This post about the Ridgid oscillating edge belt spindle sander is sponsored by The Home Depot. Tired of sanding all those curves and detailed edges by hand? Want to achieve a more professional finish quickly and with ease? This is the sander you need.
A tool review of the Ridgid oscillating edge / belt spindle sander. A tabletop sander for all your woodworking needs.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good palm sander but when it comes detail work, contoured edges, inside curves and more this Ridgid sander is where it’s at. Basically it is two tools in one. You have an oscillating edge belt sander that not only rotates but oscillates as well. And then you have a spindle sander that also rotates and oscillates too. They are very easily interchangeable without any special tools.
Let’s start with the table top surface. The table on the Ridgid sander tilts up to 48 degrees with detents at common popular angles (0, 15, 22.5, 30, 45 degrees) to sand beveled edges without ruining your bevel.
Ridgid Sander Features:
- table that tilts
- easily switch from belt to spindle without tools
- onboard storage holds belt mechanism, washers, spindle sleeves
- sawdust collection port
To switch out the belt mechanism simply unscrew the top knob and lift the mechanism up off the spindle post. Then conveniently place the belt mechanism in the rear storage compartment while not in use. I love when tool companies think of things like onboard storage. It makes the tool so much more user friendly when you have all the pieces within easy access.
To set up the spindle sander slide the appropriate washer over the spindle and then the sleeve. Lastly screw back on the locking knob and you’re ready to go. Being able to sand inside curves is priceless! You simply cannot achieve the same results when sanding by hand.
Technical Details:
- belt measures 4″ wide x 24″around
- 5 Amp, 3/8 hp motor
- up to 1725 RPM spindle speed
- 60 OPM for speedy action
- lockout power switch
- 8 foot cord
The Ridgid oscillating edge belt spindle sander is available at The Home Depot here. To be honest I’m not sure how I survived without having this tool in my workshop! It’s priceless in so many situations, I find myself using it all the time.
Thanks for joining me for this tool review. Please leave any questions in the comments below and be sure to follow me on social media for sneak peeks, tools and project inspiration:
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* I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in the promotional program THD Prospective. As a part of this program I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Trade Commission guidelines.
I often have trouble when I sand my boards with my mouse sander or orbital sander. It leaves little marks on the boards that are visible when I stain them. Would this belt sander solve my problem?
Hi Kate, the swirly marks are most likely because you need to go down to a finer grit until they are gone. Also check your sander pad, they get worn out and need to be replaced. The belt sander isn’t the best option for long boards but more for smaller detailed projects. It’s got a lot of ‘grab’ so anything longer than 30″ may become unwieldy. I’d stick with an orbital or palm sander for long boards start with high grit (80 or 120) and move down to 220 or even 400 for a super smooth finish.
Perfect! I guess I will get better with practice. Thank you so much
Where can I buy replacement spindles
Hi Lyle, you can get replacements on Amazon https://amzn.to/3gZIPe7 (affiliate link)
Are there different spindle sizes with this unit?
Hi Mike, yes there are 5 different size spindle sanders.
Cant find this sander anywhere , any suggestions.
Thanks Ron, it’s available at The Home Depot here: https://homedepot.sjv.io/RyPan9 (affiliate link)
I have that sander but it’s been collecting dust for the last 2yrs, all it does is hum, the spindle won’t turn or oscillate, replaced the relay and still the same, I have other ridgid tools(table saw, jointer,thickness planer, router) and they work great, for some reason the sander turned out to be a lemon