Which one do you guys find most useful in the garage? I am in the market for one, and want to know which I should get?

I use a pedestal grinder often...one coarse; one fine grit wheel.

I use a pedestal grinder often...one coarse; one fine grit wheel.
X2 a belt sander is for woodworking!

X2 a belt sander is for woodworking!

not true. i have been doing aircraft structural fabrication for about 13 years now. we have always had both bench grinders and belt sanders. usually one with both a belt and a wheel. honestly for shaping sheetmetal and thin extrusion and cleaning up the edges of most any metal object, I tend to use the belt sander more. it is also easier to make a square straight edge on the beltsander. heavier work finds it's way to the grinder.

though i do have to admit that the time we have used the belt sander for woodworking, the shop always smells good afterward.

I have a bench grinder. A belt sander works great for metal parts fabrication.

Really depends on what you plan on doing. I use the 4x36 belt sander I have at my shop a lot more often than the grinder. I have a grinder at home but I bet it has not been turned on in 3 months.

It all depends on what youre doing. I use each one just as much. On my bench grinder, I have a grinding wheel on one, and a wire brush on the other. However i love my belt/disc sander .. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=93981 .. Best money ever spent... They have a larger one too. Good luck. Yeah its harbor freight, but hey... Ive had mine for 6 years now and no probs. Cheap tools, when the break go buy another.

Lecktrix, thats the one i thought I'd go pick up, I think it will actually do a better job than the smaller Craftsman that goes for 130 bucks. I think for what I'm doing with it, which is minor fabrication of brackets and cleaning up cuts, the sander is gonna be the ticket. I mean I think a sander can do everything a grinder can do with the right belt on it.

not true. i have been doing aircraft structural fabrication for about 13 years now. we have always had both bench grinders and belt sanders. usually one with both a belt and a wheel. honestly for shaping sheetmetal and thin extrusion and cleaning up the edges of most any metal object, I tend to use the belt sander more. it is also easier to make a square straight edge on the beltsander. heavier work finds it's way to the grinder.

Do NOT use a bench grinder on aluminum. The wheel will load up and blow up in your face!!! :eek:

I use the bench grinder with a wire wheel on one side much more than the belt sander. But I'm not doing much body work yet. The wire wheel see's lots of action. I'm thinking of getting another cheap bench grinder for buffing only. If I was going to do edge shaping, I'd try a vertical round drum sander. It keeps the edges square.

I only have a belt/disk sander...

I went with the 1" wide belt and an 8" disk rather than the 3" wide belt.

I have been pleasantly surprised at just how well it works on metal. And as hinted at, it will be better for aluminum than a bench grinder because of the load/clog issues. Just keep a couple of extra belts on hand all the time because they do fail rather abruptly.

I use the bench grinder with a wire wheel on one side much more than the belt sander. But I'm not doing much body work yet. The wire wheel see's lots of action. I'm thinking of getting another cheap bench grinder for buffing only.

I have both of those types of grinders. I use the bench grinder more than the one I have setup for buffing and polidhing.

i have both also. use the bench grinder much more, but the belt is nice too, especially for wood.

If you are limited to one or the other I would go with the bench grinder. overall more versatile I think. Especially with a grinding wheel wire wheel combo. I have both and use them equally.

You can get a combo grinder/sander.

I have a 6" wheel on one side and a 2 X 48 belt on the other. It's an older Jet but other folks make them. Here's a link...this one is US made high end but less expensive one's are available...

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMPXNO=1801502&PMT4NO=57224388

Very useful :yes: