Belt Sanders

I seem to see mostly Porter-Cable and Makita in use by pros.

GTO(John)

I know Ryobi is not a top-notch brand, but my Ryobi 3x21 is still going strong after 15 years. A long cord is nice to have. I like the flat top of the sander so I can use it upside down, but today's sanders usually have flat tops.

I just bought the Porter-Cable 352VS. Very nice (rugged) little machine. I would have liked it a little more powerful, but I did not want the heavy beasts that have 12amp motors. And like all belt sanders, gets gummed up in a few seconds when you use knotty pine (so buy a crepe block if you do pine).

Other alternatives I looked at were Bosch, Makita, Dewalt. I liked the Dewalt, but it did not seem as solid as the PC.

Jean-François

If you're set on a 3x21, I'd recommend the Porter Cable 352VS. For what use will you be primarily using it? I'd think about maybe going a little bigger.

JP