6x48 belt sander recommendations.

[flint kemper]

I have gone through the search engine here and also scour Facebook marketplace daily but what are some good brands for a 6x48 belt sander that can be adjusted flat or different degrees up to horizontal. This will not be for full time bow building. Would also like to have a small table attachment as well.

Thanks for replies.

[Pat B]

I've had a Grizzly 6x48 for years and it had done everything I've asked of it. 

[Kirkll]

My recommendation would be to skip the 6x48 and go up to the 6x80. That longer section is wonderful for getting a nice straight edge on a limb before running through the drum sander, and it’s powerful enough to set up a pattern sander table on the motor end. Then get some 36 grit ,and  50 grit belts.   Kirk

[dbeaver]

Ill second that Kirk.   I have a second hand grizzly 6x80 and although it has a larger footprint as a standalone machine any cabinet or table I've placed smaller sanders on has taken up the same space.  I do more than bowmaking with it and having the large platten to work with gives me a ton of versaility on long pieces.

[Bryan Adolphe]

I do agree I started with a 6 x 48 kept my ears open for a bigger one and bought this for $250 and then built a pattern sander on the end of it … It’s worked out very well.

[Stagmitis]

Flint has size restrictions in his workspace and a larger sander won’t fit- ħ

[Bryan Adolphe]

Flint has size restrictions in his workspace and a larger sander won’t fit- ħ

Oh yes that can surely be a factor 👍

[Kirkll]

https://www.amazon.com/6X48-Belt-Sander/s?k=6X48+Belt+Sander

[Stagmitis]

I was looking at the buck tool Kirk- I have a 6x80 grizzly but it’s the model that doesn’t rotate to 90 deg. I need that configuration for grinding natural bamboo backs- maybe I’ll find a used 6x80 grizzly that rotates:)

[dbeaver]

Stag my grizzly rotates its quite helpful for a range of tasks

[Stagmitis]

Yup! Grizz has two models- mine no rotate :(

[Kirkll]

Why do you need to rotate an edge sander 90? i don't get it....

[Stagmitis]

It lays flat Kirk so you can work the backing pushing from the top down instead of to the side like my sander- lots more control to hit the station changes as you taper the back. Clear as mud lol

[dbeaver]

looking top down with the veritical orientation at a piece of bamboo youll easily get wonky on side to side thickness.  checking on a horizontal plane being able to look at each side of the backing and like stagmitis said pressure from above you have gravity working with you.

[Stagmitis]

Spot on Dylan- unless someone has tried to accurately dimension a natural back it’s not easy to understand the difference in sander position

[VTer]

Stag my grizzly rotates its quite helpful for a range of tasks

dbeaver, exactly what model Griz do you have?