6" x 48" Belt and 9" Disc Combination Sander

Comments about Central Machinery 6" x 48" Belt and 9" Disc Combination Sander:

Had it for a couple of months now and no problems so far. Works great and plenty of power. Just occasional use nothing to heavy. You will need some extra nuts, bolts and washers though. Mine was missing a few. Can't beat it for the price.

Comments about Central Machinery 6" x 48" Belt and 9" Disc Combination Sander:

G' Day Friends and Neighbors!
I've had two of these particular sanders in my shop for about 8 years or so and I must say they are probably some of the most used and versatile rigs I've purchased from HF. I have them set them both for horizontal sanding work with the table set at the end to hold a 4" dust hose and dust fitting. The disk sanders are hardly ever used, the ultra-flat table on the belt sander is where I make my money. The belt I run on my primary rig is a blue 150 grit stearated abrasive belt from a non-HF supplier. Stearated belts really help with loading when dealing with wet/sappy woods. The Finish I get is very fine; with a bit of diligence you can produce a finish without any straight line sanding marks if you oscillate your piece by hand and watch your pressure. Everything that comes off the 150 belt machine is ready for 220-320 grit sanding, 180 grit is somewhat counterproductive. In my line of work I work with a lot of Juniper and other species Burl and root ball slabs, and I've finessed out some pretty unique shapes and contours using these outfits. The other sander is used for roughing in and flattening pieces after chain and resawing, and with a coarse grit belt one can be pretty creative with shaping items off the cuff. A Crepe block (Item #30766) is a definite value added thing to keep your belts in fine shape. I wish I could post a picture of my sanders and the things they create; maybe HF will add that feature to its website someday. Also, No mechanical issues from either, and they have seen some pretty wild abuse at times.

Best, R. E. Parks, Dakota Heirloom Woodworking

Comments about Central Machinery 6" x 48" Belt and 9" Disc Combination Sander:

I've owned one for several years and seem to use it on just about every project. This type of tool is one of the most useful you can buy for your shop. The stand is just okay but can easily be braced with plywood panels -- you end up with storage area in the base. I mounted mine on casters. The table for the disc sander is minimal, and the gage is inadequate. But, with any tool, you'll end up wanting to make jigs for various sanding tasks anyway. I highly recommend this too for it's usefulness and high value.

Comments about Central Machinery 6" x 48" Belt and 9" Disc Combination Sander:

I bought my combination sander in 1993 and I have used it constantly. I had to replace the belt spindle bearings once. This tool is as close to bullet proof as a tool can get.


I have used it to help build an experimental aircraft from plans and I have used it in a commercial enterprise of building cedarstrip canoes. I use it for Radio Controlled model aircraft and boats and a myriad of other hobby related jobs. This is by far some of the best money I ever spent. Easy to use, easy to clean, easy to change discs and belts. Parts are easy to find and readily available.

Comments about Central Machinery 6" x 48" Belt and 9" Disc Combination Sander:

I am now upgrading my last 4 star review to FIVE! Another reviewer mentioned a floor pedal switch to substitute for the switch that ends up against the wall, and on the same aisle, Harbor Freight sells a sturdy latching version for cheap. Now I just walk up to the machine, tap, and grind. I use it every day. Today I prepped a big stack of metal gussets and the machine ran and ran. At the end, the powerful fan had kept the motor barely warm to the touch, and I don't have to worry about metal filings getting into the sealed motor! (I suggest you toss out the plastic thumb screws and substitute bolts for locking the tension of the belt.)

Comments about Central Machinery 6" x 48" Belt and 9" Disc Combination Sander:

Excellent tool, well made and I should have bought it sooner. I bought mine about five years ago, use it most every day and the only problem I've had was that when on the first day the on/off rocker switch was working intermittently. I simply dismantled the switch, fixed the glitch and it's worked perfectly ever since.

Comments about Central Machinery 6" x 48" Belt and 9" Disc Combination Sander:

I use it for crafting projects in the winter time.
Makes quick work when your sanding. For the money, it is a great power tool to have. I have had no problems with it. I have changed the sanding belt and disk many times.

Comments about Central Machinery 6" x 48" Belt and 9" Disc Combination Sander:

I bought my first one in the early 90's and another several years later. I run both of them frequently even now. Plenty of power for my woodworking business.

I did find the stand to be too short for my taste, and the accessory table to be just about useless, but I have adapted. Both machines are mounted on a single bench made from 4x4's and 1 1/8" sub-floor plywood for a top. I do not use the discs...just the belts, and have one set permanently to the vertical, and one to horizontal.

I have replaced the spindle bearings on each sander twice. Bearings are available locally at the bearing specialty shop, or you can even get them thru your local auto parts store if you have a patient counterperson. I have also had each belt platen ground true, as decades of use had caused some wear. Still using the original motors without a hickup. Did relocate the switches to a more handy location...very poor placement from the factory.

This is not a $800 tool, BUT...it is a darn good one. I'd buy it again...and again...IF the ones I have would ever quit.

Comments about Central Machinery 6" x 48" Belt and 9" Disc Combination Sander:

Retired and getting started with woodworking. Disk/Sander an important addition to my tools. The installation directions were okay but could have been better written. Example - installation of disk plate was a real pain with set screw hard to reach. A bolt is not the same as a screw no matter what the installation guide says. The package was missing some washers - fortunately I had replacements. Not too trusting so I got the 2 year warranty - I figure if there are problems it will be in the first 2 year so better safe than sorry.

Comments about Central Machinery 6" x 48" Belt and 9" Disc Combination Sander:

Have had no problems. Use it to dress metal parts. As good as machines costing more. Sanding belt was not great, but you can purchase a better sanding belt. Great addition to any shop.