POWERTEC BD1030 1-Inch by 30-Inch Belt Sander

Have used about 5-6 hours thus far/ It is a simple machine, it does one thing, sands, and it does so well. I unboxed, attached the adjustable table and went to work. From the start the belt was riding on the wheels true which was a relief as I have had other belt sanders that needed adjustment out of the box. It works well on solid oak, also on birch plywood. I also used to sharpen up my wood chisel set. Very very happen so far - well worth the price.

Dislikes---- noneThis machine is great, on par with much more expensive similar machines and this makes this machine a great value. With finer grit paper it's also a great knife sharpener and polisher. THIS is a great value, This is a powerful tool.

This does everything it should do, but it has a lot of plastic where you likely wished they used steel, and a light duty motor where you wish they would have put in something with a little more grunt. Yeah, it is inexpensive to buy so it shouldn't be surprising that it feels inexpensive when you use it. It does the light duty jobs just fine and honestly I have no real complaints vis-a-vie what it costs, but I can never love this little sander like I love my other tools. It will remind you that you were a little tight for cash when you needed a small sander for as long as you own it. I am not sorry I bought it whatsoever, but I will be hopefully bringing a nice stack of cash when I get around to replacing it with a higher quality tool. Yeah, I am a tool snob - I admit it. This is not the sort of tool you buy and then show off to your buddy!

This sander is awesome. It's compact, solid, and handy. The instructions were easy to read and put the equipment together. If you don't have a permanent work bench, you can use clamps to secure it to a table. Highly recommend a little shop vac that can get the sawdust.

I bought this sander for use in my woodworking workshop. I needed to be able to sand and sculpt detailed wood items and this power sander has been fantastic! I've been using it 5 days a week for a month without any issues, complaints, or regrets!PROSCheap price! You know that's why you're reading these reviews... it's cheap, but is it good? YES!!!Quiet OperationEasy to change sanding beltsEasy to find/buy sanding beltsEasy tilting bed adjustmentDust port connection that works to remove dust!Small footprint and very lightweight!CONSIf I'm not careful I can force the table top into moving out of 90 degrees. I'm concerned for over tightening the nut to hold the bed in place. I do not want to strip anything out.Not a lot of adjustment in belt tracking. I'm worried over time the belts may end up wearing the inside panels of the sander. But after a month's use I don't see any major signs of early failure.

This thing is so easy to operate and put together, took just a few minutes to get it set up and started sharpening my knives.

I’m new to knife making and I would say this is solid machine to get your feet wet. It works and has not died with good use so far. The machine is as simple as it can get so good for a beginner. The first issues that I can see that set this apart from better more expensive machines are power this machine will stall if you press anymore then mildly with your metal piece, so expect to take longer to remove material and could be a bonus if your just starting as your mistakes are less costly. The other weakness is the adjustable guard that you rest your piece on, it is not very durable and will come unlocked easily which is annoying but not a deal breaker for the cost of the item. Overall priced right to get you started but not good enough to grow with. I will eventually buy a more quality piece of equipment but at this price you can’t lose if your just starting.

Like the price, the power is fair. Good for light sanding. Changing, tensioning and adjusting tracking of the belts is easy. The overall build quality is fair. It is nice and compact. My main complaint is the odd size of the dust collection port. I have yet to find an adapter that will connect it to my shop vac..