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The Skill 4.5-Amp Belt and Disc Combination Sander is targeted squarely at hobbyist woodworkers who need to shape detail pieces or smaller projects. At an MSRP of just under $200, this instrument Won’t break the bank, especially if you can pick one up at a discount. Read on to see what I thought of it.
- Inexpensive and user friendly. The Skill 4.5-amp belt and disc sander offers excellent value for the hobbyist at under $200.
- Easy setup and solid build. Quick assembly and sturdy construction make it a reliable tool for small projects.
- Versatile but requires precision. Ideal for shaping materials, but caution is required to avoid over-sanding.
- Dust collection needs improvement. Effective with discs, but belt sanders create extra dust.
Bottom line: The Skill 4.5-amp sander is a cost-effective choice for the hobbyist, which excels at detailed work with careful handling.
Best belt and disc combination sander
Photo: Robert Ennis for BobVila.com
what we like
- Powerful and quiet motor
- Easy setup
- It does exactly what it promises, quickly and easily
What we don’t like
- Less than optimal dust collection for belt sanders
- Can be very powerful; A light touch is required
Product specs
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Amps:
4.5
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No-load speed:
3,600 RPM
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Motor Type:
Induction
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Disk Size:
6 inches
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Disc Table Tilt:
0 to 45 degrees
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Disk Table Size:
8.9 in x 6.3 in
Amazingly easy setup and solid construction
Setting up the sander was not easy. Attaching the adjustable table and guard was as simple as attaching a few bolts and confirming the square. Adjusting the belt to run perfectly in the middle was also a piece of cake. Overall, I went from unboxing the sander to having it in perfect running condition in 5 minutes, tops.
Build quality is solid, especially for the price point. Even with so many plastic parts, the sander has some weight, but it’s still light enough that you can easily move it around your workbench when you need to.
Putting the skill sander to work
The sander comes with a 6-inch sanding disc and a 4-inch-wide, 36-inch-long sanding belt. Users can switch the belt with an easily accessible lever, and the tracking dial allows you to quickly center the belt on the tool. The tensioning knob allows you to move the beveling tabletop from 0 to 45 degrees for sanding.
The 4.5-amp motor is very powerful, yet very quiet. Rounding the corners was easy, although it took some effort to make them perfectly symmetrical. Using a scrap piece of poplar, I cut some long, swooping curves on the bandsaw, then used a skill sander to remove the excess. The result was almost perfect. (Though tight spaces may require a spindle sander or Dremel.) Precision is key here. If I had applied more pressure to the workpiece, I could have easily burned past my pencil line. Going forward, I will use this sander primarily to shape materials, then sand by hand or use a random orbital sander for fine sanding.
Where it shines and where it falls short
So what do I like about this sander? The dust collection port works fine when using a sanding disc, but when using a belt sander, dust is sprayed everywhere in my garage shop. My work surface (and my lungs) was full of dust. As I said earlier, working lightly is crucial; It’s very easy to blast through stuff if you’re not paying attention.
The bottom line? Skil has absolutely nailed it with their latest line of benchtop tools, and the Skil 4.5-Amp Belt and Disc Combination Sander is no exception. A sander is great for small projects and detail work, assuming you can work with a light touch. Furniture builders or woodworkers who specialize in large projects may be better off saving their cash for a drum sander or other tool. But at $200, it might be worth the small investment to have it on hand, just in case.
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