Wen Model 6502 Sander

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Thanks, CORZERO! I have had a chance to use my sander, but haven't had time to do a video on it. I plan to do one soon. I will say that the 80-grit sandpaper that comes installed on the unit is very aggressive. It's suited for rough shaping, definitely not for fine finishing. I advise purchasing a set of belts with various grits.

[@dirtbleepdigger9911]

I just bought one it arrived today.....I’m gonna make some box turkey calls,,,,,,I just got the paddle made, for the box the sander really worked well tuning up the paddle.....I also sanded down the box getting it squared up.....I’m amazed for only 90.00 dollars.....the day after I ordered it from Walmart the price dropped to 82.00 dollars. You cannot go wrong for that price. Well I’m happy with it thus far.... thanks for review Mark.....!

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Most welcome, Digger!

[@BeccaMorn]

Thanks Mark, I appreciated both of your videos. They were very helpful and informative. I just bought a Wen 6502 today and was hoping both to find assembly and usage tips -- and you had them. Much obliged!

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Thanks, Becca! I'm glad you found them helpful. Hopefully, you also saw my comment that you can mount the miter table on the belt as well as the wheel. When I made the original video, I hadn't figured that out yet.

[@BeccaMorn]

I didn't know that. Actually that would be really helpful because I'm making some picture frames right now, and sanding those corner joints makes a world of difference with the gluing and assuring a tight fit. I did my first test frame using the wheel, but could tell it's not the best choice for the kind of even side-to-side sanding I need to do, given the varying rotational speed. Appreciate the tip!

[@markbeuligmann7363]

I've found that the sander is great for aggressive removal of material, especially with the original 80-grit sandpaper. Even the 120-grit is pretty fast. Sounds like you need something less aggressive.

[@BeccaMorn]

Oh, I've already dropped back to 100-grit and will probably get some 120 and 250 next time I'm at the hardware store. You're right though, mostly what I'm doing with these oak molding edges is reshaping and then roughing them slightly so the wood glue adheres better. It's 1.5" oak which then ends up longer after cutting on the compound miter saw, and thus that sanding wheel is a little small.

[@billybob629]

I like putting 40 grit belt on, flipping machine upside down with belt on floor, turn switch on, then plug in and watch it take off like a Battle Bot !

[@stormbytes]

Outstanding presentation. Decided to buy this unit after watching this video. Thanks

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Thanks, Daniel! Glad to be of help.

[@CORZER0]

Excellent review! Concise and informative. Any update on use?

[@markbeuligmann7363]

After making the "Wen Model 602 Sander" unboxing video, I later made one called "Wen Sander Test Drive." You'll want to see that one, too.

[@mbeysa]

Dam good presentation. One of the best I've seen.

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Thanks, Ed!

[@charlesholliday1699]

Thank you Mark. You are good at demoing the unit and your video was helpful.

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Thanks for the encouragement, Charles. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@johnvanetten2443]

Thanks, answered a couple of my questions, my first desktop sander.

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Thanks, John! One thing I failed to mention in the video was that you can use the miter table with the sanding belt if you first remove the work support and put the sanding belt in the vertical position.

[@hakeemm3574]

Useful information , thank you .

[@ekimusman2]

it was so nice of wen to include that strip of cardboard for free

[@markbeuligmann7363]

I never did figure out what it was for, or why it was in its own plastic bag.

[@esmeraldo7887]

Neat video - is the miter really suppose to just slide around? It looks like there are grooves on the table but there are none on the beam on the adjustable angle part. It looks like the screw part on the top is suppose to cinch it down but doesn't. Is mine normal?

[@esmeraldo7887]

Oh you suggested tape. Really seems like it should be fixed. The pics on amazon show a squarish nut type thing on the end with the screw. Hmm. I'll try out the tape you mentioned.

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Esmeraldo, while the miter gauge should slide freely in the slot, it shouldn't wobble. It definitely wobbles unless you add metal tape to one or both sides. I agree that you shouldn't have to modify the bar to have it fit properly. There are two screws on top of the miter gauge. The phillips screw head allows for setting the gauge for accurate angles. The other "screw" is the large orange plastic knob that should tighten the gauge to the bar after you select an angle. Is that what you were asking?

[@lovejackqp]

Mr Beuligmann, I have a question. Is it possible to install the work table to the belt sander in vertical position?. The work support looks small if you are working with a knife jig for example.. Thank you for the great videos!

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Good question, Lovejackqp, and I have an answer. The work support on the belt sander is clearly meant to be mounted with the table portion parallel to the belt. The two mounting bolts fit the two larger threaded holes in the frame in that position. There is a third smaller threaded hole in the frame that would permit you to mount the work support table perpendicular to the belt but you would have to find a bolt to fit it. Also, in this position the table just barely clears the belt and no allowance has been made for vertical adjustment. Hope that helps.

[@lovejackqp]

Really helpfull! thank you for taking the time.

[@HULK515]

Wen makes great products I just wish the belt sander had more pore sanding on thick wood on the large it bogs down and seems to want to stop needs a larger motor . I have the Wen Drill Press and has plenty of power. You can't expect too much for under 100.00 dollars.

[@michellewest965]

HULK515 Do you know how to get the belt off the belt sander model number 6501 so when 4×6 belt and disks center would love any help you could give me thanks Michelle West

[@Bp323]

Can you provide any advice on changing the belt? I got this machine second hand without any instructions and it seems to work just fine, but I would like to change the belt (I've never owned this type of sander before).

[@markbeuligmann7363]

If you are talking about the motor drive belt, Google "manual for Wen model 6502." The first result should be a free download. Go to page 14, which shows you how to adjust the drive belt tension. That's all you should need to know in order to change the belt as well. The belt part number (90228-060) is on page 18, along with all the other part numbers. Hope that helps!

[@AnotherOverTaxedTaxPayer]

Do you still like the sander? Is it easy to find belts for it?

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Hello, OverTaxed! I do still like my sander. I'm still using the original belt, but when I saw your question, I got out the manual and looked it up. There's an exploded view of the sander and a related parts list with part numbers. I went to the WEN website and found that you can purchase a replacement belt for about $6. Sometimes you can measure the length of a belt and the number of "teeth" and get a replacement from belt suppliers like Gates. Hope that helps!

[@AnotherOverTaxedTaxPayer]

@@markbeuligmann7363 adding this to my Christmas list 😁😁😁😁

[@YattaDante]

How stable is that sander? I have some fairly big and heavy pieces to stand, and I am concerned about stability of the device. Does it seem very sturdy/heavy? Are there ways to mount it on the bottom?

[@markbeuligmann7363]

The Wen model 6502 weighs 41 lbs. and has a cast iron base. There is a mounting hole at each end that will accommodate a bolt so that you can mount this tool to a bench top or tool stand. It seems very stable to me, but I haven't put heavy workpieces on it. Hope that helps!

[@derwingholston2550]

I have that Sander when turning off it shakes what could be the problem

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Derwin, I haven't had that problem, but I'll tell you how I would start to narrow it down. First, I would remove the sanding belt and run it, then turn it off. If there is no vibration, your problem may be in the outer (right side) roller mounting. Make sure it's snug (not loose in the bearings). If it still vibrates, check the drive roller (left side) for the same thing. You might have to remove the drive belt to check the roller for looseness. Next, make sure the drive belt is properly tensioned. I assume you have a manual that describes the tensioning process. One last thing to check is the motor mount itself, although I would think that if the motor mount were the problem, the unit would vibrate while running. Let me know what you find!

[@robinspaulding5376]

I can not get belt to tighten up. Orange lever is all the way in " closed" positon. The belt is super loose came this way out of the box. Can you help? Sander is sitting just like yours in the photo above. But my belt is falling off with push of a finger.

[@markbeuligmann7363]

I suppose it's possible that you have a defective belt, but I doubt it. Try another one just to rule it out. My manual mentions a sanding belt tensioning knob, but I have not seen it - or needed to - because my sander was fine out of the box. I will look into this after worship services this morning. I'm betting that there's a tensioning knob on the bottom side of the belt arm. Haven't looked yet, though. I'll get back to you. In the meantime, I suspect there's a KZbin video on it somewhere.

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Robin, I have examined my sander and find no way to adjust the sanding belt tension. The entire linkage from lever to roller does not appear to have any point of adjustment. The manual states that you can adjust both tension and tracking by following the instructions, but the instructions only tell you how to adjust tracking. I also find no videos on this topic. All I can tell you is to try another sanding belt. If that doesn't work, I think you have a defective sander.

[@dimitardimitrov9781]

Thank you Mark!

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Dimitar, you are most welcome!

[@juliusvalentinas]

Sorby ProEdge is more for precision work but for somebody who want's to sharpen tools this is the only choice AFAIK. The problem is free angle can't be set.

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Julius, I am not familiar with the Sorby ProEdge. Also, as I stated in an earlier reply to someone else's comment, WEN does not recommend using this unit to sharpen metal tools because it could generate too much heat.

[@michellewest965]

Thanks Mark !

[@michellewest965]

How to change the sand paper belt

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Just pull the orange lever out toward you. It's a bit stiff because of the spring tension. That will loosen the belt. Now, use the supplied allen wrench to loosen the clamp on the back side of the sanding belt arm. You will need to raise the arm slightly so that the belt can slip off past the post that the arm rests on. Make sure the arrows on the underside of the new belt point in the counter clockwise direction as you face the front of the sander. Hope that does it for you!

[@Bigbrotheriswatchingus]

Wen ( ☺) you look closely at these sanders. most of them are simply painted a different colour....

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Yes, I noticed when I was shopping for this Wen sander that several other brands looked pretty much the same except for the name. One difference was that the Wen has a 1/2 HP motor. The others had a 1/3 HP motor.

[@82payne]

Can this be used for metal like some 1090?

[@markbeuligmann7363]

James, I get this question a lot. Wen states in the owner's manual that they do not recommend using this unit to grind metal.

[@billy13870]

I see you posted this in 2015. Is this machine still working now and have you had any problems with it since making this video? Im wondering how durable it is for the price

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Kirk, it's hard to believe I've had this sander for 3 years already. I only use it occasionally and usually not very hard. That being said, I did use it very hard and long one day sanding several pieces of teak. (Teak is hard and has its own grit.) It held up like a champ. It has a 1/2 hp motor, making it a bit stronger than models with 1/3 hp motors. I clean it after use but it has not needed any other maintenance.

[@billy13870]

@@markbeuligmann7363 Thanks for the reply thats awesome its still working for the price they are. When you say occassionaly do you mean like maybe once a year or once a month. I dont want an exact anwser but have you only used it a handful of times or more like a couple dozen times? Either way cant beat it for $80

[@markbeuligmann7363]

@@billy13870 I use it once or twice a month, and for light and brief tasks. That one time I used it all day and hard, it made me glad I bought it.

[@billy13870]

@@markbeuligmann7363 Thank you

[@onpointedc4744]

Can I use this to grind knife bevels?

[@markbeuligmann7363]

The manufacturer does not recommend using this sander to grind metal because it could generate too much heat.

[@Brandywine6969]

I just got one. Not only does that miter wobble, but the table does not feel all that stable. If you tighten it more, it pulls the other end of the table away from the disk. Should I add an extra washer on the part where you tighten it to make it stay 1/16" from the disk or what? What would you recommend? Subscribed for the useful information.

[@markbeuligmann7363]

I was a bit disappointed in the table, too. Seems like it needs another mounting point on the right side or underneath. Mine sits about 1/8" from the disc. I don't know what Wen would say about the right gap.

[@Brandywine6969]

My instructions that came with it say no more than 1/16". I'm thinking maybe it needs a washer to make it sit straight across instead of trying to sit further out on the right hand side than the left hand side. That might work. I am going to try it without doing that first to see if it works out ok. If it does, I'll just stick with it, as is. I have a lot of furring strips I need to smooth out and take the cups and bows out of. I think that 80 grit will work great to get them somewhat flat. I ordered the wood online without seeing it first. They were sold as 1x4s, but they are furring strips instead. I still plan to use them, but I learned my lesson from that. I will go pick out my own wood in person from now on, lol.

[@markbeuligmann7363]

I built my first easel out of furring strips just as an experiment. My daughter liked it well enough that I switched to select pine and designed and built a nicer one. Now, after several design changes, I make them on a regular basis and sell them on Etsy. Even with the select pine, I choose each piece for appearance and straightness. I've also seen different qualities of boards sold as select pine. You have to be careful.

[@gjm8220]

Great Thanks

[@BrenticusMaximus1]

Very helpful information 🙂👍Thanks for the metal tape pointer

[@markbeuligmann7363]

Brenticus, you are welcome! I'm no expert. I just pass along what I've learned from others and my own experience.