would suggest using hearing protection. The unit runs very smoothly. The belts take a little time to change -- especially with the accessory fence attached -- but the process is easy. The supplied 80 grit belt and disc are a little too aggressive for scroll saw projects. I replaced them with finer grits.

Good, but not as good as I'd hoped
I always had a picture in my mind of Delta tools being the ones to buy if you could afford them. As my first Delta tool purchase this one just didn't live up to my internal hype.

On page 10 of the manual, it says the screw for changing the position of the sanding arm can be adjusted with the supplied hex wrench, but I found that the screw was the wrong size. I called Delta and they sent the correct part (part #1346365).

I also ran into the problem mentioned by another reviewer where the parts for the stand are labelled differently from picture to picture. Too bad I didn't read that review before I assembled the unit. It would have saved me a lot of time.

All-in-all it seems like it will function well, but it's not as perfect as I'd hoped it would be.

great woodworking tool
For anyone with a home workshop this belt/disc sander is a must. I build many small projects and having a sander like this is going to save me time and frustration. Delta makes fine tools with good instructions for the user.

Beware during Assembly!!
I wish Jet made one of these. I've about decided to give up on Delta.

It is a strange philosophy to try to sell inferior tools with inferior instructions to us craftsman "perfectionists".

I received my Delta 6" Belt/9" Disc Sander this past friday so I can't comment on the longterm use ot the tool - but I will say that the package was pretty much falling apart when I received it. A tool that weighs 90lbs should be in a sturdy box.

Then there were the assembly problems. The support stand for the frame is lettered wrong in the instructions. One page describes the parts as lettered A thru E (there are two of each letter). The parts in the photo do not match the parts on the list. On the next page, the stand is shown assembled with parts lettered - again the letters point to thr wrong pieces. To make matters worse, the parts themselves are lettered A thru E. But these have no relevence either. As a result, at 15 minute assembly took me two hours of assembling and reassembling.

The belt tensioning screw does not work but I'll not get into those details - it would take too long to describe it.

Finally, belt wonders terribly from side to side and it is very difficult to keep centered.

I wonder what surprises await when I actually try to use this thing. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Like you, we don't like to mess around with our sanding--it's dusty, tedious at times, and not one of the more rewarding aspects of woodworking. However, after firing up this 12-inch disc sander from Delta, we're starting to change our tune. Designed as an affordable version of Delta's industrial sander, its cast-iron base supports the machine with vibration-dampening weight, while the tilting table (with positive stops at 45 and 90 degrees) and inset miter slot let you support and position your material. The 1/2-horsepower induction motor spins the heavy-duty steel disc quietly, up to 2,500 rpm. Depress the manual brake lever on top, and the disc stops in seconds--a nice safety feature that truly impressed us. This tool takes off a lot of stock quickly, and removes dust very effectively through a built-in connector hose that attaches to any shop vac. Bolt Delta's disc sander down to your workbench, and get ready to remove life's rougher edges. --Justin Paul ... Read more

Features

• Two-year limited warranty on machines, parts, and accessories
• 1/2-horsepower induction motor for smooth power
• Tilting cast iron table with positive stops at 45 and 90 degrees for quick positioning
• Integral dust collection fan draws dust into 2-1/4-inch collection hose
• Manual brake stops sanding disc disc in seconds

Reviews (11)

Out of the box impressions: a good buy, 4+ stars
I was impressed with the overall quality of this little sander. It's very heavy, with over 90% of it being cast iron (just the switch, the brake lever and the dust collection chute are sturdy plastic). The disc's brake is very nice - stopping the disc in less than 1.5 seconds; otherwise it takes 2.5 minutes for the disc to stop on its own. The motor is smooth and quiet, with a hint of vibration. The machining of the table is typical Delta - not perfect, but functionally OK. It's ruler flat lengthwise, but it's not perfectly flat across the table (shortways). Mine has a 0.005" dip near the disc face and a 0.002" dip just inside the miter gauge slot. A standard table saw miter gauge fits nicely into the slot, with no interference with the disc. The table's trunnion machining is a bit rough and stiff, but it works. The levers are the "L" shaped metal ratcheting type, and clearance is a bit tight. Consider replacing them with star knobs if you plan on frequent table tilting. There's a 90 and 45 degree stop, which needed adjusting OOTB. I haven't run anything against it yet (I plan on using it for metalworking and some woodworking), but the motor should be plenty strong - as long as the work's not jammed against the disc. Haven't tried the dust collection so can't comment.

Overall impression is that of economical quality. This should last a long time, and it offers a lot (see the pictures for the tilting range). Would have given it 5 stars except for the cramped knobs, the stiff table tilting, the slight vibration and the mildly crowned table. I give it 4+ stars instead, since none of these are serious detractions that impede its use.

Good tool for price, but Delta quality is its weakness
I found this sander to be a great alternative to a disk/belt unit. The price point is great for the level of features. I do not have room for a disk/belt unit that would give me as large a disk. I rarely use the belt anyway.

A miter guide track that accepts a full size miter bar is very useful. At 12" you get a legitimate 5.75" of effective sanding. You can get a precise level and square on the table, though it is not an easy adjustment. The table adjustments are hampered by the quailty of the castings and fittings. The unit is quite heavy (no aluminum!) and runs very stable on a bench. The flywheel effect helps it maintain power, though the 1/2 motor could be bigger. I would not pay the premium to get the 31-125. I looked at the 31-125 and with this unit I was getting most of the features at a great price.

I've used it on maple and cherry and have been able to do both guided and freehand sanding and shaping without burning. I've fed a 4" section of 5/4 cherry for an endgrain polish and was very pleased with the results.

Delta quality has been lacking over the last few years, this unit is no exception. Castings are not at all well finished. Even the quality of the nobs and bolts are below every competitor, even Rigid. I'm not sure how long Delta can survive on engineering good features, but producing mediocre quality. I will probably disasemble and rebuild this sander, tuning the castings, replacing the low quality fasteners and end up with a much better machine.

12" Delta disk sander
This is a dream machine. Smooth,quite and well made. Everything fits fine. This is a great machine for the Money. If someone writes a bad review on this product it is because they got a lemon or they are looking for a $2,000 dollar product for $169.

Great tool, not outstanding
This is basically a good sander but there are some issues that I discovered. The wheel has axial runout of 0.020 inch at the rim which surprised me, I expected something more like 0.002 inch. Changing the sanding disks is time-consuming. The stock disk is 60 grit, too coarse for my work. It took me an hour to change it. This is because the stock disk leaves all its glue residue on the platter, which is very hard to clean off. I used acetone and steel wool. The platter is smaller than standard so I had to trim the new disk so it would work at all. The angle gauge is very cheesy, it is fixed at 2 points and bows off its mounting surface in between. Despite these problems, I was able to get my job done nicely with this tool. It runs real quiet, is very powerful, and basically user-friendly. The precision table and large size are nice. The 45 degree position stop is not very "crisp" but may improve with use. The tool is greatly enhanced with the Delta 34-779 mitre gauge, available separately. No mitre gauge was included. All in all, it's a good tool but obviously a tool made in China to meet a price target.

Junk
This sander, as a lot of Delta equipment is cheap (junk) .. a little bit load and the switch starts smoking and lead wires are burning through.. Just try to disassemble this piece of junk..I can't..
I just ordered a Jet and will trash this Delta.. I will NEVER buy any Delta equipement anymore ( and I bought a lot from them .. this is it..) They went cheap and just rely on their name... another rip off ... ... Read more

Features

• 2-year limited warranty on machines, parts, and accessories
• 1/3-hp induction motor for smooth operation
• Belt speed: 3000 surface feet per minute for aggressive stock removal
• Cast iron work tables tilt for angled sanding
• Built-in dust port for attachment to vacuum

Reviews (5)

Better than expected "kit-in-a-box
Like most of the inexpensive, cast iron, machinery coming out of the far east, this is somewhat of a "kit-in-a-box." All the parts were there, and it assembled pretty much as to instructions. It helps to have a mill file, and a countersink chucked in a cordless drill, to knock off some of the sharp edges and burrs. You will also need a few ounces of paint thinner/kerosene and some old rags to take off the thick coating of grease on some of the parts. Finally, a small tube of decent grease or anti-seize compound to carefully lube locations (like the tilting table for the disk) that have metal-metal contact.

This model has reasonably flat cast iron tables, unlike the Craftsman model I had previously used. I use it all the time for sanding fine parts. I only wish the belt table had the nice semi-circular,tounge in groove guide that the disk table has.

Startup found the belt "squirming" a bit too much for my tast. Carefully opening the side panel, and touching up the crown/mold parting line region of the elastomeric drive wheels (while the machine is running) took care of that issue. ***Please, be very, very careful while trying this procedure. Use a straight mill file, with teeth all of the way to the end, and do not put you fingers inside the shroud area.***

Such tuneups are the "price to pay" for inexpensive tools.

A Disappointment for Delta
I received and assembled the sander with relative ease. After little use, I found I could not get the tracking mechanism to work. I removed the belt cover and found the entire top pulley moved on the shaft it was mounted on which made the tracking impossible. It appeared to be a flaw in assembly.
I returned the product for a full refund and purchased a Craftsman equivalent. The Craftsman sander had more metal parts, including the idler wheels. Both Craftsman and Delta units are Chinese made.
I have other Delta products that I am very happy with. It's disappointing to me that Delta is buying Chinese made equipment and putting their name on it. Go for the quality and don't worry about being loyal to the name!
Tool Crib was wonderful in the handling of this issue! I will gladly continue doing business with them.

Nice Sander
I found this sander reasonably easy to set up (except for the disc sander cover.) It has worked very well on the projects where I have used it(mixed wood and metal.) I did have to build a stand for it.
It is not a 6 x 48 belt and 12 inch disc sander, but it works for me.

Better than expected!
Though I was disappointed when I found that Delta had discontinued the model the SA180 replaced, I am very pleased with this sander. It is well built, looks good and heavy enough and "tight" enough to operate vibration free. I am especially impressed with the spring loaded handles used for adjusting the material tables. I have been using the 1 inch belt to sand burrs and corners off angle iron that has been cut with a saw. The sander makes fast work of it but be sure to get some finer grit belts. Definitely worth the price difference from the average import sander I looked at.

Just what I needed
A good tool, with pleanty of power. I am using it to sand comb teeth, and it is too fast with the belt supplied. I had to go to a finer sandpaper belt. The disc would be more useful if it was larger, but it works fine. It is quiet and smooth running, the tracking adjustment works fine, and has almost no vibration. I like it. ... Read more

Features

• 120 Grit
• Bulk roll, enough for 14 abrasive changes

Amazon.com Review

If your workshop doesn't have one of these combination sanders, it's probably because you don't think you need it. But put it to work once, and you'll realize you can't get along without it. Its uses are endless. You know those tight curves and angles you have to sand by hand? Not anymore, thanks to this Shopmaster sander. The automatic belt-tensioning and tracking controls are conveniently located and easy to use, and the built-in power takeoff for a flexible shaft accessory (sold separately) is a great extra touch that allows you to accomplish any number of additional tasks. Finishing curves or odd-shaped work is a cinch when you remove the belt platen, and you'll even be sanding chamfers and bevels just by tilting the sturdy aluminum tables on both the belt and the handy 5-inch disc sanders. The included miter gauge allows you to sand at compound angles, too. The side panel removes in a blink to change belts. The 1-inch belt sands 3,150 surface feet per minute powered by a 1/4-horsepower induction motor. A built-in dust port allows connection to your dust management system. --Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• 2-year limited warranty on machines, parts, and accessories
• 1/4-hp induction motor for smooth, quiet operation
• 3150 surface feet per minute for efficient sanding action
• Automatic belt tensioning for trouble-free operation
• Ball-bearing construction for durability

Reviews (4)

nice tool but messy
The fine tool comes equiped with two exhaust ports that "should" connect to a shop vac, but in Delta's wisdom, these ports do not match any standard Vacuum size hose and there is no adapter Accessory to allow you to do so. Silly way to design a tool that makes a mess but it does work fine as a sander.

Great little sander
I really like this sander. I am a hobbyist knife maker and use it for handle shaping. It is perfect. The only thing I might change on it is the disk, could be bigger. It fits neatly in the conrer of my work bench and is light enough to move around as needed. Replacment belts and disks are easily obtained from woodworking stores.

Good Value
I've seen more of these in home shops than perhaps any other small sander. It's a solid little import, well made, with a good sales and support organization (Delta) behind it. One problem: The 36" belt is a little short, particularly if you want to use it with a fint belt for sharpening chisels. There isn't enough space to fit a chisel in, and the platen behind the belt is far too short. I traded mine away and replaced it with a similar unit with a 42" belt. The new owner is using it for musical instrument repair.

But it's still a fine unit. Modelmakers in particular will get a lot of use from it. You can't spend less and get a decent sander.

Great tool for the price
I bought this to trim up pen blanks. It does the job vey well. Overall, I may eventually exceed the capacity for this machine but it works great. I hooked it up to my 1 1/4" shop vac (I used duct tape as it didn't fit exactly) and there is no dust at all. I just need to find replacement sanding discs (I'd like to convert it to use hook and loop pads). ... Read more

Features

• A head that can go from 0 degrees - 90 degrees with indent stops at 0 degrees, 45 degrees and 90 degrees
• Powered by a 3HP, 220V single phase motor
• Idle roller can be used for edge sanding of irregular shapes
• Spindle sanding kit with 3 sizes and collars for contour sanding
• Front cast iron sanding table can be moved up and down, forward and backward

Reviews (2)

no title
I recently purchased this machine and I am quite happy with the sanders performance so far.

There are some things that I would like to make any prospective purchasers aware of. This is a large heavy duty machine that basically works well. I think that Delta needs to address the sanding head detents. At 90, 45 and 180 degree's they would be nice to have, but have a very ambigious feel to them. I can not tell when the head is in these positions, so I have to use a square for an accurate setting. Also the sanding head angle scale is difficult to read since the motor hangs where you need to place your head to get a straight on look at the scale.

The two biggest disapointments are that the sanding platen is not constructed of cast iron but is fabricated of sheet steel and covered with a graphite sheet. The steel is fairly thick, approximately 1/8". Time will tell if this will hold up to long sessions of sanding or not. The thing that I found to be the biggest disapointment though was that the sander is made in Taiwan. The catalog that I found this machine in "Tool Crib" clearly and in color states "Prodly made in the USA". This statement alone was the biggest factor that swayed me into purchasing this machine. If I would have known this I would have saved $900.00 and purchased the Powermatic, Taiwan made sander for $899.00.

The sander does have some good to excellent features. The cast iron tables are nicely ground and very flat. The base that supports the whole machine is robust and gives the sander a stable feel to it. The tracking - oscillating mechanism works good, but is dissapointing in that the drum sanding attachment does not oscillate. The 3 h.p. motor is quite powerful and allows agressive sanding pressure to be applied without bogging.

If you need the longer sanding length a 108" belt gives over an 80" belt sander and feel that you will need a 3 h.p. motor over the 1 1/2 h.p. motor of the Powermatic then maybe the additional cost of $900.00 would be justified. But for me I could have done other things with the money.

Massive Shipping Crate Didn't Protect It!
I've revised this review as of 1/8/04
My sander arrived with the motor fan cover pushed in and rubbing against the fan. This was easy to remedy with a screwdriver. I'm glad I rotated the motor by hand before plugging it in. The outer cover to the grarbox was also dented. My local dealer immediately offered to repair or replace the sander with a new one. There were also several bolts and even a piece of bearing race found at the bottom of the shipping crate. I opted to keep the one I had because because the tables and fences were ground flat and true and "initial" alignment (see comments further on)was very good. The quailty and consistancy of the grind and polish was excellent.

This is a big and bulky machine and it takes four people to lift it onto its mobile base. I used a Jet adjustable base rated for 1200 pounds. I had to cut a few inches off two of the adjusting bars to compensate for the width of the sander.

Assembly was easy and so was belt adjustment. I walked the belt through several rotations by hand to check tracking. All seemed OK. When I turned the sander on it quiclky destroyed the belt. Visual inspection showed the the three bolts I had found at the bottom of the crate were missing from the underside of the sander where they mount the idler drum to the machine. I should have looked it over more carefully. Once installed and readjusted with a new belt installed, the tracking worked perfectly. My dealer sent out his service technician with the replacement parts and a new belt. He assured me that the bearing race and a couple of other metal scraps are not from my sander. My dealer also assures me that as long as they are in business, I will never have to worry about the warranty expiring.

I was initially impressed with the way things line up. As long as the belt is not under tension, the auxilliary table is 90 degrees to the idler drum even when raised all the way up to the auxilliary sanding drums. Under belt tension, the table is off by a few degrees. There is no provision to compensate for this. I'll have to rough sand curved surfaces on this machine and do the final sanding on my Grizzly oscillating drum sander. Why would I not want to start out on the Grizzly? There is a certain economy to using the belt as opposed to an expensive sanding sleeve.

There is no oscillating action with these drums. All oscillation is done with the sanding belt only. The auxiliary sanding table which is made from heavy formed steel is at a true 90 degrees to the main table.

The only other alignment problems that I see come from two areas. First of all, when you release the table locks to slide it in and out to the sanding belt, it is possible to push to table out of alignment. This would not be a problem for normal edge sanding operations but would pose a hassle when using the miter guage. A remedy is to take two small thin right angle metal brackets and loosly wedge them in place between the table and the belt as you move the table forward. Then set your table locks and you have repeatable accuracy. Don't forget to slide the metal brackets out befor turning on the sander!

The other problem comes with the built in detent locking mechanism for 0, 45, and 90 degrees. Dissassembly revealed a burr on the end of the pin itself which prevented it from smoothly disengaging. It also revealed that the tip of the spring which thrusts the pin forward was lying in the cutaway wherein the pin retracts. I unscrewed the retaining cap on the pin mechanism and rotated the spring so that a flat edge now rested against the pin. This keeps the tip of the spring from jamming in the pin's raceway. It took some carefuI adjustment to get to detent mechanism to deliver a repeatable 90 degrees. It was worth the effort as it now quickly comes into square.

You can forget about trying to view the indexing scale with the supplied pointer. For my pointer to be anywhere near where it is supposed to be it has to go all the way back against the indexing pin mechanism. Even then, It is impossible to view the scale head on as the motor lies directly in your line of sight. I'm going to epoxy a small mirror to a block of wood with a triangular cross section then epoxy that to the motor mounting plate. That will allow me to view the scale head on even though I'm viewing it at right angles from the front of the sander. It would have been very easy for Delta to do this or for them to have used a prism mounted in a similar way.

This machine deliveres excellent results when sanding straight edges and that is what it is all about. I like the way the drum covers latch back out of the way so you can sand boards longer than the table. If I didn't have the Grizzly oscillating spindle sander and if the Powermatic had a longer belt and allowed you to latch back its guards, I'd have bought the Powermatic. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

A versatile all-in-one machine, this 4-inch belt sander lies horizontally for edge- and face-sanding without the runaway effort of a handheld belt sander, thanks to the sturdy, adjustable, and removable backstop. Or position the belt vertically (or at any angle between 0 and 90 degrees) for contour, bevel, and chamfer sanding--the tables on both sanders tilt to 45 degrees. Use the miter gauge, and you're able to sand in compound angles. The belt sands 2,000 surface feet per minute, and the disc rotates at 3,100 rpm for serious stock removal. A die-cast aluminum base offers stability at a remarkably spare 33 pounds. Predrilled base holes make mounting a simple task. Delta even provided a built-in 2-1/4-inch dust port for connection to a shop vacuum to keep your workshop air clean. Sure, handheld sanders have their place in a woodworker's shop, but add this to your collection and you won't know how you ever got along without it. --Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• 2-year limited warranty on machines, parts, and accessories
• Tilting table has a miter gauge slot and can be used with either the belt or disc unit
• Belt unit can be used vertically or horizontally for a variety of applications
• Belt tensioning lever and tracking control knob provide easy belt replacement and adjustment
• Built-in 2-1/4-inch dust port for use with a vacuum or dust collector

Reviews (7)

GOOD VALUE
I recently purchased this product. I found the manual to be well thought out and easy to follow. Assembly was straight forward and easy. The unit seems to be fairly well constructed for its size and intended purpose. My only complaint is with the belt which has an overlap seam and can cause considerable thumping in some applications. I would definately reccommend this product for small projects. However, be sure to check everyone's price, as I found one seller to have a price considerably below everyone elses.

Super home shop machine
This is an excellent tool for anything short of production woodwork. One friend uses his in a full-time luthier's shop, making and repairing violins and other stringed instruments, and he's as happy with it as he's been with any tool.

I've only found one small sander I like better- a slightly more expensive Ryobi with a belt that tilts vertically. But other than that there's not much to choose from between the two. An excellent value, and of course Delta's warranty and service in first rate.

Exellent for the cost
I am 14 all most fifteen and have a dream of having a really big wood working shop and got this 4"belt 6" disc sander for xmas. I have used it a fair amount for halping my brother with cub scouts pine wood derby and have been very pleased, so has my father. The only complante is that the disc has come dis ingaged from the moter thougth still spins with no torque. This my have been my own falt in any case buy it, and not expect top of the line preformense out of it. You get what you pay for. A exellent buy. Suggestion buy a large assortment of belt and discs of diferent grits.

Katherine is my wife, Bruce is writing:
Two stars, hey this is a cheap tool. If you buy it and plan on doing any work with it, get ready to adjust then adjust the other way, they just when you think you have it, adjust again.
And if that isn't enough, watch the belt dig into the plastic housing as it begins to fray. That's the only way it'll run steady. We had this machine at school and when the belt ran out against the dust housing too long it severed the plastic collector from together to part. I love having a stationary belt sander. I used to clamp my porter cable in my vise to have a sander, but bought the Delta 4 inch. We had motor failure at work on another, and belt problems on the plastic open gear drive. Well, now that I think of it, this really rates only one star. Buy a real machine, this is almost the toy variety, come on Delta, remodel this thing we don't mind paying a little more.

good entry level sander
I recently bought the 31-460, and do not see any changes for the newer model. Overall, it is a good unit for the ... price, in my opinion. I don't have a need for a more expensive, higher quality sander, so this one is fine for me.

The table assembly is a little weak, but will be stable enough for the projects I do. I shopped around a little and was more impressed with this unit than the cheaper Craftsman units. Most of them had smaller belts, or you could not adjust the belt to an angle or vertical position.

I have several Delta tools, even bought some reconditioned units and have gotten great customer service from them. Overall, A+. ... Read more

Features

• 5 pack
• 120 Grit
• 1" wide by 42" long
• Aluminum oxide abrasive
• Fits Delta 31-34- belt and disc sander and others requiring 1" by 42" belt

Features

• Belt unit can be used vertically or horizontally for a variety of applications
• Tilting table has a miter gauge slot and can be used with either the belt or disc unit
• Belt tensioning lever and tracking control knob provide easy belt replacement and adjustment
• Built-in 2-1/4-inch dust port for use with a vacuum or dust collector

Reviews (1)

Best deal for your $$$$$
I purchased this sander locally. Took it home and had it up and operational within 10 minutes. You don't need a mount or special base for this. I set it up on a sheet of plywood without securing it and it's pleanty heavy to stay put. The only issue I see is that you have to pretty much disassemble it to change the disk paper (hence the one star off). I can live with it. Well worth your $$$$$. ... Read more

Features

• 180 Grit
• Bulk roll, enough for 14 abrasive changes

Reviews (1)

Get a finer grit like this one
Drum sanders are notorious for leaving "stripes" in the wood at the rougher grits. Get a finer grit like this to smooth the wood more before going to your ROS.

And the bulk quantity is a much better deal than the pre-cut versions. Just cut on the lines and you are ready to install it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The truth is we smirked when we read Delta's description of this tool as a "finishing machine." "Please," we thought, "it's a sander." But here we stand, apologizing for our smugness. This is, indeed, a finishing machine that will handle virtually all of your finishing jobs. Start up the heavy-duty, 1-1/2 hp motor and try out the 2100 rpm disc sander and the 3030 rpm belt unit, perfect for both metal- and woodworkers. A huge range of jobs can be done at this machine by adding sanding drums, abrasive flap wheels, buffing wheels, flexshafts and other accessories. We love the large table size on both sanders, and check out the surface—they're specially ribbed to block any distortion. The belt table tilts up to 45 degrees out and 20 degrees in, and the disc table tilts 45 degrees out for uncompromised angle finishing. Have an awkward workpiece? No problem. The belt will operate at any angle—vertically, horizontally or anywhere in between. It's on the spendy side for the home woodworker, but it's the perfect addition to virtually any professional shop.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• Belt operates at any angle-vertically, horizontally or any degree in between
• 1-1/2 HP, 240V 60 Hz., 3450 rpm single phase TEFC motor
• Handles 90 to 95% of all your finishing operations
• 4" dust port can be used with 5 micron bag provided or can be attached to a standard 4" dust collection system
• Integrated mobile base for ease of mobility

Features

• 5 pack
• 80 Grit
• 1" wide by 42" long
• Aluminum oxide abrasive
• Fits Delta 31-34- belt and disc sander and others requiring 1" by 42" belt

Features

• 100 Grit
• Bulk roll, enough for 14 abrasive changes

Features

• 2 pack
• 120 Grit
• 5" diameter
• Aluminum oxide abrasive
• Fits Delta 31-080 belt and disc sander and others requiring 5" self-adhesive disc

Features

• 1" wide x 30" long
• Fits Delta 31-050 and 31-080 sanders
• 320 grit

Features

• 1" wide x 30" long
• Fits Delta 31-050 and 31-080 sanders
• 100 grit

Features

• 5 pack
• 50 Grit
• 1" wide by 42" long
• Aluminum oxide abrasive
• Fits Delta 31-34- belt and disc sander and others requiring 1" by 42" belt