If you are confused about these tools, which is better for work? Both have their excellent points, which make them a handy power. And, of course, they both are designed for some special work. So today, we are going to compare bench grinders to belt sanders. After reading the article, hopefully, all your confusion about the bench grinder and belt sander.
Bench Grinder Vs Belt Sander for Sharpening Differences:
Bench Grinder:
- Bench Grinder: The bench grinder is designed to sharpen metals such as blades, knives, saws, and scissors. It is best for converting rough edges into smooth ones.
- Design: The bench grinder consists of two grinding wheels located on the side of the motor housing. The machine has an abrasive, usually rough surface, and when the wheel rotates, it does not sharpen.
- Operation: The bench grinder is usually equipped with an abrasive wheel. While performing your work, you must move the object toward the wheel because the tool is immovable. The bench grinder can polish and clean many tools using a buffer or wire wheel.
- Power: a bench grinder specially designed for heavy-duty work. When it comes to power, of course, the Bench grinder has more energy than the Belt sander, and their power is another critical factor. That is why it is used for the heavy-duty work of sharpening. Because of its high power, the bench grinder didn’t heat up as much as the belt sander.
These tools come in different horsepower motor sizes. The ½ motor is perfect for home use, as it is medium-sized.
Belt Sander:
The belt sander uses sandpaper that looks like it’s built in. Its primary purpose is to smooth rough surfaces, but the surface must have been made of plastic, wood, or soft metal—the machine is mostly used for sanding furniture.
- Design: The machine has two tube-shaped drums that loop close to coarse paper and travel. It works like a bike chain; its building is composed of long sandpaper attached to a rotating part of a sander. By rotating, the machine can grind any rough surface and make it smooth.
- Operation: The belt sander is fixed to the machine, but the new models can now move. You don’t have to move the item in the latest belt sander feature. Move the tool to the model where you would like to smooth it. These new belt sander models are very helpful and also make it easier to do work quickly.
- Power: All of their models have powerful motors to do work easily and quickly. They are designed for light-duty work, so of course, don’t use them for heavy-duty work. We will not recommend them for smoothing any hard surface. A medium-sized belt sander will be perfect for home use.
Similarities:
- As you see, the difference between a bench grinder and a belt sander is the same. There are a lot of similarities between these tools.
- Both machines can be used to make the surfaces of items smooth and sharp. One is used for heavy work, such as metals, and the other for light work, such as woods and plastics.
- Both the bench grinder and the belt sander are composed of rotating abrasives.
- The bench grinder can change wheels, and the belt sander can change belts.
Bench grinder pros:
- The machine has powerful motors, which are excellent for heavy-duty work. The bench grinder’s grinding wheels are easy to exchange.
- They did their job efficiently and quickly.
- Machines are safe for any hard and smooth work.
Cons:
- Sometimes, the machine’s grinding wheels break.
Belt Sander pros:
- The machine does the job quickly and easily.
- Provide different grits, and their use is straightforward.
- Sandpaper exchanges are effortless.
- You can remove any materials or tools quickly and easily.
Cons:
- You have to keep moving the machine. It causes damage to the surface of the item.
Comparison Chart:
| Bench Grinder | Belt sander |
| Used for heavy-duty work | Used for light-duty work |
| Design for sharpening of metals and other hard materials | Design for the smoothing of wood and other soft materials |
| Changeable wheels | Changeable Belts |
| Immovable tools | Immovable tools |
| Parts can be removed easily and quickly | Parts can be removed easily and quickly |
| Easy to Use | Easy to Use |
How To Choose a Bench Grinder
- Size: Size is an important part that affects the way you work. The small Bench Grinder is perfect for cutting, only scratching the workpiece’s surface. Simultaneously, the enormous size is ideal for trimming and eliminating smaller components.
- Speed: The speed of a machine motor is measured in RPM, which is related to a bench grinder’s horsepower. If you want to finish your metalwork quickly, then go for a high-speed machine, and its speed depends on horsepower. For challenging work, 3000 RPM is correct; for softer work, go for 1750 RPM.
- Motor: The motor directly affects your work performance. A 1 HP motor is perfect for cutting tough metals, and for heavy-duty work, go for ¾ HP motors.
How To Choose a Belt Sander
- Size: A belt sander’s size is measured by width and length. If you use it for heavy-duty work, go for a 4×24-size machine belt. For regular-duty work, go for a 3×21-size belt machine.
- Speed: At high speed, the machine is perfect for removing any materials. However, the adjustable speed belt sander will be significant because you can adjust the speed for different work with the variable speed.
- Motor: Motor belt sanders come with ¼ or ½ horsepower; the higher power rating motors perform better than the smaller ones.
Conclusion
After all, when choosing between a bench grinder and a belt sander, consider your work and what you will use it for. Any hard, heavy-duty grinding workbench grinder is perfect. If you need it for smoothing work, then go for a belt sander.
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