Thanks for the great review, I have had this sander for about 4 years now and it is still going strong. I have a few more points to add. As the sander gets hot it tends to lose some power so you can either let it cool off or just take your time. Second, it comes with a circuit breaker, so if you overload the motor while sanding it will trip and turn off. Wait a couple of minutes and then you can reset it and keep going.
Yet another "benefit" of Amazon Prime. :) I have a similar belt sander (almost all your tips and comments apply - thanks) and I'll cut a cardboard box tomorrow to create my own dust collector. I may show you up and paint mine! Although my Delta 4'x36" belt sander, which I inherited from my Dad, is almost exactly the same in every way to your Wen, I found that I must clamp mine to the workbench to prevent it from moving. I feel safer having at least one clamp on it. Another excellent video, Dan.
I have a Ryobi which is almost identical, iii made a support for the table out of 2 short 2x4s, can put all the pressure you would want on the table now.
I just bought a bunch of WEN shop tools. I haven't set them up as yet. But the reviews are all top notch compared to other "similar" price tools like Porter Cable, etc. Glad to see you use them. Gives a bit of confidence when you hear somebody else does & isn't experiencing any issues...
When I look at the reviews, there's usually only two types of negative reviews. One is that someone expected something more powerful, and that's silly. The other is that it broke right away, and "they'd never buy another WEN product again". My feeling is this: No manufacturing process is perfect, especially for these prices. If it breaks right away, send it back and get it replaced. And I haven't read hardly anyone saying it broke after having it a long period of time. So assuming it doesn't break right away, I think it's probably going to last. And my WEN products have lasted. (So far.)
Hello old bean..( im irish ) i have the same machine..different name etc but identical to yours. .im just doing my solution to the collection thng.. ive decided to split my dust collector feed to the sander so that a small amount of the suck goes up to the top of the box ( ive not built it yet) im hoping that itll be enough to pull the escaping saw dust down from the top of the machine.. its just a thought..i might work..but it might not...ill find out soon. ps..love the videos..informative and funny..you gotta love self deprication..i do it all the time...before anyone beats me to it !
I subscribed to your channel yesterday and have been enjoying every video I have seen so far. I have bought some tools with the mindset that "I might need this one day". Plenty of tools have collected dust and this sander happen to be one of them. I'm not giving a negative thought about this sander, I'm just an idiot for not using things I have bought. Before typing this post, I looked up the purchase date on amazon. I really cant believe it will be 2yrs in a week that I bought it. This buy was because I liked the Wen drill press I bought in 2014. Wow, me looking up the purchase date of the drill press, I just noticed I bought a wen electric planer in 2015, and never used. I hope it works... lol
This was a great review seeing I have been going back and forth about buying this sander. I do 95% hardwood work but looks like this will do the job without breaking the bank.
Thanks. It will work fine for hardwood. I sand mostly either Baltic Birch plywood (which is quite hard), or maple, or red oak. So you shouldn't have a problem.
Nice review, you covered all of the important good and not-so good points on this tool. I agree with your assessment and would like to add that for me the size of this tool is perfect. It can handle a wide range of work but has a compact footprint. It has plenty of power but doesn’t require a 20Amp circuit nor is it too loud. I use a Rockler 4” dust port adapter to my Delta dust collector and it does a fine job but your added “dust shield” has merit. This tool will easily remove lots of material off of hard wood like maple, ash or boxwood. I haven’t experienced any performance issues with this tool from day one and would recommend it too.
Good review Dan. I have the smaller one that is from HF but for my needs it works great too. That abrasive stick is great too...I also have one of them. I’m going to adapt mine to your “box” dust collection system too. I enjoy your videos Dan and I appreciate all you do to help this “dummy” especially!!
I have the same HF sander as you and I too will be stealing Dan’s high-tech dust control solution for my sander. And I agree that the cleaner sticks work like a charm.
Love when someone says "you might think I have a conflict of interest, but actually I’m simply smart enough to be immune to cognitive biases which have been robustly proved as unconscious phenomena which cannot he mitigated simply through awareness."
Um, I don't think I said that... And I'm not immune to cognitive biases, although I think being aware they exist might make you more willing to change your mind about things, should someone point it out to you.
@@pantichd Thanks! I really appreciate it. And I still love this sander. When you need to replace the sanding disc, see this video: ua-cam.com/video/PKOLf9SPRQ8/v-deo.html
I've got the Harbor Freight sander combo. I'm like you, don't press so hard to bog down the motor. I'm very please with my combo set-up. I use it just about daily. Thanks for the video, keep the coming.
Awesome! I can't remember if I mentioned this in the video or not, but check out this video ua-cam.com/video/PKOLf9SPRQ8/v-deo.html when you need to change the sanding disc.
I design products professionally and I often use cardboard for the first prototypes. It's cheap and easy to fabricate with. It even laser and cnc routes well. It takes the time and $$ risk out of prototyping which makes it easier to be creative. Love it ;-)
When I was a software developer, I can't tell you the number of times a "prototype" was put into production. In that case, it was often "Even if it's broke, don't fix it." :)
The Newbie Woodworker I'm a mechanical engineer. What kind of software did you do? I managed projects to develop research equipment for the Space Shuttle and ISS and we had a really hard time finding good software/firmware developers. I could use a good electronics developer from time to time too if you know of a good one.
Sadly, I don't know of any. I did business software. Kind of boring to most people, but I enjoyed it. My brother's an engineer also - he worked on cockpit design for fighter jets. It's amazing to me how similar all forms of engineering are to each other, including woodworking. The same thought processes seem to apply to all of them!
Has NASA called yet, given your elite problem solving skills? WAIT ... do you live in Houston! Thanks for this review. I’ve been trying to decide on this machine or the Ridgid spindle/belt sander. Since I have the spindle mandrels, etc, I was leaning toward this WEN.
LOL. No, I don't live in Houston. I was a software engineer, so solving problems is in my blood. I was always notorious for over-engineering things, so I'm proud of how simple this one is. :)
Another great video, Dan! I use a box from Goldfish crackers that I got from Costco for my miter saw to collect dust and it works great. I meant it to be a prototype but it works so well that I’ve just kept using it. It’s funny because I previously saw your Prime box and want to copy it for my sander. I have the HF version of this combo sander and I’m in need of end dust collection like you. In fact, just this morning my wife was going to throw out a small shoebox and I said “No! I need it for dust collection like Newbie Dan!” She gave me a serious “WTF?” look but I have a perfect sized box to use now. 😂 Keep up the great work! 👍🏼
That's hysterical! I love it. Who knew a cardboard box could start a trend? But, you know, to be an "official" Newbie Dan dust collector, the box really has to be from Amazon Prime. 😜
Nice review. I've been looking for a good belt/disc sander so this one goes on my list. Also, if you need to clean your sanding disc or belt there is a cheap alternative you may have laying around. I had an old tube of clear silicone caulk that I found had dried completely up, so I cut the tube open and used the cylinder to clean my sanding pads. It works about as well as my crepe cleaning stick and would have gone in the trash otherwise.
Thanks, glad to help! It looks like Wen does sell a version of this in the U.K., but it's not the exact same model. Check Amazon and see what you can find. 😄
I know its 2 years later, and I bet you have found a sander by now.....but I believe across the pond, you Brits may have Ryobi as your brand??? It's the same exact thing as the WEN...
That's kind of hard to quantify. If you run it on the low setting, I think it's pretty quiet. If you turn it up high, then it's like running a box fan on high (noise-wise). Not horrible, but certainly not quiet. Like I said, it's hard to quantify, but I hope that helps a little. And it's WAY quieter than my shop vac - by orders of magnitude.
Dust collection is poor on this sander. This cardboard box you built may look funky it does), but the concept makes more sense than anything I've seen. I'm going to build one like it (maybe more intentional looking).
Thanks. And I keep saying I'm going to make something "more intentional looking". My thought is to build a cover with multiple fold-back sections on hinges with magnets. One of these days. Good luck!
Well, I guess you can use a different carrier, if you must. 😛 But like I said, make sure it's Baltic Birch cardboard. None of that crappy Home Depot cardboard! 🙄
Seems to me a tool fixed with high quality cardboard should not complain about using some of the cardboard left over to make a connector for the Shop-vac hose and the Famous international fix it of all time. Yup "Duc tape".
Thanks for the great review, I have had this sander for about 4 years now and it is still going strong. I have a few more points to add. As the sander gets hot it tends to lose some power so you can either let it cool off or just take your time. Second, it comes with a circuit breaker, so if you overload the motor while sanding it will trip and turn off. Wait a couple of minutes and then you can reset it and keep going.
Thanks for the info. Sounds like you might need to use a little less elbow grease? Just kidding.
Love your ghetto box and your jokes and sarcasm
Sarcasm? Me? Never! 😂Seriously though, thanks! 😄
I love your ingenious dust collection solution!
Thanks! I'm not sure whether it qualifies as "ingenious", but I'll take it. :)
Yet another "benefit" of Amazon Prime. :) I have a similar belt sander (almost all your tips and comments apply - thanks) and I'll cut a cardboard box tomorrow to create my own dust collector. I may show you up and paint mine!
Although my Delta 4'x36" belt sander, which I inherited from my Dad, is almost exactly the same in every way to your Wen, I found that I must clamp mine to the workbench to prevent it from moving. I feel safer having at least one clamp on it.
Another excellent video, Dan.
Paint it! I should have thought of that. But then again, I always preferred the look of natural cardboard. :) Thanks for the comment!
I have this same sander and have had no problems with it. Your box solution is very practical!
Thanks! You gotta love free solutions. :)
I have a Ryobi which is almost identical, iii made a support for the table out of 2 short 2x4s, can put all the pressure you would want on the table now.
Awesome!
Me too, glad to hear it will work on the Ryobi
@@jimmcdiarmid7308 😄
I just bought a bunch of WEN shop tools. I haven't set them up as yet. But the reviews are all top notch compared to other "similar" price tools like Porter Cable, etc. Glad to see you use them. Gives a bit of confidence when you hear somebody else does & isn't experiencing any issues...
When I look at the reviews, there's usually only two types of negative reviews. One is that someone expected something more powerful, and that's silly. The other is that it broke right away, and "they'd never buy another WEN product again". My feeling is this: No manufacturing process is perfect, especially for these prices. If it breaks right away, send it back and get it replaced. And I haven't read hardly anyone saying it broke after having it a long period of time. So assuming it doesn't break right away, I think it's probably going to last. And my WEN products have lasted. (So far.)
The abrasive cleaning stick is a game changer.
I agree - it really helps. 😄
Nice straight forward review! Gotta love that box dust collector system. I may be in the market for one of those.......Thanks
You're quite welcome!
Hello old bean..( im irish )
i have the same machine..different name etc but identical to yours.
.im just doing my solution to the collection thng..
ive decided to split my dust collector feed to the sander so that a small amount of the suck goes up to the top of the box ( ive not built it yet)
im hoping that itll be enough to pull the escaping saw dust down from the top of the machine..
its just a thought..i might work..but it might not...ill find out soon.
ps..love the videos..informative and funny..you gotta love self deprication..i do it all the time...before anyone beats me to it !
"...before anyone beats me to it" I love it! That sounds just like me. And good idea on the dust collection - I hope it works. 😄
I subscribed to your channel yesterday and have been enjoying every video I have seen so far. I have bought some tools with the mindset that "I might need this one day". Plenty of tools have collected dust and this sander happen to be one of them.
I'm not giving a negative thought about this sander, I'm just an idiot for not using things I have bought.
Before typing this post, I looked up the purchase date on amazon. I really cant believe it will be 2yrs in a week that I bought it.
This buy was because I liked the Wen drill press I bought in 2014.
Wow, me looking up the purchase date of the drill press, I just noticed I bought a wen electric planer in 2015, and never used. I hope it works... lol
Thanks Floyd, and welcome aboard! Any time you want to spend money on a tool and not use it, feel free to just have Amazon ship it directly to me. 😛
This was a great review seeing I have been going back and forth about buying this sander. I do 95% hardwood work but looks like this will do the job without breaking the bank.
Thanks. It will work fine for hardwood. I sand mostly either Baltic Birch plywood (which is quite hard), or maple, or red oak. So you shouldn't have a problem.
Nice review, you covered all of the important good and not-so good points on this tool. I agree with your assessment and would like to add that for me the size of this tool is perfect. It can handle a wide range of work but has a compact footprint. It has plenty of power but doesn’t require a 20Amp circuit nor is it too loud. I use a Rockler 4” dust port adapter to my Delta dust collector and it does a fine job but your added “dust shield” has merit. This tool will easily remove lots of material off of hard wood like maple, ash or boxwood. I haven’t experienced any performance issues with this tool from day one and would recommend it too.
Thanks for the comment, and I agree completely!
Good review Dan. I have the smaller one that is from HF but for my needs it works great too. That abrasive stick is great too...I also have one of them. I’m going to adapt mine to your “box” dust collection system too. I enjoy your videos Dan and I appreciate all you do to help this “dummy” especially!!
Thanks! And you're no dummy.
I have the same HF sander as you and I too will be stealing Dan’s high-tech dust control solution for my sander. And I agree that the cleaner sticks work like a charm.
Cool. Thanks!
Love when someone says "you might think I have a conflict of interest, but actually I’m simply smart enough to be immune to cognitive biases which have been robustly proved as unconscious phenomena which cannot he mitigated simply through awareness."
Um, I don't think I said that... And I'm not immune to cognitive biases, although I think being aware they exist might make you more willing to change your mind about things, should someone point it out to you.
Thanks for the dust collector idea. It works great for me.
Awesome! Glad to help. 😄
I am glad you reviewed that sander I was looking at one,now I will buy one.
Awesome! Glad I could help.
Definitely good review.
I’ve been debating on getting that sander.
Thanks for the info!
Awesome! Hope like it. :)
Me too. Did a search on Lumberjocks and found a post that linked to this video. I'm going to order it AND use your link. Thanks!
@@pantichd Thanks! I really appreciate it. And I still love this sander. When you need to replace the sanding disc, see this video: ua-cam.com/video/PKOLf9SPRQ8/v-deo.html
You are too funny, yet very informative, really enjoy your videos!
Thanks! I appreciate it! 😄
I've got the Harbor Freight sander combo. I'm like you, don't press so hard to bog down the motor. I'm very please with my combo set-up. I use it just about daily. Thanks for the video, keep the coming.
Thanks. And yep, I have no problem with working within the limitations of the tools. :)
Great video!! You helped me with my decision. I'll be ordering this.
Awesome! I can't remember if I mentioned this in the video or not, but check out this video ua-cam.com/video/PKOLf9SPRQ8/v-deo.html when you need to change the sanding disc.
When you buy a new hose for your RIDGED vacuum it has an adaptor in the box that fits the exhaust port on the sander perfectly
Awesome - thanks!😄
I design products professionally and I often use cardboard for the first prototypes. It's cheap and easy to fabricate with. It even laser and cnc routes well. It takes the time and $$ risk out of prototyping which makes it easier to be creative.
Love it ;-)
LOL. It's been in the "prototype" stage for a year!
The Newbie Woodworker "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" :-)
When I was a software developer, I can't tell you the number of times a "prototype" was put into production. In that case, it was often "Even if it's broke, don't fix it." :)
The Newbie Woodworker I'm a mechanical engineer. What kind of software did you do? I managed projects to develop research equipment for the Space Shuttle and ISS and we had a really hard time finding good software/firmware developers. I could use a good electronics developer from time to time too if you know of a good one.
Sadly, I don't know of any. I did business software. Kind of boring to most people, but I enjoyed it. My brother's an engineer also - he worked on cockpit design for fighter jets. It's amazing to me how similar all forms of engineering are to each other, including woodworking. The same thought processes seem to apply to all of them!
Has NASA called yet, given your elite problem solving skills? WAIT ... do you live in Houston!
Thanks for this review. I’ve been trying to decide on this machine or the Ridgid spindle/belt sander. Since I have the spindle mandrels, etc, I was leaning toward this WEN.
LOL. No, I don't live in Houston. I was a software engineer, so solving problems is in my blood. I was always notorious for over-engineering things, so I'm proud of how simple this one is. :)
Thanks Dan. If I were you, I'd be running to the patent office ASAP.
LOL. I should have thought of that!
Another great video, Dan! I use a box from Goldfish crackers that I got from Costco for my miter saw to collect dust and it works great. I meant it to be a prototype but it works so well that I’ve just kept using it. It’s funny because I previously saw your Prime box and want to copy it for my sander. I have the HF version of this combo sander and I’m in need of end dust collection like you. In fact, just this morning my wife was going to throw out a small shoebox and I said “No! I need it for dust collection like Newbie Dan!” She gave me a serious “WTF?” look but I have a perfect sized box to use now. 😂 Keep up the great work! 👍🏼
That's hysterical! I love it. Who knew a cardboard box could start a trend? But, you know, to be an "official" Newbie Dan dust collector, the box really has to be from Amazon Prime. 😜
Great video. Great review. I love the down to earth nature of the author -- Newbie Dan.
Thanks. "Down to earth" - I like that. It's a lot better than what my siblings would call it. 😄
Yes, I like Dan too. He sure is a nice chap!
@@imranh5395 😊
I have one of these, and it's adequate for my needs. The table WILL NOT stay in place, so I cut a piece of 2x4 under it for support.
That's a great idea! Thanks for that! 😄
Dust collection for dummies and I love it.
I already have that video! 😄 ua-cam.com/video/c2sWwWbAayM/v-deo.html
Nice review. I've been looking for a good belt/disc sander so this one goes on my list. Also, if you need to clean your sanding disc or belt there is a cheap alternative you may have laying around. I had an old tube of clear silicone caulk that I found had dried completely up, so I cut the tube open and used the cylinder to clean my sanding pads. It works about as well as my crepe cleaning stick and would have gone in the trash otherwise.
Thanks for the comment. I'm amazed at how many things can clean sandpaper. :)
Been eyeing this sander and the oscillating belt and spindle sander. still unsure which to go with.... Thanks for reviewing
You're welcome!
I like the idea my brother very nice Review :)
Thanks!
Dude you know your stuff.
Thanks. I'm not totally sure about that, but I'll take the compliment anyway. 😄
Your high tech dust collector is 1 gen beyond mine. lol
😂
Many thanks, Dan. This sander is just what I've been looking for! 👍🏼 Is it available in the U.K.?
Thanks, glad to help! It looks like Wen does sell a version of this in the U.K., but it's not the exact same model. Check Amazon and see what you can find. 😄
I know its 2 years later, and I bet you have found a sander by now.....but I believe across the pond, you Brits may have Ryobi as your brand??? It's the same exact thing as the WEN...
@@ericwilliams538 👍
Do you have a model number for that sander? Do you have a video for the drill press table?
Here's a link to the sander: amzn.to/2DNqGfJ. And sorry, I don't have a video for the drill press table.
It doesn't matter what it looks like as long as it works, it comes under the "KISS" method (Keep it simple stupid) and simple is the best way to go.
Thanks. I totally agree!
I have that Sander the top part shakes when turning off what could be wrong
I honestly don't have any idea. I wish I could help.
Hi, excellent review.but you don't talk about the noise level. It's important to me as I plan to work in my condo.
That's kind of hard to quantify. If you run it on the low setting, I think it's pretty quiet. If you turn it up high, then it's like running a box fan on high (noise-wise). Not horrible, but certainly not quiet. Like I said, it's hard to quantify, but I hope that helps a little. And it's WAY quieter than my shop vac - by orders of magnitude.
Dust collection is poor on this sander. This cardboard box you built may look funky it does), but the concept makes more sense than anything I've seen. I'm going to build one like it (maybe more intentional looking).
Thanks. And I keep saying I'm going to make something "more intentional looking". My thought is to build a cover with multiple fold-back sections on hinges with magnets. One of these days. Good luck!
Almost impossible to get PVC in sweden, has to do with it being illegal for water (I belive) so there's on market for it
Really! Wow, that kind of sucks. So what other options do you have?
Ahahahah... Sure I can use a box from a different carrier? BTW very useful tip, I have the same machine with the very same issue :D
Well, I guess you can use a different carrier, if you must. 😛 But like I said, make sure it's Baltic Birch cardboard. None of that crappy Home Depot cardboard! 🙄
😂
Hilarious! - you may not help to sell any sanders, but you could sell a lot of cardboard boxes.
Shark Tank - Here comes Dan.....
Thanks, and LOL.
Am I the only person that noticed this is a 4" belt sander, the 6" is for the disc?
Apparently. 😂
Seems to me a tool fixed with high quality cardboard should not complain about using some of the cardboard left over to make a connector for the Shop-vac hose and the Famous international fix it of all time. Yup "Duc tape".
LOL. Duct tape is the best!
Me likes it! ....Me Thanks You!
Me says "you're welcome!" 😄