Wen Oscillating Belt & Spindle Sander Review

[@tonyborzumato8510]

In addition to a SawStop table saw, DeWalt thickness planer, IR compressor, and a Jet Lathe, I own several WEN tools - a benchtop 6" jointer, a 10" bandsaw, two 8" grinders (one of which is fitted with wire wheels) and a water cooled sharpening system (one 10x2" water stone, and one leather stropping wheel). First off - ALL of these tools are priced well below the "name brands" (Jet, Delta, etc), but I've found that performance & features are on par with the "high priced spread". I've had to call WEN customer service (to replace parts *I* lost), and they were more than helpful (and US based). WEN designs and manages their tool production from Chicago, IL, and has them manufactured to their specs in China. This is more common than you'd think, and WEN pulls it off better than most. I've had virtually no issues with ANY of my WEN tools. They are, a very good value, in my book, and I just ordered a 6524 Oscillating sander, as reviewed in your video. If it performs like its stable-mates, I'll be one happy camper.

[@mikethompson9745]

I have this Sander and it does everything I have asked of it. Been thinking of a 1x30 belt sander now for certain projects, I also looked at Grizzly and oddly enough this model is also there in green.

[@poppagswoodshop3847]

I have its twin brother from Harbor Freight, it's dressed in red. I've had it for a couple of years now and have no real complaints.

[@airnashville3883]

Wen is actually an American company that sources its products from over seas. They have a reputation for providing products with high value to cost ratios. They have a great reputation for customer service. I have a Wen helical planer and for its price it is amazing. Wen products consistently punch far above their price category.

[@spiritburners]

this machine sis a clone of about 20 other machines out there, we have the same ones in europe, I can name at least 9 differnet makes ranging from 156 to 299 for the exact same machine , theyre are great for the price but WEN is no different to any other drop shipper, thats all the company is. They are all made in china for a price thats attractive to the end wholesaler, millions of these are made and simply have different lables on.

[@mathewmolk2089]

I still have a WEN soldering iron I got for Christmas when I was 9 years old. - Still works,,,,,and I just turned 77,

[@littlejimmy7402]

I just picked one up, I was going to make some tool holders that needed inside curves. Should be shaping tomorrow. I just couldn't deny the value. Two tools in one in a small, light, and sturdy package.

[@thwwoodcraft1449]

Ear pro is also a must with these little guys. I bought one 2nd hand and used it with satisfaction until a tax return suggested I buy the big Jet 6x89" which is another level of awesome, and a sacrifice of space in my little 2 car garage shop. But I use it all the time even for the fine, small project work I do. This Wen & Rigid are definitely worth the $ to tuck under a table/bench and haul out for use as needed. Good work on your Videos!

[@stevesiefken6432]

Great review! I really like to see product reviews that have actually seen real use. I’m seriously considering this sander. Thanks!

[@TBI-Firefighter-451]

I have several WEN tools and they are all built well and WEN has Excellent Customer Service too.

[@spiritburners]

Get yourself a 3 inch rubber insert and most kits that sell these spindle sanding belts sell it with the 3 inch sanding tube in it. No idea with Wen they dont exist in europe . You can pick up the 3 inch rubber insert for about 15 usd Its also fairly easy to make new insert papers yourself along with almost any size spindle if you have a wood lathe , just turn one up. That's what I did and then 3d printed a ring inserts for them to drop into the plate. I needed an exact spindle size so that's why I did it.

[@goodday9874]

excellent, a show of your shop setup would be great, Regards...

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJjLnHR5ZbaUg5o

[@michaelcole9268]

Outstanding review! Just bought it. It’s all I needed.

[@hotsnottatertot5451]

I just bought one, too. Excellent review. Dude needs a commission from Wen.

[@plainnpretty]

I bought one . For the money I think it’s pretty good it helps get the work done .

[@kz.irudimen]

This looks very very similar to the Triton/Scheppach model we have in Europe. I have the Scheppach, I really like it, except that I haven't really found quality replacements for the spindles so I rarely use it in that mode.

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

Yes. Eerily similar. Like they're the exact same thing in a different color. I'd take a look at the Wen belt and sleeve kits I talked about in the video and see if they're compatible with your Triton. I bet they are.

[@kz.irudimen]

@@themountaintopjoinersshop8422 I don't think WEN stuff is sold in Europe unfortunately. I've never seen that brand here at least. Scheppach does sell spindles but I really doubt they're worth anything, their consumables are usuallly crap :(

[@ManuelGarcia-ww7gj]

I wonder if you can adjust the drive shaft to get it plumb? Rigid sells a very similar sander.

[@kz.irudimen]

@@ManuelGarcia-ww7gj Do you mean to make it perfectly square to the table ? Honestly mine was square enough for me, I completely agree with the video, it's not the type of machine where you need perfect squareness. The pressure you're going to apply by hand is going to have more effect on the squareness of your workpiece than the table itself will anyway. This type of machine is best at shaping small parts by hand, it's not really useful if you're looking to get a perfectly square edge. It's simply not what this tool is for.

[@BayKor-f8f]

Why replaced the noise with music?!? The noise is between the most important characteristics

[@gregmize01]

you'll be fine

[@robertborberg6427]

Very good video. Thank you probably a stupid question, but why didn’t you go with the triton version?

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

I don't think it was available at the time. I'm also unreasonably picky about color.

[@AscensionX-uq1mk]

Hey great review! So question... Can I make it NOT oscillate if I want it to just run flat like a standard sander? There's times I may not want it moving back & forth. Thx

[@AscensionX-uq1mk]

PS - Do you find any benefits to that oscillating movement, or is it just a bit of a gimmick? 🤔

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

The oscillation helps prevent uneven wear of the sandpaper and helps dissipate heat so your workpeice doesn't get burn marks on it. I can't think of any benifit to turning it off and the machine doesn't have that feature anyway.

[@warrenbrown8670]

Is that the same as the one at harbor freight? Looks very close except for color.

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

I can't say. I don't have a harbor freight near me.

[@gregmize01]

it is the same

[@gregg3967]

Where do you get the sandpaper for both belt and spindle?

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

Last time, I got them from Amazon. BTW- If you go to Amazon via the link in the video subscription and then search for it and purchase it, a small percentage of the purchase price goes to this channel at no extra cost to you.

[@trigunstudios217]

It's now $200 on Amazon

[@thomashunter6218]

Thanks for the video, very helpful as I'm coming from a similar place as far as tooling but am thinking I would like to buy one of these in the near future. It seems like the Ridgid is pretty popular and seems to be unique when compared to the Wen/triton/grizzly/other. Did you look into that one? Why did you go for the Wen over it?

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

I don't entirely remember, but it proabably had to do with price or availability. The Ridgid also runs the belt from right to left, which seems totally backwards to how I'd intuitively want to use it. The stop tab also wraps around the belt quite a bit further than the Wen/Triton/5 other brands, leaving less belt space to work with.

[@stephanienassman1849]

@@themountaintopjoinersshop8422 Not to mention the price is almost just about double.

[@dpmeyer4867]

thanks

[@uriel-heavensguardian8949]

Awesome!

[@afpitbull60]

Well done! Any regrets?

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

Not to this point, I don't.

[@harleywood9588]

Good review

[@kevinrichards4464]

For what its worth, I just picked up this same sander of Amazon for $160...

[@emofighter69]

About to do the same

[@toddpeterson1673]

$345? I just ordered one off Amazon for $197.

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

It has come down a lot since I filmed this. Go figure.

[@jeffreytgilbert]

To anyone who has kids, just know that all those washers and rings will be lost or dropped into slots on the machine before you even get it started up. Maybe get a bag for them instead. Let my pain be your quick lesson.

[@mathewmolk2089]

Hate to tell ya Bubba, but sanding or "*grinding" is EXACTLY what you use for nth degree accuracy in the wood shop and especially in the machine shop. - Adequate and properly set up you can carry .010" all day in the wood shop.- (Let;s see you come that close on 10 parts on a saw,) and in the machine shop we carry a couple of tenths (+/- .0002") on the surface and ID/OD grinder standing on our heads. Even to lap to 50 millionths is no real biggie. Do not underestimate the power and accuracy of sandpaper. It HOW to get true accuracy.

[@n.talbert]

Do I dare ask what is offensive about the color on other tools?

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

I'm just picky about colors is all.

[@billlere9262]

$204.00 at Home Depot.