Cool New Tool Thread

[Mach1 Driver]

OK. It's a (not cheap) little 13 inch belt sander. Different speeds and the belt can be rotated 360 degrees. It's pictured in the "fit in the frickin" drawer" position. It's a bit of an awkward shape. Body shop guys are big on these things and one of them turned me onto them. There's also an 18 belt sized one. You don't use it much but it's still handy as hell sometimes. Ever grind off a rivet or something with an angle grinder and leave "C" shaped grinding marks you wish you could have avoided? Everyone uses just the tip of these for spot sanding/grinding. Once you get in the habit actually having it around more uses for it seem to pop up. Like doing a super sharpen on a lawn mower blade without taking the blade off. Sometimes you will use it instead going to a big belt sander or bench grinder just bacause you don't want to walk over there. Spot weld grinding, taking shard edges off sheetmetal, all kinds of things you can do.

Belts in different grits can be had for a buck apiece or even less like off Temu or at Harbor Freight but the really good ones that last are made by 3M and run about 3 bucks each.

Gypsy, who made the machine, model number, etc., or did I miss that someplace?

 

[Horseplay]

Gypsy, who made the machine, model number, etc., or did I miss that someplace?

By appearance alone you can tell its a Milwaukee product. They call it a bandfile sander. Looks like typical price is about $250, looking online. Lots of makes out but not all are created equal. You could go cheap with a HF pneumatic knockoff for only $25. Electric for about $55. I didn't see a cheap Chinese battery option in a quick search. I have one of the HF electric ones. I figure for as little as I might use it I'd see how it holds up before buying anything $$. I find I do that more and more these days. Too many expensive specialty tools collecting dust. It's like Gypsy wrote though, you'll likely find yourself using it more than expected. I know I am starting to.

 

[kb3]

By appearance alone you can tell its a Milwaukee product. They call it a bandfile sander. Looks like typical price is about $250, looking online. Lots of makes out but not all are created equal. You could go cheap with a HF pneumatic knockoff for only $25. Electric for about $55. I didn't see a cheap Chinese battery option in a quick search. I have one of the HF electric ones. I figure for as little as I might use it I'd see how it holds up before buying anything $$. I find I do that more and more these days. Too many expensive specialty tools collecting dust. It's like Gypsy wrote though, you'll likely find yourself using it more than expected. I know I am starting to.

you may be able to tell that, but I don't use Milwaukee products so it just looked red to me!

 

[Mach1 Driver]

you may be able to tell that, but I don't use Milwaukee products so it just looked red to me!

Red doesn't register as Milwaukee to me either. I have one Milwaukee tool that is a 60 year old sawzall, that is all metal and in its own metal tool box. The box is red but I'm not sure the tool is. Its a dinosaur but it still works, kinda like me.

 

[Horseplay]

The most popular major brand players are distinct in color which should make identification easy for all.

MIlwaukee = Red/Black
Dewalt = Yellow/Black
Makita = Teal Blue
Bosch = Dark Blue

the others

Rigid = Orange/Black
Ryobi = Pea Green
Harbor Freight Hercules = Neon Blue/Black
Harbor Freight Bauer = Red/Black

 

[kb3]

The most popular major brand players are distinct in color which should make identification easy for all.

MIlwaukee = Red/Black
Dewalt = Yellow/Black
Makita = Teal Blue
Bosch = Dark Blue

the others

Rigid = Orange/Black
Ryobi = Pea Green
Harbor Freight Hercules = Neon Blue/Black
Harbor Freight Bauer = Red/Black

Craftsman Red/Black

 

[Boom]

Craftsman Red/Black

No no no, Craftsman is Black/Red

 

[kb3]

No no no, Craftsman is Black/Red

That is right, I was looking at mine upside down. Thanks for the clarification, I do make mistakes now and again.