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I can't seem to make up my mind whether to get an edge sander or a spindle sander. Those of you that have both, which one do you use the most? If you have one or the other, do you wish you had the other, or are you happy with your choice. If you have always wanted to get one, which one?

I am in the throws of a decision that I can't seem to make intelligently. Of course I want something that is the most useful for luthier activities.

Thanks for your advice

John

John, I don't have either but I will soon get an edge sander, one that can lay flat like you are looking at. I can put spindles on my drill press for as often as I need them. Although I may get a rigid spindle sander eventually I just think that the edge sander has so many more possibilities for things like radiusing head and tail blocks and fret boards as well as the nice big wide surface that can be modified into a narrow thickness sander if you needed. It can also be used to accurately curve all of your brace stock...it just goes on!! The question is I guess...inside or outside curves, which do you find the hardest to deal with now?

You will get more advise from those that have them but those are my quick thoughts.

Shane

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Canada

HI John

I've got an edge sander and use it all the time, although I watched John Mayes DVD's and the things he can do with some imagination and an edge sander are brilliant, he does volutes and all sorts using the end of it. I don't have a proper spindle sander but have a spindle I put in a drill press I use it for rough heel shaping.

I have a spindle sander that I would not want to be without. I use it for all sorts of things from truing up forms to heel shaping and brace shaping bridge making. I use it for making the neck block on a cutaway guitar. I use it to shape the soundboard end of the fret board. I use it in shaping my peghead. I use it for anything that has an inside curve. Now if you have a belt sander that stands up 90 degrees to you table, you could use the end of it for some of those things but I like the spindle better because I can put different size drums on it. I used to put drums on my drill press but that is a poor compromise to a spindle sander. First it doesn't oscillate and the drums wear faster. You also put undue wear on your drill press.
Some suggestions though if you go the spindle sander route. Get one with at least 6" tall drums so you can better true wide forms and such. Grizzly has one that looks pretty good. I have an old ryobi but I think it is discontinued and mine is about worn out so I will be on the market soon. I have a standard stationary belt sander too and use it quite a bit but my pick of the two is the spindle sander. I also have a 12" disc sander that is real handy.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

I have both. For acoustics I use my edge sander all the time -- couldn't be without it. But, by contrast, I use my spindle sander for a lot of tasks in making electrics.

I think ** BOTH ** would ultimately be the right way to go, but for now if you have to pick. I would say get the edge sander.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I'm with Brock. As usual...
I have both, a Powermatic edge sander (same as Jet) and a Jet benchtop oscillating spindle sander. The spindle sander gets used less than the edge sander by far, but is indespensible in its own right. I modifed the spindle sander so that the spindle is actually extended up higher than the factory design, giving me the ability to sand a guitar side without the spindle dropping below the top of the side. If that makes sense. Normally it oscillates between 3.5" and 4.5", with the modification it oscillates between 4.5" and 5.5".

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Only badly."

What do you guys use the edge sander for? Is it the obvious stuff like top and back seams, jointing and the like? Or am missing something? You know I gotta buy one if there's a reason at all!

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

Hey John, have you thought of the oscilating edge sander from Grizzly? it looks like you could get both options from one machine, take a look at this. Maybe it will supply all your needs.

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Thanks guys
   I think I will go for the edge sander.
   My next question involves which edge sander. I was looking at the powermatic/jet edge sander and it looked good except for the way that the support moves up and down (I think I will forgo the oscillating feature) It looks like two clamp knobs support the table. On the Grizzley model, the table seems to have a large wheel and screw for raising and lower features. However, the Grizzley does not have a groove in the table to support a "T" slide.
   Any advice there?

John

Personally, I would NOT do an ociliating edge sander.

I like to "carve" a smiley volute on the back of my headstocks and I use the wheel on the end of the sander to do this. I can't imagine how hard that would be with the whole contraption moving up and down....

Plus if you clean the belt frequently it doesn't get clogged up.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Steve, I have the Powermatic edge sander as well as the Delta spindle sander. I use the edge sander far more than the spindle sander.

As far as which one to buy, I am not very happy with the Powermatic. It has never tracked right, the small table on the end is nowhere near square to the belt and the platen adjustment lever will not get tight enough. If I had it to do over I would pick something different.

Let me know if you have any specific questions about it and I would be happy to give you my .02

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

John, in answer to your original question: I have both and use both all the time. If I had to be without one, I'd probably let the edge sander go. My logic it this, I can stick paper down to something flat and make a nice flat sanding surface. Though it might take a long time, I can still do the job well. Some of the curves I sand with my Oscalating sander just can't be done by hand. (At least by my hands) I use it for bridge wings, volutes, and I've recently made a jig that will accurately put the thickness in the neck on this sander. I'd have to say it doesn't have a LOT of uses but those that it does have are very important to me.
Regarding your observation of the Grizzly vs the Powermatic: don't be fooled by the big hand wheel on the Grizzly. The table is not very secure at all. I think Brock developed a way to secure his better but I'm still searching.
The table doesn't have a miter slot but it does have four indexing holes in it . You can build a "miter table" but haveing a board with a slot and have it index into those pin slots. Works great. I've got several jigs that index into those holes.

What I really want then is a reasonably priced, non-oscillating, 110 volt (I have run out of 220 circuits) edge sander with an easily adjustable, secure platen and an easily tracked belt. Is there such an animal out there.

John

I have the grizzly, and my problem with it was that the belt is adjustable (between 0 and 90 degrees). There are a couple of lock downs, but as the machine runs it tends to slip out of 90. Obviously this is bad.

I just got 4 angle iron pieces made up and bolted the entire thing into a solid 90 and all is right with the world. Other than this problem I have no complaints with it at all.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

[QUOTE=Brock Poling]
I have the grizzly, and my problem with it was that the belt is adjustable (between 0 and 90 degrees). There are a couple of lock downs, but as the machine runs it tends to slip out of 90. Obviously this is bad.[/QUOTE]

This is the same problem that I have with the Powermatic edge sander.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

As I recall, Frank Finocchio told me he had to do the same thing with his. It wasn't a big deal, but I hate buying tools then having to McGuiver them.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com