Even the brand names have similar designs. So if they are all manufactured in a similar factory (if not the same), then get this one. I had a Harbor Freight similar sander, but it was NOT built as good and was an older design. It was made of sheet metal for the frame (that's bad). Worked great for an occasional use home garage unit, but not for woodworking. But not for more than 15 minutes of use at a time (I found out later). So I bought this WEN to replace it after only 3 months of my new woodworking hobby. I have now used this unit for 2-years - several days in a week and several hours each time. Likes: Better fence (than most), can be aligned to run larger width boards across without hitting the disc sander or the fence mount (you can if set the gap too high). It's been reliable, after a year, I did notice some bearing noise - so a little lubrication maintenance and thorough cleaning are needed from time to time (as all should). Easy belt changes (no screws to remove or covers). There is one pivot bold to loosen to get the belt off when in the flatbed. That was not the case with the crappy Harbor Freight sander, 6 screws, and more...shrouds to remove each time. Do you know how many belts it takes to sand wood from 80-320 grit??? (makes a huge difference)! Dislikes: all brands are like this: the fence is too high up on the bed, could get 2 more inches (in many cases). I ended up salvaging my harbor freight fence to gain 1 inch on the length of wood I could sand, but then the fence frame is in the way for wider pieces. I'm likely will have a custom fence made with the extension length to give me the full length of the flatbed (but WEN's fence is better than most I've seen). The disc sander deck can get out of alignment easily (only one mount/angle adjustment screw) and the cheap miter gauge and is not accurate with the loose track slop (like most brands-all too cheap). I could use a better dust collector inlet for use as a flatbed sander - but that would likely impede the vertical sanding configuration. The inlet probably works great for vertical sanding...but not as well for woodworking sanding in the flat configuration. But the other thing I like about the WEN is the reality that all the other major brands have the exact same model (design) - even the big national high-end woodworker brands (just different color plastic parts, but virtually the same plastic parts-so obvious). Maybe they have a nicer miter gauge or a thicker metal fence or thumb screws for adjustments, but the differences are little. So I would not pay 2x the cost. Overall, I'm happy with it since I'm not seeing much better designs even from the national high-end brands. I would rather replace this unit 2x than spend the $ on the same design as the others brands. I might still overtax this unit at times, but it has held up so far. One day I will update to a 6" x 48" sander, but for now, this 4" is working out fairly well. Now can I just get a 12" sanding surface out of this one at times? I would recommend this model for this sander design and never recommend the Harbor Freight version - this one is worth the few $ more (but not that much more). Read more
I am always pleasantly surprised at the quality of Wen tools for the price, and this sander is no exception. It arrives well packaged, and mostly fully assembled. It does everything I need to do in my single car garage small shop, and does it well. It has plenty of power, the belt tilts from zero to ninety degrees, and dust collection is adequate, This is my third Wen benchtop tool, and I couldn't be happier. Read more
great sander, works hard for you. Heavy enough to stay in its place and appears very sturdy and durable. Good power and size. Easy assembly . I would recommend this sander to friends and family. Read more
This little sander is great. My shop is 12x16 feet so big tools are not an option. This fits well in one of my benches and has been quite helpful. I used to have to get a belt sander out, turn it upside down and mount it in a vice. Then I would engage in dangerous sanding of whatever I needed to shape. This eliminates that dangerous activity and even better, it’s always ready so I jus walk over , turn it on m, and shape the piece I am working on. Changing the belts looks as easy as any other belt sander but I have not done that yet. Not sure about the discs. As far as sturdiness, it’s a solid base. The joint between the base and belt sander seems to have some flex in it. Think there is some plastic there, so when moving it, grab it at the base and you won’t have a problem. Raising the belt sander to the vertical position requires the use of a tool. Allen wrench if I recall correctly, so it’s not something I do often. Would prefer if that were a lever or something that were quick and did. It require a tool. Overall, I am very happy and this cost less than the Ryobi and is almost identical but perhaps a bit sturdier. Read more
I hunted around quite a bit for a sander before settling in on this WEN. There are several companies around selling this same machine with a wide variety of price. The only downside to this is what I was expecting. The table is flimsy, guage is not real accurate and the 'finish' isn't great. But what can you expect for a 20 pound cast iron sander? I'm building a custom table as I noticed another user did and i'm stealing his idea :). he's got pics and he had a great idea bolting the sander to what looks like a 1" plywood boar then building a little table. The other item I expected to be weak is the included belt and disc. They're very cheap but you can't expect to get expensive consumables. It's just nice they included them. I already had belts and discs ordered and delivered before I got it. I did decide to leave the included belt on so I could track it in and do some tests, but the tracking wheel works great and it seems to stay true as you work. Just remember not to press too hard which is easy to do. Overall I'm very pleased with this. The only real change I'd hope for is a little more attention to dust control. I plugged in my shop vac to the port which fit nicely. But if you're sanding on the top, dust flies between the top plate and the base while working. For me I just hung a shop towel off the edge to keep it dropping instead of dusting up the bench, but it's not required. The shop vac connector works great, and it makes a big difference. I've got asthma so i try to keep things relatively clean. I expected to need to use a mask like I do when I use my hand held orbital or sanding manually, but with the shop vac connected and the towel pointing the sawdust down i didn't find a need to use a mask at all. great little sander. Just know up front it's not an industrial unit, it's great for the hobbiest though. Read more
