Spindle sander tilt feature


Pwk5017

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My current POS benchtop spindle sander doesn't have a tilting spindle or tilting table. I'm looking at a floor model spindle sander that also doesn't tilt. Is this a helpful feature to have, or rarely used? I'm not sure how often I would need to shape a compound curve, but I'm sure it exists. Just wondering if this tool is worth $400ish now, or just wait for another one to come along. 

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I worked my first Ridgid belt spindle sander all day for several days and burned it up. It wasn't the tools fault and I went straight out and bought another one ! It has performed well for several years since. I have only used the tilting table a few times but it worked just like I needed. The only shortcoming is dust collection but none of the spindle sanders I have used do . The belt osselating is very useful.

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You all confirmed why I was apprehensive about this Clayton sander. The seller sorted it out for me prior to reading the replies. Guy went off and MF'ed me via text when I offered him $400 instead of $500 asking price. Dunno, I guess some people are touchy on Craigslist.  

 

The belt option on the rigid is cool, but a several hundred pound stationary machine versus a plastic benchtop machine is a movie I've seen about a dozen times. I prefer larger tools, because I find them to be easier to work on. 

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s-l300.jpg

This is what I have, (pic grabbed from the web) an oscillating spindle sander from Sears, yes a craigslist find. It's a sweetheart. What I like best, it's portable and has a dust port and large surface to support stock. I store it under a bench. Never had an issue of it moving around. It does have provisions for fastening to a bench top. Just another option.

 

-Ace- 

 

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You could make a tilt jig to sit on top of your sander table. I see a lot of these on the Internet for drill presses. I suppose this could be more accurate and less fuss than the tilt on some machines. Every power tool we use is a motor attached to a shaper/cutter that uses some sort of guide. Lots of ideas are out there to build add on or better guides for our tools. I'm sure someone has done it before.

I like my Ridgid too. I can't imagine anything that would tip it over. Not that I would pick up and take to the tool anyway.

Sent from my woodshop using duct tape, twine, and a bit of sawdust.

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16 hours ago, Immortan D said:

It doubles as a belt sander? I can see now how the tilting feature comes in handy. 

This was my reason for picking up the Ridgid, I didn't want to deal with both a spindle sander and bench-top belt sander. The Ridgid is as good or better than separate versions of these tools (in its price bracket), plus you have an oscillating belt sander.

I have mine bolted to a flip-top table, and it's secure as hell. Though I'm not feeding 2x4's into it. Before the flip top I just screwed it down to a basic bench.

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It's funny that earlier I was going to chime in to say I've never had the need or desire to tilt the table on my spindle sander or edge sander but didn't bother.  Of course now I ran into a project where that was what I was going to need to do but the table on my spindle sander doesn't tilt.  Ended up going in a much more convoluted, but more interesting, direction because of it.

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11 hours ago, krtwood said:

It's funny that earlier I was going to chime in to say I've never had the need or desire to tilt the table on my spindle sander or edge sander but didn't bother.  Of course now I ran into a project where that was what I was going to need to do but the table on my spindle sander doesn't tilt.  Ended up going in a much more convoluted, but more interesting, direction because of it.

just as a side note, i watched a few of your youtube vids this weekend. i enjoyed them very much! your channel popped up in my "suggested videos", and i didnt realize it was you until i watched a few.

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