Author Topic: black and decker ds321 belt sander  (Read 1985 times)

Offline skfarmer

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black and decker ds321 belt sander
« on: February 07, 2020, 08:41:14 AM »
i have never owned a belt sander but have thought it may come in handy on occasion. while strolling through fleet farm the other day i saw  this baby on clearance it was a whopping 36.75 so it came home with me.  i am under no impression this is a great tool but actually seems okay and has some nice features.

« Last Edit: February 07, 2020, 09:19:19 AM by skfarmer »
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Offline skfarmer

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Re: black and decker ds321 belt sander
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2020, 09:09:15 AM »
quickly going down the list of specs. 7 amps, 800ft/mn, 6ft cord. pretty basic and if anything a little slow on ft per minute.

features are where it comes in a little odd. it has a 3 position handle. a cover that flips up and  allows a small area of the upper belt to be exposed for sanding under something. it also uses a very small idler in the front to  allow it to reach into or under spaces and also gives it a slightly larger footprint. a dust bag is included and the belt is flush to the left side but i think most sanders are.

i plugged it in, the belt went round and round and that is about all i know. did i get ripped off?

from the ashes shall rise a phoenix

i was here when the hangout turned into mexican food site!

Offline goodfellow

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Re: black and decker ds321 belt sander
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2020, 09:12:34 AM »
Homeowner grade, but a good solid tool - great find Harlan. I like the slanted bed design; much easier to use.

Offline skfarmer

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Re: black and decker ds321 belt sander
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2020, 09:18:11 AM »
i hope i didn't get ripped too bad. i invested over 1/3 of the cost of the sander in belts! it came with a 60 grit and i bought 3m  2 packs of 50, 80 and 120 grit belts.

i din't mention earlier it uses 3x21 belts.
from the ashes shall rise a phoenix

i was here when the hangout turned into mexican food site!

Offline DeadNutz

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Re: black and decker ds321 belt sander
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2020, 10:45:28 AM »
You probably did fine grabbing that sander. I also like the small idler end and flip up cover as it makes it more versatile. I have a couple of larger ones and they are only good for a flat surface with the large belt drums. I don't use them often but they beat hand sanding on some items.

Offline slip knot

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Re: black and decker ds321 belt sander
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2020, 04:54:13 PM »
That's one of those tools that isn't needed often but when it is needed its wonderful. I use mine more often than I thought I would.

Don't stockpile too many belts. I've found the glue gets iffy on some brands after a while.

Online J.A.F.E.

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Re: black and decker ds321 belt sander
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2020, 06:03:01 PM »
Good writeup! Thank you and I like the looks of it. You mention low ft/minute but for someone like me that works well as I don't use one enough to have "the feel" and when it takes a lot of material fast can go deeper than intended - especially in that dreadful stuff that grows in trees.
People who confuse etymology and entomology bug me in ways I can’t put into words.