When using the disc sander it looked like the wood was lifting. With the wood lifting the sawdust is going up on both sanders. The dust collection can only work with the dust going down. Also it is safer with the wood being thrust down against the table. I suggest redoing the sanding disc portion with the wood on the downward spinning side of the disc. Other than that, goos review for cheap vs pricey!
Definitely should be using the disc sander on the side that pushes the wood down. If it rotates clockwise, that's the right side. That will also help tons with your dust control and I think it's safer. Even so I still setup a hood of the left side of my sander to help get the little bits that get away from the integrated dust collection. A good downdraft table could do the same though too. Both units are good at what they do but the jet should last a lifetime (although I'd go up to a 12 inch disc if I wanted a lifetime tool.)
I'm going to have to go back and check, I'm starting to think the harbor freight rotates counter and the jet clockwise. Ill figure it out and let you all know!
So this isnt so much a gripe about this video as it is about the whole HF vs expensive tool (ET) thing. I have that HF sander, and it serves my purpose. I wanted a belt/disc sander and looked at HF and ET. My choice came down to HF or live without. Going into the transaction I knew all those deficiencies you describe, but I knew I could work around them. HF tools are infamous for their shortcomings and the underground network of modifying them so they work well. I don't do production work, and I only turn on machinery on weekends, so I can live with my decision. I recently watched a video of another woodworker I like who ran into some problems with an HF band saw. He blamed the problem on the "cheap, and "unsafe" tool and vowed to throw it in the trash, thus preventing anypne else from getting hurt by it. Upon further review, his was a case of operator error rather than maxhine failure. I have that same saw and never experienced anything like what happened to him. Again it was a value proposition in that I could have the HF saw or no saw. Thats the choice for many of us hobbyists. Its not so much Jet vs. HF. Its HF vs nothing. I can modify a dust port or build a bigger table to rest my workpiece. I know that I will have to do that before I ever plunk down the cash to buy the HF machine.
@@lastingbuild1373 Youre welcome. I love ypur channel and the last thing I wanred to be was critical of your efforts. I enjoyed this video. Thanks for putting it together.
@@matthewpotter1933 I'm guessing you're talking about the Steve Ramsey video lol. I felt the same way. I was like "Bro! Send me thet thing and I'll make it work!" Lol.
I feel harbor freight tools have always been good to me they low cost allows me to make nice mods to suit my needs. The items compared really should be equal in size
Two things to be noted. 1. If you need a machine for work, Jet or another similar quality brand. But for most users, unless you have tons of money to blow or want to show off, a cheap sander will do just fine. 2. The recommended and safe way to use a disc sander would be to place the wood piece on the side of the base where the disc rotation pushes the wood down against the base. Otherwise, you will not only get wood dust up towards your face but a flying wood piece if you lose grip at 7:30 of the video. Great video comparison though!
When you do a comparison you should do apples to apples because they have a 6x48 combination Sanders $250 and comes with stand you should have got that one this is not a fair comparison
Agreed! This is like comparing a Maseratti to a Fiat. I owned and used that Central Machinery combo sander for a few years until I bought the Ridgid Oscillating Belt and Spindle Sander and the Central Machinery 12" Disc Sander. I am pleased with both and I gave the Central Machinery Combo Sander away. Last report was that it is still working.
Sorry LB, but I have to agree. A shootout has to be fairly founded, this isn't; it's only 2x the money for same form factor. And the correct size HF tool claims a 1hp motor. I don't like to leave negative comments, but this isn't up to your usual standard
While I like the idea of comparison, your apple to oranges is a little pointless. I have owned the 6" HF sander for 14+ years, it has proven to be a good unit with only minor limitations. The one point of failure was the power switch, which I replace with a foot pedal type switch, I consider that an upgrade. I would suggest that you purchase the HF and do an actual head to head comparison and then return the unit you find sub-par, HF has an almost no question return policy. One benefit to this approach is that you may find the HF and Jet are equally matched, thus you can return the more expensive unit; money saved to by more tools. Thanks for listening and keep up the great content.
Unless you cleaned off part of the disc, at 7:50 it clearly shows that the aluminum disc on the Jet is not spinning anywhere near true. Damaged in shipping?
The disk face isn't 90 degrees from the axel. Very annoying. I have a Rikon that does the same thing. I also have the same HF model shown here. it isn't square either, but it is much closer.
Surprised you even bothered to compare them. If one has the budget to buy a quality built machine of the larger size, the small HF would not even be considered. Two machines of equal size and capability (small or larger) would be a more fair and useful comparison. A separate review of each one would probably have been a better approach. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and definitely appeal to different markets and use needs.
First off i should not be allowed to comment, you have videos to show i have nothing... still i would think that you should've realised immediately that you are on the wrong end of the disc when it made the initial jump upwards, yet you continued and i think the dust popping out upwards is indicative so it would be much better extracted when shaping/working on the correct quadrant of the disc... i just dont have the inclination to be running around setting camera angles focus and positioning and all sorts... hats off to you's who do and affording us the opportunity to be learning and inspired by others
Good info. When I was younger I could only justify $60.00 for the Harbor Freight sander. It did most things I asked it to do and I was happy with it and the inexpensive belts and disc sander. Many years later I purchased a much larger Porter Cable bench top belt sander. It had many nice features the HF model didn't have especially the shear weight. I guess in the end purchase what you can afford and you will be just fine.
We bought the HF sander you have there. The disc sander was well off 90° from the table. We checked the demo model and it was also off 90°. We ended up with a Ryobi for about $120 or so and it's great!
Good video covering the basics. About what you would think. One major area not covered are the bearings. Don’t know for sure, but if the HF is like some cheaper sanders I have had, it’s just turning on cheap nylon bearings. My guess is the Jet has grown up bearings. I also think you might get better dust collection from a dedicated small shop vac. I don’t know the science, but DC works better for me on tools that take bigger chunks (table saw, jointer, planer.) for sanders and router tables, I like to put it on a shop made cabinet with casters. In the lower section is a small shop vac with hoses run to the ports. Can even put in a switch to start/stop both units.
I love the video but you do realized that the disc spins clockwise, which means you should have the piece to the right side of the wheel so the force of the disc is pushing the piece down, instead of on the left where you have to hold it perfectly steady else it starts jumping?
My experience with harbor freight is that power tools, hand tools, drill bits, and saw blades are likely to fail quickly, if not on first use. Things like anvils and bearing splitters do a little better.
I have had the HF for 3 years now. It gets used almost every day. While the motor is easy to stall it does a very decent job for the money. Since I have a very small shop the small footprint is a definite plus. I was able to use my 20% coupon. Made it all the more worth the investment.
You are comparing the Jet to the wrong HF belt combo sander. The one that's in the same league is the 6x48 with 9" disc. 61750 Which has a coupon for $199 Their main differences are the motor style and belt installation. And how the motor transmits the power/torque to the actual disc/belt rollers. Jet is direct drive.
For me, the difference between these two machines is that the HF is a benchtop model and the Jet simply requires an entire bench. Those of us with one-car garages (with a car in them) will understand this.
I was shopping around a couple years ago and the best I found by leaps and bounds was the Porter Cable.... That is in the $100-$200 range..... All of them had crappy tables that flexed EXCEPT the Porter Cable, and it's built pretty rigid
HF does sell a 6 x 48 belt sander which at current prices is about $250.00. Perhaps this comparison might be more "Apples to Apples" . . . The HF vs ??? debate will be ongoing. It is likely that when comparison begins the assumed criteria are different from user to user. Bottom line for many is affordability. Were it not for HF some might not afford any tools at all. In our shop we have both JET and HF tools. A maker space in our town is sponsored by JET. More high quality, HIGH DOLLAR tools "in captivity" than I've ever seen. Someone mentioned multiple table saws, stationary belt sanders, and other tools. One might wonder why? In a production shop one wishes to set up a tool and leave it so that tomorrow when time to 'groove at .23" for slide in box lid' process comes around again half an hour isn't lost getting to accuracy. For us small boxes we make must be square--the Jet. For 'rough' first sanding HF.
Harbor Freight, DIY home guy uses the machine twice a month two hours at a time. Jet, Professional model used everyday 2 hours at a time. Both will last 10 years with respected use. Comes down to who and why the product is used. DIY guy buys the Harbor Freight unless is loaded because he would not spend 10X for a tool that does the job, while a "Professional" would not consider a consumer product to rely on to make money. Just an opinion
I have that exact same Central Machinery sander. I like that it's small and easily movable, since I have limited space in my garage shop. I haven't used the disc yet, but I did get a laugh when I saw the tiny dust port. Don't know how I'll get that to work. For the belt dust port, I bought some 2" hose at Ace. It fits tight and actually does collect the dust pretty well in the vertical position. For horizontal I'll have to find an elbow that fits. I have bought 7 or 8 pvc fittings, but haven't found one yet that fits or can be modified to fit. One issue I had: I had to take the belt cover off to move the belt because it was rubbing on the cover. 7 screws and one bolt just to remove it. Then I had to move the motor shaft pulley out a bit. So close to the housing that I had a hard time getting my small pulley puller in there to move it out the quarter inch needed. At the other end of the belt, I didn't need to move the pulley, but I had to tweek the cover to get belt clearance, since the supporting cover bolt is not close to that end and doesn't give any rigidity to that side. Also, the 3 screws holding the cover at one end also hold the plastic disc dust cover, but after moving the belt pulley, they are too long and rub on the pulley if the dust cover is not on. A few other annoying things needed to be done before I could use it, but it works fairly well so was worth the $70 bucks.
If I were doing professional woodworking I could justify spending that much on a sander as it would see a lot of use. As someone who only uses a sander maybe twice a year on projects around the house I'd be more inclined towards the cheaper one (In fact I bought a WEN version of it) for simple economics.
Both appear to be built for different use cases. A dedicated woodworker would likely be happier with the Jet; however, the hobbyist / DIYer will do well with the Harbor Freight. Is the Jet 10 times better than the Harbor Freight? Not sure I got an answer to that question.
Scammer callers have significantly lowered in the last couple weeks. Thank You! But I have been getting text messages lately someone acting like they're an old friend. I don't reveal anything like my name or location and going along with it for a minute and then changing my VPN To India and telling them to take me off their list. And they apologize to me and take me off their list.
So it looks like after you go through the set up harbor freight would be the one to buy unless you did a lot of sanding. Use the down side on the disc it might help with dust and save knuckles.lol
Yikes! The jet combo sander is now at $1400 on Amazon. I used to own a Grizzly years ago, this search for a new sander is harder than I thought. I have a Rikon 6x48x10 that I just ordered and now is going back. It was missing the manual and parts! I was really hoping that the Jet would be a better choice and I do like the 4” dust port and the solid build, but at that price I might as well go up another notch and get a cabinet model.
I can right off see huge differences between the cheap and expensive. You got the cheapest HF 4", and you got a larger one to compare it with. You said "The striking difference between these two tools is the price". But if you get someone to walk in right then and ask them what the striking difference between the two, they would say "Size, power, etc", not price. Then if you tell them the price difference, they would agree, "Of course that one is more expensive" Get the same size machine (4") instead of a 6" and then do a comparison. Or get the HF 6" to compare with the Jet 6". Its like comparing a small Ford 4 cylinder work truck to a GMC Sierra 2500. Which is better? Ford or GMC? Try again.
Dunno, my jet thicknesser (lunchbox style,)rattle most of its parts out within a week. Lots off loose assembly. Even the thick label fell off on a hot day.
Am I the only one seeing this guy introduce the wood on the up cycle of the disc sanding portion of the video, instead of the downward cycle that would pull the wood into the bed and the dust as well. ????
should have compared the Harbour Freight Bauer vs the Jet. only $20 more , widely available under other names, and outsells the Central Machinery by 15:1
Great review, thanks! What are thing about the WEN 6502T. It’s very like the harbor freight, same belt and disc size, just a little more expensive that the HF but still in budget $122.31 on Amazon, but also has 4 stars and 1452 reviews.
Did anyone also notice the dude using disc sander incorrectly…is it just me or does that seem strange? And speaking of strange, for a guy who comes across confident about the topic and seemingly knowledgeable (at least on the surface) on tools and shop things does it really take an hour to put a couple belts and tool rests on a harbor freight belt grinder? Idk…but it’s not just this video or this creator that has been “funny” to me lately. What I mean is that I’ve been noticing a lot of RUclips woodworking and machinining tool reviewers that don’t seem to know very much about the hobby or profession for the tools that they are reviewing. Not all the time is it something that irks me, and there is definitely a place for obviously novice hobbyists reviewing tools (from a place of unintentional ignorance) bc that might be appealing to someone who is just getting into a similar hobby and wants to see what it takes to learn from scratch. I applaud those channels and frequent them often. But the thing I’m talking about is more reminiscent of this situation. A guy with a beautiful and seemingly high end and fully equipped home shop, filled with expensive tools and luxury items that even seasoned pros might not be able to justify, and then they do small little things that anyone with even a small amount of experience would know is totally wrong. Things like grind on the wrong side of the tool rest after making it a point to harp on the dust collection ports on the other machine. Speaking of which, what shop guy doesn’t have a drawer full of random cutoffs of pvc or hoses and a few zip ties to make a vacuum hose fit. And who compares a pro level machine to the cheapest one on the market? Idk, I’m not saying this guy is fake, but it just strikes me as weird and it’s something I’ve been noticing more and more. Maybe I should make a video about how I can’t decide between a 7x10” Chinese mini lathe and a $250,000.00 CNC machine. It just seems weird to compare these machines with each other bc there are many other similar machines that sit in between these 2. They aren’t even the same size, which would probably explain some of the weight difference. You would think a guy who can put $75,000 into a home shop would know better than to blow dust all up into his face bc he’s on the dangerous side of the tool rest. Just sayin…
Interesting to put them head to head as the price difference is about 10x, nevertheless thanks a lot for showing the compromisses made on the cheaper one, speaking only for myself, instead of the cheap one, better of just to handsand :) The Jet also has a graphite backing for the beltsander, this will reduce a lot the friction and heat and is an absolute must have on such wide belt.
You need to make sure what ever you buy, that you have a good dust port. I have a $100 Delta and if i don't use the vacuum with it, the dust is immediate and makes me cough.
Why didn’t you get the same size as the jet? You got the small belt sander? Harbor Freight has one just like the one you purchased and it comes with a stand and it’s only $300. That way you could’ve been comparing apples to apples instead of apples to a grape.
I do believe if you look into the electrics of each machine you will find major differences. The harbor freight I guarantee you has a switch that doesn't match the tool ratings. They are bad for placeing lower watt/amp parts inside. And the motor windings and brushes are going to look it. Less or only a shellack coating on the wires. Sloppy surfacing across the board. Cheaper and thinner materials. I'd build my own with some of that pallet wood first.
I have several Grizzly machines which are good quality. Having said that I also have a Jet 22/44 drum sander, a Jet scroll saw and a Jet 8" jointer which I love. I use the drum sander and jointer every day and have had 0 problems. All the Jet's are over 3 years old. I do use Harbor Freight for things I can use and need but when it comes to equipment that will be used every week I pass.
Sir you sanded the cherry on the jet disk on the wrong side. That’s why you generated so much dust. Also to mention it also wasn’t safe. Otherwise great video
first this is not close to apples to apples... BUT if people want that JET style sander for a fraction of the price, just stalk craigslist... if your someone that thinks they need NEW... there is a 4x36 8"disc 3/4hp sander that is rebadged as porter cable, bucktool, allwin, rikon and so on... I believe the bucktool version BD4801 on amazon is the cheapest at $200 (porter cable being $400 for the same sander) that is coming from someone that has made it his lifes mission to never over pay for anything... i've done all the research that can be done on this and many other tools...
@@keithmarlowe5569 everything i have seen by WEN are all branded tools from china... the sander I believe your talking about is also a Ryobi and grizzly.... I own a WEN track saw, that is the same as the Titon, Triton, MAC allister, Erbauer, Feider.... but works just like a festool tracksaw.... just 1/8th the price....
@@keithmarlowe5569 I have the Wen 12.5" planer. No complaints so far. It planes. I don't do this for a living so it serves its purpose as a hobby tool. I have a HF lathe and it turns true. Made many pens with it. If I can, I will go the cheaper way. I have noticed that there are some cheaper tools that are just crap. Win some, lose some but I cannot complain about the lathe or the Wen planer.
This is not a fair comparison. Of course the jet weighs more. You should have stepped it up to the Central Machinery combo unit that was larger. I have it, and it's a very heavy machine. Plus, it is quite a bit better than the small one you reviewed.
First time on your channel and I subscribed...well presented, but as others have said, not really a fair comparison. This video really shouldn’t be presented as a “comparison”...it’s not. Maybe more a discussion of what size sander to buy for your own shop.
8:00 1) you are doing it incorrectly and unsafe, you are supposed to sand on the other side of the disk, where the motion is downward. And 2) for $600 it is completely unacceptable how crooked the disk is. You can clearly see it here by how unevenly it has material left over on it. Definitely not worth 10x.
I think you would have a good posting if you what are used the harbor freight belt disc sander that was bigger then The harbor freight that you were using is the smaller of their Sanders I believe more accurate testing of apples to apples and oranges to oranges when you buy The cheapest you don’t test it against the machine that’s literally 5 1/4 bigger not only in cost what also in size like the jet Harbor freight has a bigger model sander and it’s comparable to the price so do us all a favor and don’t try to pass off the best of jet against the cheapest of harbor freight go and get the harbor freight disc sander belt sander that way you’re comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges thank you very much Wayne Obryant Merced California
I recently bought the HF 4x36 model. And my biggest complaint on it was not covered here. Changing the paper. This is extremely cumbersome and difficult. I almost trashed the machine just based on that. I get around all the other shortcomings just fine, but this one is big for me. I wonder if you or any other users have any comment on that. Thank you for the video...very well presented, you're very good a it. Most tool comparisons are painful to watch.
Thanks Jim. Great review. Been out of commission for about 2 weeks ( some health and no computer. Dang country boys with their bush hogs. Cut telephone lines and didn’t know it. Oh well, if you’re interested in selling the H F one let me know. Hope all’s well
LastingBuild very good in giving it to Dad. Was out house telephone and computer for 2 weeks. It was wild especially with our 2 foster kids. At 7 & 9 they don’t understand
Noticed on the Jet disc sander that the disc must not be truly flat. There was only a small area that was dirty from sanding. And the disc spun clockwise and the HF disc runs counterclockwise
Sheesh ....600 and change for the jet, that's just to much for what it is, and it appears the dust collection is not all that...what I'm guna do is find the middle of the road machine for this ...
I thought it was a very good video. A lot of people I think miss the point of it. How much more sander do you get for 10 times? It wasn't necessarily trying to compare the Sanders head to head as if they were real competitors. Yes, a head to head comparison of the comparable HF sander would be interesting also.
The final comment, the cheaper model will "probably break after a few uses" is unjustified in a review video. You need to show that. Why did you show anything? You could have left them in the boxes and just said what the results "probably would be".
Why compare a large expensive sander to a cheap small sander? At the very least they should be the same size. I have a inexpensive belt / disc sander the same size as the Jet and it works fine. It was about 200.00. The small HF sander is more of a hobby tool or for light woodworking. The Jet is for more heavy duty, serious woodworking. Comparing these two tools makes no sense to me. Of course a 75.00 dollar tool is going to made of cheap materials and not be precision machined. Of course a larger 600.00 tool will have better quality machining and parts and be heavier. Anyone interested in or needing the Jet sander would not even consider the small HF sander! The same goes for the person looking for a bargain sander, they can't spend 600 bucks and wouldn't look at the Jet. Why compare these two tools?
First of all the jet might be nicer, but not ten times the price nicer. The jet machine is made in china as well. Probably in a different factory than the harbor freight, but then again you never know
Do do know that you were sanding on the wrong side of the disc. . . right? Not only will the left side of the disc lift and pull the wood out of your hand (and injure you or someone else). . . it throws the dust UP rather then PULL is down - as your dust collector clearly demonstrated. Should have been a clue, right? Hell of a lot more dangerous than "puncturing" your finger on a aluminum sliver. Maybe you figured it out. . . I couldn't watch the rest of the video, so who knows. Probably should have read the instructions or asked a professional.
To me this review if you can call it that totally misses the mark. You should be comparing similar products. The belts should both be the same size belt and the disc sander should be a similar size.
Consider that an industrial verision of that tool would be about $2000 so the Jet is a good deal. Really cheap tools have a tendancy to fail eventually. If its a tool you will use you are better off to get a better tool. Jet does not make any junk. Harbor Freight, well thats another story. Might last might not. When I am buying tools for my shop cheap does not cut it and I cannot afford to throw away them.
@@lastingbuild1373 The other advantage to better quality tools is that if you no longer need it someone would be quite happy to pay you for it. Cheap stuff is VERY hard to sell.
I paid close to $150 for that cheap model 😭 And ended up replacing almost everything! Get the good one. Cry once upfront or cry everytime you use the machine 🤘
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When using the disc sander it looked like the wood was lifting. With the wood lifting the sawdust is going up on both sanders. The dust collection can only work with the dust going down. Also it is safer with the wood being thrust down against the table.
I suggest redoing the sanding disc portion with the wood on the downward spinning side of the disc.
Other than that, goos review for cheap vs pricey!
Definitely should be using the disc sander on the side that pushes the wood down. If it rotates clockwise, that's the right side. That will also help tons with your dust control and I think it's safer. Even so I still setup a hood of the left side of my sander to help get the little bits that get away from the integrated dust collection. A good downdraft table could do the same though too. Both units are good at what they do but the jet should last a lifetime (although I'd go up to a 12 inch disc if I wanted a lifetime tool.)
First thing I noticed. Lol
I'm going to have to go back and check, I'm starting to think the harbor freight rotates counter and the jet clockwise. Ill figure it out and let you all know!
@@lastingbuild1373 you are correct, the Harbor Freight is counter clockwise. The Jet is clockwise. Always sand on the downside of the sandpaper.
Yeah the jet looked like it went backwards to me (counterclockwise). That's also why you got the chatter (movement) trying to hold it in place.
So this isnt so much a gripe about this video as it is about the whole HF vs expensive tool (ET) thing. I have that HF sander, and it serves my purpose. I wanted a belt/disc sander and looked at HF and ET. My choice came down to HF or live without. Going into the transaction I knew all those deficiencies you describe, but I knew I could work around them. HF tools are infamous for their shortcomings and the underground network of modifying them so they work well. I don't do production work, and I only turn on machinery on weekends, so I can live with my decision. I recently watched a video of another woodworker I like who ran into some problems with an HF band saw. He blamed the problem on the "cheap, and "unsafe" tool and vowed to throw it in the trash, thus preventing anypne else from getting hurt by it. Upon further review, his was a case of operator error rather than maxhine failure. I have that same saw and never experienced anything like what happened to him. Again it was a value proposition in that I could have the HF saw or no saw. Thats the choice for many of us hobbyists. Its not so much Jet vs. HF. Its HF vs nothing. I can modify a dust port or build a bigger table to rest my workpiece. I know that I will have to do that before I ever plunk down the cash to buy the HF machine.
Very informative comment! Thank you!
@@lastingbuild1373 Youre welcome. I love ypur channel and the last thing I wanred to be was critical of your efforts. I enjoyed this video. Thanks for putting it together.
WW MM?
Nikolai Cook Just what I was thinking.
@@matthewpotter1933 I'm guessing you're talking about the Steve Ramsey video lol. I felt the same way. I was like "Bro! Send me thet thing and I'll make it work!" Lol.
Would love to see a video like this between this Jet and the same size Harbor Freight, 61750.
Indeed! How about that comparison........
I'm looking to purchase that unit soon.
I feel harbor freight tools have always been good to me they low cost allows me to make nice mods to suit my needs. The items compared really should be equal in size
You might be interested in my follow-up video to this one
Two things to be noted.
1. If you need a machine for work, Jet or another similar quality brand. But for most users, unless you have tons of money to blow or want to show off, a cheap sander will do just fine.
2. The recommended and safe way to use a disc sander would be to place the wood piece on the side of the base where the disc rotation pushes the wood down against the base. Otherwise, you will not only get wood dust up towards your face but a flying wood piece if you lose grip at 7:30 of the video. Great video comparison though!
Next week, a Lamborghini races a Yugo. Stay tuned!
yugo will still out last the garage queen
When you do a comparison you should do apples to apples because they have a 6x48 combination Sanders $250 and comes with stand you should have got that one this is not a fair comparison
Agreed! This is like comparing a Maseratti to a Fiat. I owned and used that Central Machinery combo sander for a few years until I bought the Ridgid Oscillating Belt and Spindle Sander and the Central Machinery 12" Disc Sander. I am pleased with both and I gave the Central Machinery Combo Sander away. Last report was that it is still working.
That would be ideal but I did not want to pay for two expensive tools!
So your saying you didn’t want to compare apples to apples why even do it just to make HF look bad.
Sorry LB, but I have to agree. A shootout has to be fairly founded, this isn't; it's only 2x the money for same form factor. And the correct size HF tool claims a 1hp motor. I don't like to leave negative comments, but this isn't up to your usual standard
@@lastingbuild1373 Well I'm not gonna watch any further. I want a 6 X 48 but this doesn't compare them.
While I like the idea of comparison, your apple to oranges is a little pointless. I have owned the 6" HF sander for 14+ years, it has proven to be a good unit with only minor limitations. The one point of failure was the power switch, which I replace with a foot pedal type switch, I consider that an upgrade.
I would suggest that you purchase the HF and do an actual head to head comparison and then return the unit you find sub-par, HF has an almost no question return policy. One benefit to this approach is that you may find the HF and Jet are equally matched, thus you can return the more expensive unit; money saved to by more tools.
Thanks for listening and keep up the great content.
Thanks for sharing!
I agree with bill buck tube. The jet rotates in a different direction so should be used on the right hand side
Unless you cleaned off part of the disc, at 7:50 it clearly shows that the aluminum disc on the Jet is not spinning anywhere near true. Damaged in shipping?
I noticed that right away. either the disc is deformed or the paper is not on even
The disk face isn't 90 degrees from the axel. Very annoying. I have a Rikon that does the same thing. I also have the same HF model shown here. it isn't square either, but it is much closer.
Surprised you even bothered to compare them. If one has the budget to buy a quality built machine of the larger size, the small HF would not even be considered. Two machines of equal size and capability (small or larger) would be a more fair and useful comparison. A separate review of each one would probably have been a better approach. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and definitely appeal to different markets and use needs.
First off i should not be allowed to comment, you have videos to show i have nothing... still i would think that you should've realised immediately that you are on the wrong end of the disc when it made the initial jump upwards, yet you continued and i think the dust popping out upwards is indicative so it would be much better extracted when shaping/working on the correct quadrant of the disc... i just dont have the inclination to be running around setting camera angles focus and positioning and all sorts... hats off to you's who do and affording us the opportunity to be learning and inspired by others
AndréVDM check out my follow up video for more info! Thanks!
Good info.
When I was younger I could only justify $60.00 for the Harbor Freight sander. It did most things I asked it to do and I was happy with it and the inexpensive belts and disc sander. Many years later I purchased a much larger Porter Cable bench top belt sander. It had many nice features the HF model didn't have especially the shear weight.
I guess in the end purchase what you can afford and you will be just fine.
We bought the HF sander you have there. The disc sander was well off 90° from the table. We checked the demo model and it was also off 90°. We ended up with a Ryobi for about $120 or so and it's great!
I have not tried the Ryobi
lol. Cheap or expensive sander aside... I just love you have your notes written on a scrap of wood!!!
Good video covering the basics. About what you would think. One major area not covered are the bearings. Don’t know for sure, but if the HF is like some cheaper sanders I have had, it’s just turning on cheap nylon bearings. My guess is the Jet has grown up bearings. I also think you might get better dust collection from a dedicated small shop vac. I don’t know the science, but DC works better for me on tools that take bigger chunks (table saw, jointer, planer.) for sanders and router tables, I like to put it on a shop made cabinet with casters. In the lower section is a small shop vac with hoses run to the ports. Can even put in a switch to start/stop both units.
I love the video but you do realized that the disc spins clockwise, which means you should have the piece to the right side of the wheel so the force of the disc is pushing the piece down, instead of on the left where you have to hold it perfectly steady else it starts jumping?
My experience with harbor freight is that power tools, hand tools, drill bits, and saw blades are likely to fail quickly, if not on first use. Things like anvils and bearing splitters do a little better.
How about the sanding quality? Does the workpiece stay square?
I have had the HF for 3 years now. It gets used almost every day. While the motor is easy to stall it does a very decent job for the money. Since I have a very small shop the small footprint is a definite plus. I was able to use my 20% coupon. Made it all the more worth the investment.
You are comparing the Jet to the wrong HF belt combo sander. The one that's in the same league is the 6x48 with 9" disc. 61750 Which has a coupon for $199
Their main differences are the motor style and belt installation. And how the motor transmits the power/torque to the actual disc/belt rollers. Jet is direct drive.
For me, the difference between these two machines is that the HF is a benchtop model and the Jet simply requires an entire bench. Those of us with one-car garages (with a car in them) will understand this.
I was shopping around a couple years ago and the best I found by leaps and bounds was the Porter Cable.... That is in the $100-$200 range..... All of them had crappy tables that flexed EXCEPT the Porter Cable, and it's built pretty rigid
HF does sell a 6 x 48 belt sander which at current prices is about $250.00. Perhaps this comparison might be more "Apples to Apples" . . . The HF vs ??? debate will be ongoing. It is likely that when comparison begins the assumed criteria are different from user to user. Bottom line for many is affordability. Were it not for HF some might not afford any tools at all. In our shop we have both JET and HF tools. A maker space in our town is sponsored by JET. More high quality, HIGH DOLLAR tools "in captivity" than I've ever seen. Someone mentioned multiple table saws, stationary belt sanders, and other tools. One might wonder why? In a production shop one wishes to set up a tool and leave it so that tomorrow when time to 'groove at .23" for slide in box lid' process comes around again half an hour isn't lost getting to accuracy. For us small boxes we make must be square--the Jet. For 'rough' first sanding HF.
Harbor Freight, DIY home guy uses the machine twice a month two hours at a time. Jet, Professional model used everyday 2 hours at a time. Both will last 10 years with respected use. Comes down to who and why the product is used. DIY guy buys the Harbor Freight unless is loaded because he would not spend 10X for a tool that does the job, while a "Professional" would not consider a consumer product to rely on to make money. Just an opinion
Very thoughtful post! Thank you!
You were using the wrong side of the jet sanding disc I think, the wood should be used on the right so that the wood is forced down into the bed
I went middle of the road and bought the Porter Cable. No problems.
Cool! I do not have any Porter Cable tools, yet! 😬
@@lastingbuild1373 Generally reliable. The belt/disc sander is my main money maker.
Your supposed to sand on the down side of the disc. It pulls the wood down onto the table as well as the dust into the dust trap.
you are correct! I learned that the hard way, lol!
I have that exact same Central Machinery sander. I like that it's small and easily movable, since I have limited space in my garage shop. I haven't used the disc yet, but I did get a laugh when I saw the tiny dust port. Don't know how I'll get that to work.
For the belt dust port, I bought some 2" hose at Ace. It fits tight and actually does collect the dust pretty well in the vertical position. For horizontal I'll have to find an elbow that fits. I have bought 7 or 8 pvc fittings, but haven't found one yet that fits or can be modified to fit.
One issue I had: I had to take the belt cover off to move the belt because it was rubbing on the cover. 7 screws and one bolt just to remove it. Then I had to move the motor shaft pulley out a bit. So close to the housing that I had a hard time getting my small pulley puller in there to move it out the quarter inch needed. At the other end of the belt, I didn't need to move the pulley, but I had to tweek the cover to get belt clearance, since the supporting cover bolt is not close to that end and doesn't give any rigidity to that side. Also, the 3 screws holding the cover at one end also hold the plastic disc dust cover, but after moving the belt pulley, they are too long and rub on the pulley if the dust cover is not on.
A few other annoying things needed to be done before I could use it, but it works fairly well so was worth the $70 bucks.
If I were doing professional woodworking I could justify spending that much on a sander as it would see a lot of use. As someone who only uses a sander maybe twice a year on projects around the house I'd be more inclined towards the cheaper one (In fact I bought a WEN version of it) for simple economics.
Both appear to be built for different use cases. A dedicated woodworker would likely be happier with the Jet; however, the hobbyist / DIYer will do well with the Harbor Freight. Is the Jet 10 times better than the Harbor Freight? Not sure I got an answer to that question.
great little sander
I have a rikon 6x48 with 10" disc. Its a true work horse for under $700.
i think you used the wrong side of the disc.... need to feed material into the disc where it feeds down onto the table. Is that right?
Scammer callers have significantly lowered in the last couple weeks. Thank You! But I have been getting text messages lately someone acting like they're an old friend. I don't reveal anything like my name or location and going along with it for a minute and then changing my VPN To India and telling them to take me off their list. And they apologize to me and take me off their list.
Used the wrong side of the disc on the Jet, should use the down stroke side.
Why isn't this a comparison between the HF 6x48 compared to the jet 6x48.???
So it looks like after you go through the set up harbor freight would be the one to buy unless you did a lot of sanding. Use the down side on the disc it might help with dust and save knuckles.lol
I think the harbor freight will work just fine! Just not sure how long 🤔
Yikes! The jet combo sander is now at $1400 on Amazon. I used to own a Grizzly years ago, this search for a new sander is harder than I thought. I have a Rikon 6x48x10 that I just ordered and now is going back. It was missing the manual and parts! I was really hoping that the Jet would be a better choice and I do like the 4” dust port and the solid build, but at that price I might as well go up another notch and get a cabinet model.
Bells and whistles are always nice, so isn’t being able to replace the HF tool 6 times, cost wise.
I can right off see huge differences between the cheap and expensive. You got the cheapest HF 4", and you got a larger one to compare it with. You said "The striking difference between these two tools is the price". But if you get someone to walk in right then and ask them what the striking difference between the two, they would say "Size, power, etc", not price. Then if you tell them the price difference, they would agree, "Of course that one is more expensive"
Get the same size machine (4") instead of a 6" and then do a comparison. Or get the HF 6" to compare with the Jet 6". Its like comparing a small Ford 4 cylinder work truck to a GMC Sierra 2500. Which is better? Ford or GMC? Try again.
Dunno, my jet thicknesser (lunchbox style,)rattle most of its parts out within a week. Lots off loose assembly. Even the thick label fell off on a hot day.
Am I the only one seeing this guy introduce the wood on the up cycle of the disc sanding portion of the video, instead of the downward cycle that would pull the wood into the bed and the dust as well. ????
Bucktools also nice
should have compared the Harbour Freight Bauer vs the Jet. only $20 more , widely available under other names, and outsells the Central Machinery by 15:1
Great review, thanks! What are thing about the WEN 6502T. It’s very like the harbor freight, same belt and disc size, just a little more expensive that the HF but still in budget $122.31 on Amazon, but also has 4 stars and 1452 reviews.
Did anyone also notice the dude using disc sander incorrectly…is it just me or does that seem strange? And speaking of strange, for a guy who comes across confident about the topic and seemingly knowledgeable (at least on the surface) on tools and shop things does it really take an hour to put a couple belts and tool rests on a harbor freight belt grinder? Idk…but it’s not just this video or this creator that has been “funny” to me lately. What I mean is that I’ve been noticing a lot of RUclips woodworking and machinining tool reviewers that don’t seem to know very much about the hobby or profession for the tools that they are reviewing. Not all the time is it something that irks me, and there is definitely a place for obviously novice hobbyists reviewing tools (from a place of unintentional ignorance) bc that might be appealing to someone who is just getting into a similar hobby and wants to see what it takes to learn from scratch. I applaud those channels and frequent them often. But the thing I’m talking about is more reminiscent of this situation. A guy with a beautiful and seemingly high end and fully equipped home shop, filled with expensive tools and luxury items that even seasoned pros might not be able to justify, and then they do small little things that anyone with even a small amount of experience would know is totally wrong. Things like grind on the wrong side of the tool rest after making it a point to harp on the dust collection ports on the other machine. Speaking of which, what shop guy doesn’t have a drawer full of random cutoffs of pvc or hoses and a few zip ties to make a vacuum hose fit. And who compares a pro level machine to the cheapest one on the market? Idk, I’m not saying this guy is fake, but it just strikes me as weird and it’s something I’ve been noticing more and more. Maybe I should make a video about how I can’t decide between a 7x10” Chinese mini lathe and a $250,000.00 CNC machine. It just seems weird to compare these machines with each other bc there are many other similar machines that sit in between these 2. They aren’t even the same size, which would probably explain some of the weight difference. You would think a guy who can put $75,000 into a home shop would know better than to blow dust all up into his face bc he’s on the dangerous side of the tool rest. Just sayin…
Interesting to put them head to head as the price difference is about 10x, nevertheless thanks a lot for showing the compromisses made on the cheaper one, speaking only for myself, instead of the cheap one, better of just to handsand :) The Jet also has a graphite backing for the beltsander, this will reduce a lot the friction and heat and is an absolute must have on such wide belt.
You need to make sure what ever you buy, that you have a good dust port. I have a $100 Delta and if i don't use the vacuum with it, the dust is immediate and makes me cough.
For sure! Its a huge dust generator!!
Why didn’t you get the same size as the jet?
You got the small belt sander? Harbor Freight has one just like the one you purchased and it comes with a stand and it’s only $300. That way you could’ve been comparing apples to apples instead of apples to a grape.
I can't help but laugh when woodworkers talk about dust from a sander. It's literally the whole point of the tool to make dust...
Thanks, great review. I know which one i will be buying, except i haven't checked out Grizzly tools....
Glad to help! That would have been a good one to use for comparison.
I do believe if you look into the electrics of each machine you will find major differences. The harbor freight I guarantee you has a switch that doesn't match the tool ratings. They are bad for placeing lower watt/amp parts inside. And the motor windings and brushes are going to look it. Less or only a shellack coating on the wires. Sloppy surfacing across the board. Cheaper and thinner materials. I'd build my own with some of that pallet wood first.
I have several Grizzly machines which are good quality. Having said that I also have a Jet 22/44 drum sander, a Jet scroll saw and a Jet 8" jointer which I love. I use the drum sander and jointer every day and have had 0 problems. All the Jet's are over 3 years old. I do use Harbor Freight for things I can use and need but when it comes to equipment that will be used every week I pass.
I would love to have that drum sander and jointer!!
Using the wrong side of the sanding disc. Must use the down rotation side.
An expensive 6" vs a cheap 4"... Apples vs apple pie
That’s a good one!
Nice video and comparison Jim! Would you say each was worth the money? Such a huge difference in cost! Thanks for sharing.
I think so!
But he compared a 4" with a 6". Harbor Freight has a 6" sander that would have been better to compare the 6" Jet with.
I will go with the HF
Sir you sanded the cherry on the jet disk on the wrong side. That’s why you generated so much dust. Also to mention it also wasn’t safe. Otherwise great video
first this is not close to apples to apples... BUT if people want that JET style sander for a fraction of the price, just stalk craigslist... if your someone that thinks they need NEW... there is a 4x36 8"disc 3/4hp sander that is rebadged as porter cable, bucktool, allwin, rikon and so on... I believe the bucktool version BD4801 on amazon is the cheapest at $200 (porter cable being $400 for the same sander) that is coming from someone that has made it his lifes mission to never over pay for anything... i've done all the research that can be done on this and many other tools...
I also have no beef with JET I own there tablesaw, 14" bandsaw, and 6" jointer... but i only paid $500 for them all... LOL
oops.... didnt see the apples to apples video...
@@keithmarlowe5569 everything i have seen by WEN are all branded tools from china... the sander I believe your talking about is also a Ryobi and grizzly.... I own a WEN track saw, that is the same as the Titon, Triton, MAC allister,
Erbauer, Feider.... but works just like a festool tracksaw.... just 1/8th the price....
@@keithmarlowe5569 I have the Wen 12.5" planer. No complaints so far. It planes. I don't do this for a living so it serves its purpose as a hobby tool. I have a HF lathe and it turns true. Made many pens with it. If I can, I will go the cheaper way. I have noticed that there are some cheaper tools that are just crap. Win some, lose some but I cannot complain about the lathe or the Wen planer.
This video is like comparing his Toyota Corolla with my Corvette ZR1 and why the Corvette is so much better at 10x the price. LOL.
glad you enjoyed the video!
This is not a fair comparison. Of course the jet weighs more. You should have stepped it up to the Central Machinery combo unit that was larger. I have it, and it's a very heavy machine. Plus, it is quite a bit better than the small one you reviewed.
Thanks for sharing!
First time on your channel and I subscribed...well presented, but as others have said, not really a fair comparison. This video really shouldn’t be presented as a “comparison”...it’s not. Maybe more a discussion of what size sander to buy for your own shop.
Thanks for watching! Welcome to my channel! Check out my follow-up video to this one!
u have it you can bog it down easy but i use it to sharpen my woodturning chisels
What grit paper are you using?
80 on the disc and 120 on belt the disc is the one i can bog it down with doing small wood cookies
Maybe learn to use the disc sander correctly... Sand on the side rotating towards the table.
8:00 1) you are doing it incorrectly and unsafe, you are supposed to sand on the other side of the disk, where the motion is downward. And 2) for $600 it is completely unacceptable how crooked the disk is. You can clearly see it here by how unevenly it has material left over on it. Definitely not worth 10x.
I think you would have a good posting if you what are used the harbor freight belt disc sander that was bigger then The harbor freight that you were using is the smaller of their Sanders I believe more accurate testing of apples to apples and oranges to oranges when you buy The cheapest you don’t test it against the machine that’s literally 5 1/4 bigger not only in cost what also in size like the jet Harbor freight has a bigger model sander and it’s comparable to the price so do us all a favor and don’t try to pass off the best of jet against the cheapest of harbor freight go and get the harbor freight disc sander belt sander that way you’re comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges thank you very much Wayne Obryant Merced California
great video, thanks! subscribed
Awesome, thank you!
It appears you are trying to sand on the upstroke side of the disc which is very dangerous.
Yes! It turns out the tools turn in opposite directions which caught me off guard!
Im sorry to hear that you make hear the harbour freight so trashy by saying some attachments or part that its aluminium, when its not.
I recently bought the HF 4x36 model. And my biggest complaint on it was not covered here. Changing the paper. This is extremely cumbersome and difficult. I almost trashed the machine just based on that. I get around all the other shortcomings just fine, but this one is big for me. I wonder if you or any other users have any comment on that.
Thank you for the video...very well presented, you're very good a it. Most tool comparisons are painful to watch.
Not understanding why you picked this belt sander to compare instead of the higher quality one from HF that is 200+.🤔
I will take the HF sander
Very informative review, thanks
Thanks for watching! Glad to help!
Thanks Jim. Great review. Been out of commission for about 2 weeks ( some health and no computer. Dang country boys with their bush hogs. Cut telephone lines and didn’t know it. Oh well, if you’re interested in selling the H F one let me know. Hope all’s well
Hey David! I gave it to my dad! Good to hear from you! I knew it had been a bit!
LastingBuild very good in giving it to Dad. Was out house telephone and computer for 2 weeks. It was wild especially with our 2 foster kids. At 7 & 9 they don’t understand
Did you really have your notes on a piece of poplar?
but how are you comparing a 6in with a 4in belt sander ? of cousr the 6in is waaay more expensive . its 2x the size.
Why not actually compare sanders of similar size: www.harborfreight.com/6-in-x-9-in-combination-belt-and-disc-sander-61750.html
Noticed on the Jet disc sander that the disc must not be truly flat. There was only a small area that was dirty from sanding. And the disc spun clockwise and the HF disc runs counterclockwise
I used PVC pipe to connect for dust
Sheesh ....600 and change for the jet, that's just to much for what it is, and it appears the dust collection is not all that...what I'm guna do is find the middle of the road machine for this ...
Unless HF recently reduced the motor size, they are closer to 1/3 HP than 3/4 HP.😂
I thought it was a very good video. A lot of people I think miss the point of it. How much more sander do you get for 10 times? It wasn't necessarily trying to compare the Sanders head to head as if they were real competitors. Yes, a head to head comparison of the comparable HF sander would be interesting also.
Of course that’s not a fair comparison
The final comment, the cheaper model will "probably break after a few uses" is unjustified in a review video. You need to show that. Why did you show anything? You could have left them in the boxes and just said what the results "probably would be".
I have the same Jet and am disappointed at how under-powered it is
Also, you're using the wrong side of the disk
Your using the wrong side of the sanding disc.
Why compare a large expensive sander to a cheap small sander?
At the very least they should be the same size. I have a inexpensive belt / disc sander the same size as the Jet and it works fine. It was about 200.00. The small HF sander is more of a hobby tool or for light woodworking. The Jet is for more heavy duty, serious woodworking.
Comparing these two tools makes no sense to me. Of course a 75.00 dollar tool is going to made of cheap materials and not be precision machined. Of course a larger 600.00 tool will have better quality machining and parts and be heavier.
Anyone interested in or needing the Jet sander would not even consider the small HF sander! The same goes for the person looking for a bargain sander, they can't spend 600 bucks and wouldn't look at the Jet.
Why compare these two tools?
Wow Jim! This was a fantastic review and comparison video!
Glad you liked it!
First of all the jet might be nicer, but not ten times the price nicer. The jet machine is made in china as well. Probably in a different factory than the harbor freight, but then again you never know
Good Points!
Not really a fair comparison. It’s like comparing a Fiat to a Ferrari. It would have been more useful to a more comparative comparison.
Do do know that you were sanding on the wrong side of the disc. . . right?
Not only will the left side of the disc lift and pull the wood out of your hand (and injure you or someone else). . . it throws the dust UP rather then PULL is down - as your dust collector clearly demonstrated. Should have been a clue, right?
Hell of a lot more dangerous than "puncturing" your finger on a aluminum sliver. Maybe you figured it out. . . I couldn't watch the rest of the video, so who knows.
Probably should have read the instructions or asked a professional.
There not apples to apples, more like apples to grapes.
To me this review if you can call it that totally misses the mark. You should be comparing similar products. The belts should both be the same size belt and the disc sander should be a similar size.
Consider that an industrial verision of that tool would be about $2000 so the Jet is a good deal. Really cheap tools have a tendancy to fail eventually. If its a tool you will use you are better off to get a better tool. Jet does not make any junk. Harbor Freight, well thats another story. Might last might not. When I am buying tools for my shop cheap does not cut it and I cannot afford to throw away them.
Agreed! Thanks Paul!
@@lastingbuild1373 The other advantage to better quality tools is that if you no longer need it someone would be quite happy to pay you for it. Cheap stuff is VERY hard to sell.
That central machinery is pretty lame. I’m done with mine.
Jet is $1000 now in 24
duh….the jet is a 6-48 so of course it’s heavier than the hf 4x36. you should have compared the new hf 6x48 to the jet.
I paid close to $150 for that cheap model 😭
And ended up replacing almost everything!
Get the good one. Cry once upfront or cry everytime you use the machine 🤘
You're comparing two different sized machines.