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Buying a Widebelt - what to check

12/15/22       
Brent Member

Website: http://www.parkhillwoodcraft.ca

I'm considering purchase of a used single head mid-90's 24" widebelt sander for an upcoming huge door job. Unit looks in ok condition. Seller will not hook it up to power to let me see it run because there's no 3ph where he's currently at. This is a red flag for me. I can visually check the condition of the conveyor and the rubber dimensioning roller. Does anyone have some suggestions on what to check when I go over the machine with a fine tooth comb? Should I connect air to it and check for leaks? Or should I just walk the other way?

Much appreciate any thoughts.

12/15/22       #2: Buying a Widebelt - what to check ...
Dustin Orth  Member

Definitely hook it up to air and check for leaks. Look inside the electrical cabinet and look at over all condition. Does it look like someone rednecked the electrical or is it still look like factory wiring? Feed mat is decent condition? Smell the motors if you can, smell burnt? Move the table elevation manually, feel any resistance? Depending on price of the unit, repairs might within the budget vs a newer machine cost. Just a few thoughts for you.

12/15/22       #3: Buying a Widebelt - what to check ...
RichC

Air leaks would be the easiest thing to repair. Belt tracking is something that can be an issue. Look for evidence where the belt has over run the air or optical system for switching the belt tracking. Check on any wear on the emergency brake system. Too many issues with tracking would also wear the e-stop. A mid 90s machine could probably use complete bearing and belt replacement. Feed belt is probably hard as a rock. Pull a couple air lines at the cylinders to see if you see rust. Bad quality filters or poor maintenance of the shop compressor can send a lot of condensation to the sander. Better plan on $1,000+ for parts.

12/16/22       #4: Buying a Widebelt - what to check ...
Karl E Brogger  Member

Website: http://www.sogncabinets.com

If I couldn't see it run, I'd be offering scrap value. Could be a nightmare, might be just fine. You won't know, until you know.

12/19/22       #5: Buying a Widebelt - what to check ...
Jared

Dennis, "rednecked the electrical" might not be the most accurate term for hodgepodge / jerry rigged / kludged because some rednecks do some serious quality work. In order to differentiate between a good job and a hack-job, we can borrow the "Bubba" term the from the firearms community, as in "He Bubba'd his .556 upper receiver into a .308 by using a router bit chucked into a drill press."

12/20/22       #6: Buying a Widebelt - what to check ...
Brent Member

Website: http://www.parkhillwoodcraft.ca

Thanks folks. Anyone on here have any experience with shipping a used machine from the US to Canada? Our single-head WB market up here is... "dry" to say the least.

12/22/22       #7: Buying a Widebelt - what to check ...
Tom Gardiner

I brought a veneer press in from Florida to Ottawa. Find a customs broker to prepare the paperwork. If the customs broker is good then everything will be smooth getting across the border. It doesn't cost an arm and a leg either. I relied on the seller to suggest a trucking broker, however if you have an acquaintance who can suggest a broker, all the better. If you can wait until there is a truck that can back end your machine you will save a lot on shipping.

12/23/22       #8: Buying a Widebelt - what to check ...
Matt Krig Member

Just a couple thoughts from a guy who's owned a few sanders;
What about a new single phase north American machine such as Safety Speed Mfg? They have three phase too I believe, but if you're looking for an entry level sander and you try a newer single phase machine, you'll be able to unload it to a larger group for close to what you paid. It's new, so you're getting primo parts coming off the machine from day one, not another project.
The disadvantage to some of the older machines is they're expensive to keep working well and they are just plain worn out, so you end up doing more hand work to make up for it. They also have large horsepower motors, which are expensive to run and cost prohibitive to replace.
On used machines, drums typically need to be dressed and in some cases re-coated with new rubber. The feed belts usually need to be dressed, which is simple enough, unless there's not enough left on the belt. Tracking eyes and solenoids are typically worn or not functioning as well as they should either.
When we stopped trying to save money and started really focusing on how do we make money, we stopped taking on other peoples problem machines and started investing in the best possible solutions.
Lastly, sanding is kind of a big deal to a wood business, yet most don't really understand it well, it's just monkey see, monkey do and misinformation.
The worst part of all- over-sanding!
This is the result of an overall misunderstanding of sanding process and improper/inconsistent grit sequence. Here's a video that's just the beginning of the sanding science. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxSXoxd79zY

12/23/22       #9: Buying a Widebelt - what to check ...
Brent Member

Website: http://www.parkhillwoodcraft.ca

"When we stopped trying to save money and started really focusing on how do we make money, we stopped taking on other peoples problem machines and started investing in the best possible solutions."

These words are resonating with me, and I'm starting to understand this rationale. Perhaps it's just time to take some risk? Heck, the worst thing that happens is the economy falls apart and they repo a machine (I have never faced that issue before though).

12/25/22       #10: Buying a Widebelt - what to check ...
Dave Edgerton  Member

Friend we bought a used 24-in wide wide belt sander and the biggest thing that we forgot to look at was the calibrating drum. It had several grooves in it from maybe sandpaper belts breaking and grinding through it and so the last owner was using the platon to do the sanding rather than the calibrating drum. We flattened out the calibrating drum we took it all apart and got that nice and straight and parallel to the bed so that helped a lot. Of course now we are faced with getting a new drum or getting it resurfaced so we might have to get a new shaft machine and send out a way while we're still using the machine. As for all the sensors and that sort of stuff those are pretty easily obtained. Even if the motor is not working and it's a fairly good Center you can pick up a motor for friendly cheap if it's three phase. Now that we've ran that machine for 2 years we are looking at a dual head wide belt sander or even a triple head. We have finally done everything in the shop we can and now we are at the point where the wide belt sander is a little bit of a time constraint so we have to do something different there. Can you share with us what brand it is and what size?

1/17/23       #11: Buying a Widebelt - what to check ...
Adam West  Member

Website: http://www.surfprepsanding.com

Brent
I noticed you didn't mention the brand of machine. I work on widebelt sanders for a living. There are several brands i don't even bother with anymore.

One of the brands mentioned in this thread is horrible garbage.

I am not down with OPP.....

Other people problems......


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