Bauer Oscillating Edge Belt / Spindle Sander...

[dbhost]

Just browsing my local Harbor Freight and found this...

https://www.harborfreight.com/oscill...der-56870.html

Looks to be a directionally opposite, but more or less a copy of the Rigid Oscillating edge belt / spinde sander.

Has anyone gotten one of these, and are they any good?

[leehljp]

Dang, they have gone UP in prices. I got a Grizzly one three years ago for less than $150. Now they are $250.

There is one problem with those if one has a small shop, like I do. If one has to pull it off of a shelf to set up and then put back up, those holders for different size sander rolls - they fall off real easy and it is easy to miss that one has dropped until later. The built in recesses for the accessories do NOT hold them in when moving from work table to shelf! Otherwise, they work OK.


I bought one of these when Grizzly offered them, which they do not currently offer:
https://www.amazon.com/Triton-TSPSP6...21&s=hi&sr=1-5

I have only used it 2 times but it sure helped and was extremely convenient. I wish there was a battery powered one available.

[mpc]

I rotate the work table down, across the drum sleeves, when I'm not using my Ridgid EB4424 sander. That holds the accessories in place... especially the small diameter sanding sleeves that seem to jump by themselves. My sander sits on a roll-around drawer cabinet; just moving the cabinet is enough to scatter drum sleeves if the table is in the normal working position.

Ridgid is changing the sander too... the new design looks like somebody removed the outer casing, exposing the bones. The accessories tray though lays flatter so maybe things will stay put better. It seems to have lost the 2x4 cutouts on the base/foot area... did anybody actually use those with sawhorses or whatever? Note too the new work table no longer has the ribs in the surface.
Updated Ridgid Oscillating Belt/Spindle Sander

By the way, anybody else experience the rubber drums shrinking in overall length? When I use them, tightening the spindle/shaft nut (with the appropriate washer) all the way isn't enough to squeeze the sleeves properly. I ended up turning a small wood spacer puck that I slip over the spindle shaft before installing the rubber drums. If there was a Ridgid service center nearby (the only nearby one closed after the founder died) I'd try making an LSA claim. I've had my sander for 15 years now... the rubber drums are rather old. No cracks, they haven't gotten hard or anything else... they've just shrunk.

mpc

[dbhost]

Dang, they have gone UP in prices. I got a Grizzly one two years ago for less than $150. Now they are $250.

I bought one of these when Grizzly offered them, which they do not currently:
https://www.amazon.com/Triton-TSPSP6...21&s=hi&sr=1-5

I have only used it 2 times but it sure helped and was extremely convenient. I wish there was a battery powered one available.

I agree on prices shooting up. I have had my Rigid since, hmmm. 2008 I think.

I seem to recall it was about $150.00 when I bought it. But that is inflation for ya...

FWIW, the Rigid Sander, and my orbital disk sander are my 2 most used sanding tools in the shop. I am actually shocked how long the original belt lasted on the Rigid. I do use it to death, but I use one of those big eraser belt cleaner things and it seems to keep the abrasive in decent shape...

Honestly I use the edge belt function WAY more than the spindle, which is NOT what I expected when I bought it... I rough in roundovers with a jigsaw, and clean it up on the edge belt.... Be careful if you use 40 grit though. Man that is aggressive!

If you really want to cry, take a look at some of the items in my shop that are HF goodies.

#34706 lathe. I paid $150.00 in 2007 or so I think, I got it on sale with the 20% coupon. Currently

[dbhost]

mpc I looked at the new Rigid. That thing may work REALLY well, but it just looks so Rube Goldberg that, no thanks... I'd rather go with the Bauer unit at a much lower price with a more finished product look...