Does anyone have any recommendation on sanders out there. Makita seems to have some good ones, but I wonder if any fellow tf guys have a preference. tb

I bought the Porter Cable "whisper series" a few years ago. They screeched like fingernails on a chalkboard. I can just see the marketing meeting where they came up with that one! I love Makita stuff in general, but for 4x24 belt sanders, I went with Bosch. We have 3 and although we go through the brushes, they've stood up pretty well over the years, and they really get used hard in our shop. I had one lose a front bearing, but it was a cheap repair. CB.

I'd echo Clark - I have two Bosch 4x24 belt sanders and have found them to be pretty bulletproof over the years. One is a variable speed model - a feature which seemed nifty at the time of sale - but which I've never used. They do go through brushes at least yearly, so have an extra set on hand to keep production running and the slaves slaving. All my Bosch tools are recons bought online at CPO Bosch - Full warranty, cheap shipping, good service - Highly recommended. They also have a sister store: CPO Makita that sells recon Makita tools as well.

Porter Cable was bought by Dewalt in the last year or so. Don't expect their quality to improve...

Not sure exactly what kind of sander you're looking for. I also have the 2X24 bosch. It is pretty powerful. I've not used it a lot yet, just on small things. I've toyed with the idea of sanding some reclaimed beams using a floor drum sander and walking it along the length of the beam. You'd have to keep it going at a constant speed so you don't gouge the beam. Maybe I'd need a track system? Just been a thought so far. Perhaps a guide bar attached to the drum sander so that you'd be able to controll the pressure applied to the beam better as you moved, and keep it balanced left to right?

Thanks guys. I'll check into the Bosch. Any particular model? tb