Not a bad deal for the money, sanding sleeves can be tricky to find.
Written: Feb 09 '05 (Updated Feb 13 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very good at what it does. Easy to set up, take down and operate.
Cons: Location of handholds, the need of a very strong vacuum for adequate dust control.
The Bottom Line: Not bad for a portable unit. The oscillating belt adds versatility. Sanding sleeves somewhat hard to find. Good value for the price.
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| mrtwigg's Full Review: Ridgid Oscillating Belt and Spindle Sander EB4424 |
I have been using this sander in my shop for several months. I use it to cope the ends of branches for butt joinery and to fine tune parts for the rustic twig furniture I make. This machine is not intended to replace a belt/disc sander but as a supplement.
This is a machine suited to smooth curves and contours on finished pieces or templates. I purchased this at Home Depot and while they do not sell the sleeves to support this tool, oddly enough they do stock they belts (4" X 24"). You can find the sleeves by entering " 4" sanding sleeve " into your favorite search engine and get them off the Internet from various sources. The belt attachment works just fine, however it is a bit short for anything over 1 to 2 feet in length. However it does a very nice job at what it does.
There is a single control, just an on/off switch with a removable insert, which when removed prevents the motor from starting. Nice feature if you have curious kids. Both the rotational speed as well as the oscillation speed are not adjustable. Be prepared to be brushing dust away from the top of the machine unless you have it connected to something stronger than a Shop-Vac.
The usable life of the belt and spindle sleeves depends largely on what you are sanding. If you want your sleeves & belts to last longer purchase what is called a "Crepe block" - it looks (and works) like a giant eraser removing sawdust from the belt or sleeve.
The light metal worktable will fold down to 45 degrees (Covering accessories.) and has several positive stops for what most woodworkers would consider to be the "common" angles for most work. There is also a slot machined into the table surface for a miter gauge which is included. The front of this machine houses most of the accessories; spindles, spacer rings and pressure washers for the top of the spindles. There is a handy space on the back side for the belt attachment and/or a spacer plate for use with the spindles. I leave mine set up all the time but if you will be setting it up and taking it down every time you use it you might not like the hand-holds which are located at the rear of the machine. The weight is fairly light for a machine of this nature with what looks like a steel frame with ABS covers.
Oh-don't forget to release the knob securing the table and to lower the table & secure it before picking it up to put away or you'll be picking up the rubber spindles stored on the front.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
mrtwigg
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Member: Dennis
Location: Live Free Or Die !
Reviews written: 91
Trusted by: 31 members
About Me:
I am in the prime of my life, married and devoted to my family.
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