Draw knives vs. belt sanders

[Chrisgiraffe]

If you had to choose between the a draw knife and a belt sander which would you choose and why?

[Upscale]

Not really what I'd consider to be a comparison type question since they're two completely different types of tools aside from the fact that they can both remove wood in varying degrees. However, choice would be dictated by how much wood I wanted removed and then I'd go to the belt sander to smooth the surface a little more before final smoothing.

[Morris Dovey]

| If you had to choose between the a draw knife and a belt sander | which would you choose and why?

Well, I just never did find a draw knife to be particularly handy for removing old varnish from an oak floor or deburring metal parts...

...and I could never quite bring myself to enjoy using a belt sander to trim a whole roof full of oak or cedar shakes - they just make too much noise and dust.

But that's just me.

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

[alexy]

If you had to choose between a bicycle and a wheelbarrow, which would you choose, and why?

[J T]

Tue, Jan 9, 2007, 10:44am (EST-3) [e-mail] (Chrisgiraffe) doth query: If you had to choose between the a draw knife and a belt sander which would you choose and why?

Insufficient details for a viable reply.

JOAT To listen is an effort, and just to hear is no merit. A duck hears also.

- Igor Stravinsky

[B A R R Y]

Is sanding EVER fun?

[Nobody_special]

That would depend on what I was doing. I'd choose the one that was appropriate for the job I needed to do.

Skinning the bark off a freshly felled pole? Draw knife. Wet bark gums the sanding belts and you'll get a better finish with the knife.

Taking the epoxy squeeze out off a cured laminate? Belt Sander. Epoxy is tough on blades.

Looking to get a nice, flat surface? Neither. That's what planes are for.

[Upscale]

Depends on how drunk I was. :)

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I can't sharpen my lawnmower blade with a draw knife.

[Nova]

It depends on who's buying. I've picked up a decent draw knife at a flea market for under $1.00. The last belt sander I bought was about $120.00.

[Swingman]

The belt sander ... but only if Amy, who was using one on the DIY channel last night, brings it.

... if you've seen Amy, you wouldn't have to ask!

[lwasserm]

Why would I have to choose?

[Andy Dingley]

That's a bizarre question (bicycle vs. wheelbarrow isn't far off it).

Assuming from your other posts that you're talking about smallish rustic timber framing works, then it would be a drawknife every time. Although you can remove wood with a belt sander (usually too much, where you didn't want to), they're an ugly way to do it. A cheap belt sander is also a vile POS to have to work with.

If you have a drawknife, then you'll probably want a shave horse too. Make your own. It's little more than a plank on legs, with a foot-pedal activated clamp head.

[Chrisgiraffe]

Thank you for a thoughtful answer Nobody_special.

Nobody_special wrote:

[Chrisgiraffe]

[alexy]

You really think so? I think it is so pointlessly wide-open that it is unlikely to elicit any useful information.

Exactly. And if I had provided some context of what I planned to do with the bicycle or wheelbarrow, others could relate their experiences and advice in that context, providing some meaningful discussion.

Not me. I might DAGS on bicycle and wheelbarrow to understand their basic uses, and where I saw possible overlap, ask about people's preferences in the area of overlapping usage.

Hey, I recognize that!

Mainly to make a point. But sometimes it misses.

Hopefully your original post got you the info you were looking for.