Harbor Freight 6" x48" belt and 9" disc sander Review

Hey Guys, I wanted to share this review from the view point of a metal worker! I picked this up for $160 with a coupon and I wanted to show you the build quality to help you make the right choice.

[@gatorwing6231]

The base is very strong if you assemble it correctly. Look at the top angle shaped cross members. The front & rear lips on the angle supports go to the inside and not the outside. The square portion of the bolt heads have to go through both joined members. Rotate as necessary for that or the unit will vibrate and rattle. LOL It helps to assemble per the instructions before bashing. Mine is sturdy with no vibration or wobble. Lots of power 👀🤣

[@woodensurfer]

I have it and I love it. This tool is quite well made. Don't complain over things you can fix. Tools costing 50-100% more will still have a flimsy stand. And expensive tools that have a sturdy stand may not allow you to store things in it. The stand is something that the user is pretty much expected to shop-make. Mount it in a platform like 3/4 in plywood/mdf and then make your attachments using the platform by building upon the platform. This is how greater precision is achieved for the disk sanding function. This is a robust tool and I don't doubt the motor is 1 hp; mine is rated 12.8 amp. All ballbearing construction. Only con is no dust collection built-in.

[@JamesKelly89]

My wife bought me this for our anniversary. I agree that it is difficult to square. I got the table and disc as close to square as I could by loosening the four bolts that connect the frame to the base but there is so much play in the miter gauge and the table itself is kind of flimsy so I'm probably going to build my own table out of MDF with a miter track insert.

[@kennethgilbertdds7249]

The tensioner roller end can have new bearings easily. Take off the belt and the roller comes free. The drive roller end requires hammering out the shaft towards the disc. The outboard bearing is 12 mm ID and the disc side bearing is 15 mm ID. Remove the snap lock ring with expanding pliers. Then hammer to the disc side. Also, there are two set screws in the roller - 4 mm hex. A bit of lube spray PB Blaster or Liq Wrenc helps knock off the roller from the pin. I had to use a long pin to knock it all the way through.

[@craigmonteforte1478]

Despite the Stand a a couple of other HF negatives at least the motor looks like it would be a easy upgrade or replacement if more power is needed the thickness sander sounds like a good idea share your build and how it performs i’m a Woodworker , retired but that would be nice to have for smaller projects ive been watching on Craigslist and Ebay for used ones

[@rhshel]

good video, I would suggest showing the disc too, because the old Sears also had a 9" disc ,,,wonder if HF sells the 9" disc and the belts?

[@beck645]

Good useful comments. Thank you!

[@walleyefishinrod3115]

Thanks for the info...I'm just getting into knife making and I need a belt sander. This vid helps Thanks again...Take care...Rod

[@maikay1403]

Thanks for your review on this disk and belt sander. I am about to buy one, like you said you get what you pay for. You gave me a great idea toward the end. Thanks and can't wait for your next video.

[@CuriousEarthMan]

Thanks for showing the design/construction up close! I recently bought a used/like new Craftsman (same belt/disc size) for $125. off Craigslist. I see more used ones on there for $100. sometimes. I called HF recently before I was going to buy a 4x36+5 or 6" disc, to see if I could buy an extra table or bearings, or miter gauge. They had only one part for the whole machine available for sale separately. I think bearings should not be too hard to find though.I also thought about adding a thickness sander attachment for boards, but I haven't decided how I might do it yet. Anyway, thanks for your time and showing us this!

[@gatorwing6231]

To adjust belt tracking left & right . Belt goes toward adjuster screw when loosening. Goes away from adjuster screw when tightened. Not recommend however I fine tune tracking with sander running. Always wear protective eyewear.🤪

[@matthewarmour9105]

thanks. I hope you got your breathlessness condition sorted.

[@optimistichorizon]

I just bought the 61750 model and it is way better than this model. It still does not have the quick change release for the belt sander but fixes a lot of problems pointed out here.

[@paulwaldrop]

I replaced the table with one from the grizzly model. Made quite a difference.

[@renobtankit6019]

Thanks for the vid, just wanted to ask if you still had the sander and what is your view of it after a few years? thanks

[@johnsanford3596]

Shoulda showed HOW to move the belt from horizontal to vertical. Other than that, good video. Any comment on the quality of the HF belts, or recommends for good belts and discs for this puppy? (I inherited one...)

[@javierbiaggi3072]

You are lucky this "kid" is great.

[@r.s.coffey1690]

Have you thought about machining a dome in the outside roller to aid in belt tracking? If so, how much taper would you recommend?

[@dmmflys]

Did you ever make the thickness sander attachments?

[@18roselover]

Got one for my luther shop the disc is a PITA, other than that it/s an exc. buy IMHO

[@CHixon]

Got one. Now I have to get it out of the trunk of the car. Donno. It might stay in there a while.

[@corvuse.2873]

I feel your pain.

[@sparty837]

You mentioned you had smaller model too, which do you like better? Is the larger model worth the extra money?

[@LPMutagen]

Super late to the party but I'm here watching this because I just let the smoke out of my 1 size smaller hf belt sander. The 4x36. Ran it for maybe an hour solid during a production run and the motor got hot and started smoking. Still runs but probably on its last legs.

[@davidboston4574]

The design is actually like the old craftsman sanders made in 70’s

[@bevelededgewoodworks2649]

Does it have a dust collection port?

[@shelby50411]

I may have figured it out....the vertical not 90.....the bolts have to tighten?

[@frankiefrank4853]

Thanks man... I was about to buy a used one

[@bevelededgewoodworks2649]

Nice video!

[@redlinebo]

the big pully warped on mine i need to replace

[@shelby50411]

On mine when i put it vertical its not 90degreees its way off..not sure how u can get it 90 degrees....i bought it few years ago and never opened until now....also the small pulley is really not concentric....its bad..wobbles....motor shaft is good...

[@r.s.coffey1690]

After my earlier post, I decided to buy the HF model. As we all know, QC is sketchy. I needed something that is reversible and I found out that this one is not. Solution: A VFD and 1 hp motor from Automation Direct. Swapped out the motors and I now have a 9" reversible disc grinder and as a bonus a 6X48 belt grinder all for about 1/2 of the cost of a disc grinder. Not exactly top of the line, but completely serviceable. If you figure out how to use the bottom roller to adapt a lightweight surface grinder, I would be HIGHLY interested!!

[@r.s.coffey1690]

***** The motor was $125 and the VFD was $186. Guess my total investment was about $460 for a variable speed, reversible disc grinder/belt sander. If I am not mistaken, Beaumont sells their disc grinder for $980. The only other thing I had to buy was a link belt so I could move the motor a bit to the left, otherwise, the clearances were good. Let me know about the surface grinder attachment.

[@jjjsss3869]

R.S. Coffey the belt is designed to go only one way. Look at the arrow printed under it. Reverse will rip the glued seam.

[@hankydeee]

"I don't give a damn".... lol.. you tell em!

[@r.s.coffey1690]

Joshua - Do you know if the motor can be re-wired and switched so that it is reversible? I am close to the Harbor Freight HQ store and the salesman there couldn't answer that question and I am "electrically challenged", so I need someone with more expertise to answer that. Thanks.

[@DrTeddyMMM]

+R.S. Coffey The way to make this particular non-reversible motor reversible is to remove the retaining bolts that hold both end bearings/covers....remove the motor end covers from both ends, most likely the armature will come out with one of the end covers (the armature is the center winding on the motor axle), rotate the armature 180º and replace both end covers and retaining bolts. You have now successfully reversed the motor. Do you want to do that every time you want to reverse the motor....I would think not.....

[@r.s.coffey1690]

+MrTeddyMMM No, you're absolutely right. I would not want to go through that process every time I wanted to reverse directions. I think my solution from 7 months ago is much easier. Simply push a button. If you want, you can even do it without stopping the motor first (I choose not to do this as it seems like it might strain either the motor or VFD. Waiting a couple of seconds for it to stop is not an issue.)

[@MattOGormanSmith]

maybe you could install another disc & table on the other side of the machine? It'd avoid any complications from running the belt the wrong way too. plywood ftw

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

Why do you want to run the motor in reverse? I’m curious

[@shelby50411]

Where is ur belt guard.....my pulley came bent as hell

[@joejoe1738]

Thank you

[@jjjsss3869]

Why don’t you center the belt? It is clearly running off to one side at the end of the video.

[@FPChris]

I can tell you that the 4" Porter Cable one has just as many issues out of the box.

[@samp1394]

How much does this sander cost?

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

About $160 depending on whether or not it’s on sale and/or if you have a coupon. My local Harbor Freight puts it on sale a couple times a year for $129 and at least once I’ve seen it at $99 for a believe it was a Christmas sale or Father’s Day Cheers mate

[@SSVTPhotography]

That perpendicular not parallel.... Just saying

[@danmartin5504]

All cast iron is not equal.

[@TheTechGuider]

Definitely not super professional tool. But a fraction of the price of any other brand. Think I’m gonna pick this up until i can afford a better one. After all it’s just for wood and it only needs to be so flat.

[@commando340]

16 amps and 120 volts is one true HP. so if it is 12 amps it is 3/4 HP.

[@gatorwing6231]

Discontinued

[@yt66228]

Its piece of crap. I had one and gave it away! I paid the same amount of money for a 50 year old powermatic with a baldor motor. Its heavy cast iron and works much better.

[@pcmountaindog]

These can be had for under 200 dollars. Are they Delta, are they JET?????? Are they even close to the cost of those two. Even a Grizzly 6 disk 48 belt is over 500. Please comment on the operation of this tool within the context of the cost. Is the case stand thin sheet metal, of course it is. Tell us you are not expecting a heavy mild steel stand for 200 bucks. Good grief we are talking 200 dollars here. If it works for 2 years, at that price it's likely a bargain.

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

It’s actually even cheaper than that! Lol. It typically goes for $160 and even less when it’s on sale lol