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5" Desk Top Disk Sander

DocBlake

DocBlake

Joined
Jan 24, 2015
Messages
2,472
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Location
Pewaukee, Wisconsin
I have a Byrnes disk sander, and it is a remarkable tool. I love it!!! But I hate changing paper back and forth for different tasks. The bulk of my work with the Byrnes is with the fine grit (180). I occasionally could use coarser grit, like 100. I decided to make life easier by buying a bench top sander that I can equip with coarse paper. It cost me $40 at our local Menard's. The tilting table mechanism and miter gauge are cheap, but I simply set both at 90 degrees with a try square and I don't anticipate changing them often. The best feature is a variable speed control. Wonderful!! I really wish we could have that on a Byrnes!



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DocBlake said:
I really wish we could have that on a Byrnes!
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Dave, we have this on Proxxon!!! :p I also suggested this sander to Don (@donfarr), Unfortunately, he mentioned an unpleasant experience with the tool, He had a hard time mounting it steady. How heavy this tool and is there a mounting hardware\bracket with it? Proxxon comes with the mounting tool.
 
When it come to precision, nothing beats a Byrnes. Positive stops on the tilting table and miter gauge to sand many angles with deadly accuracy...but you're right, no variable speed. This tool is only $40! Very good deal.

Jim: The sander is light, but it does have a clamping mechanism that can clamp it to a tabletop as thick as 2-3/4" thick!
 
DocBlake said:
When it come to precision, nothing beats a Byrnes. Positive stops on the tilting table and miter gauge to sand many angles with deadly accuracy...but you're right, no variable speed. This tool is only $40! Very good deal.

Jim: The sander is light, but it does have a clamping mechanism that can clamp it to a tabletop as thick as 2-3/4" thick!
Click to expand...


I have the Proxxon and personally don't care for this particular tool. Have many other Proxxon items and they have been good. The problem is the space between the adjustable table and the sand paper. It's fine for larger items but very small scale items are difficult to maintain accuracy. Although, maybe it's jut me!!!!
 
I just measured it: The distance between the sanding disk and the edge of the table is about 3/32" (1/32" or a little less on a Byrnes). If that space is too wide for you, clamp a piece of plywood to the table, butted up against the sandpaper face. Use two clamps, one each on the Turn on the sander: VOILA! Zero-clearance sander.

C'mon guys, the thing costs 40 bucks! You're not going to buy a Byrnes (or a Proxxon) for $40!! :D :D :D


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Y.T. said:
Clearance to sanding disk is adjustable. Proxxon and Byrnes are many fold overpriced. This tool beats them all.
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Y.T, it is great to know that this tool is suited for our work and well priced for an average budget. Whether it is Byrnes, Proxxon, Jet just few to name, It is great, that we have a choice to choose from, and the choice is always ours!
 
The cavalry arrived late to the battle ! My new Byrnes sander and saw arrived yesterday..Both are a very fine, solid, and beautifully machined, but with the drawbacks described above, but I can't complain...If I need coarse sanding, which should be rarely, I can change the sanding disc on the Byrnes.
There must be a speed controller that can be rigged to the Byrnes (both saw and sander) a foot-actuated one like the speed controller on my Foredom drill would be fine.... I'll contact Byrnes and see what they say...
Alex R
 
I've owned one of these sanders for over a year now and have used it in building my wooden model ships. No complaints here. Yes, comes with clamps and has an exhaust port for hooking up a vacuum to. I use it in the house and the wife remarks that she doesn't see any wood dust anywhere.

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I’ve been working with this variable speed sander for a couple of weeks now. I’ve been sanding butt joints for a project that require great precision and this sander works fabulously! I can lower the speed so I have absolute control over the amount of wood removed at the joints. A really valuable tool for a scratch builder to own. The Byrnes is still king, for all the reasons mentioned above, but this saw’s variable speed capability is something the Byrnes can’t do. I contacted Jim and the type of motor he uses in the Byrnes sander can’t be rigged with a rheostat to control speed. It will burn the motor out.

Bottom line: Buy this sander as a Byrnes disk sander backup. You’ll use it, it’s cheap and you won’t be disappointed.
 
Thanks for your honest feedback. I continue using it daily for a year now. It is perfect for precision work I do. I am not building full scale ships and I don’t have a workshop so I don’t need Byrnes.
 
I had this sander but could never get it to stay mounted, the clamp kept falling off, I did like the varible speed HOW DID YOU KEEP IT MOUNTED, I need a disk sander badly basiclly for sanding joints persicely was going to get the model expo one, but looking at what you guys say rethinking this as I am going to menards this SATURDAY if you guys can tell me how you mounted it i will get it again, ALSO while on the topic WHEN SANDING THE JOINTS FOR FUTTOCKS DO YOU USE A PROTRACTOR ON THE PLANS TO GET THE CORRECT ANGLE OR DO YOU DO IT BY SIGHT, ANY HELP WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. Don
 
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