Customer Reviews

Hitachi SB8V2 3-Inch-by-21-Inch Variable Speed Belt Sander

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I love this mid sized belt sander. I am a contractor so I know about tools. Every tool has a specific purpose and this sander fits in perfectly for what I need it to do. 9 amps is allot of power for a sander and thankfully this one has the variable speed. The variable speed switch is nicely located so that you can adjust the speed with your pinky finger while not taking your hands off the sander. The weight of this machine was actually less than what I was expecting. I have a larger 12 amp Bosch sander and was expecting this belt sander to weigh in closer to that, but it doesn't. This sander actually feels much lighter than the Porter Cable 352VS that this Hitachi is replacing. (On a side note, why is all of my loved Porter Cable tools turning into junk? Hopefully now that Stanely owns PC it will go back to normal.)This sander is made in Malaysia so it is not the norm China junk. The rubber grips are nice, belt tracking stays put for about forever, and the bushings are simple to replace, as it is on most Hitachi tools.
This is only my 2nd Hitachi tool, besides air nailers which is a given if you buy PRO grade tools. All of my cordless tools are Milwaukee, and then everything with a cord is either Milwaukee, Porter Cable, Bosch, and Makita. I have not owned any Black & Decker or Craftsman tools since I was a kid (yes, those are kid tools and should never be purchased except Craftsman for mechanics tools. The other reviewers of this tool I would disregard! I did read their reviews before deciding to purchase this sander. One complaint was that the motor was on the left side. Are you kidding me??? The reason why the dust collection is on the left side is to allow you to actually sand right up against something at a 90 degree angle! That is what a belt sander should do, it is a requirement, and it is more expensive to configure that tool to do so. Another person complained about the fact that this excellent sander will not fit under kitchen cabinets. Again, please disregard. If you buy a larger mid sized sander, which this is, it is because you need to do some quick heavy sanding. You should have other sanders for getting into small tight spots because larger sanders will not fit there because they are big and powerful. This is why I have a 1/4 sheet Bosch sander, a 5" random orbital Milwaukee, the small hand held Porter Cable belt sander, this Hitachi, and my larger Bosch belt sander. Buy a specific tool to do a specific job, learn how to use the tool to the fullest of its capabilities, buy the highest quality tools,and you will end up with professional results. With the fact that this belt sander has easily replaceable brushes lets me know, as a pro, that I can keep this sander running for years without much downtime. I wish other manufacturers would be so thoughtful as this.
Oh ya, one more thing. The dust collection actually works on this belt sander! This belt sander is a steal for under $200! Sorry about the rant but I hate it when someone gives a great tool a low star because they bought something without thinking about it first. I was reading the reviews on nail guns and can you believe that a guy gave a framing nailer a one star because he was angry at the fact that the nailer would not work without being hooked up to an air compressor! Maybe he has bought some tools in the past that run on pixie dust but my need either electric, batteries, gas, or air in order to perform their function. So if you need a larger mid sized belt sander, this one works perfectly.

I put this sander to work immediately, as I wore out my previous sander (B&D) in the middle of a project and had borrowed a friend's Skil. This sander is awesome. The tracking was very stable, requiring only an occasional tweak (Nice Knob). Belts were easy to replace with the handy lever. The dust collection was very impressive for a belt sander, picking up almost all the dust. My only minor complaint is that I had to empty the bag often, and if I waited too long, I had to dig the sanding dust out with a spoon.

I found it easy to control, and it seemed well balanced. The speed control was in a good location, easy (but not too easy) to reach. Plenty of power and a long cord. This sander removed more material faster than either my Black & Decker or the Skil that I borrowed. The price was right, and I got free, quick shipping. What more could I ask for. I love it!Hitachi SB8V2 3-Inch-by-21-Inch Variable Speed Belt Sander

You simply have to put this Sander on your palm in the shop, rough side down, exactly in the middle of the belt exposed and let it rest there. You can feel the weight of the Motor pulling the pad down heavier on the left side than on the right of the belt. This I'm afraid will lead to uneven sanding and gouges in the work surface. Another way to appreciate this without even having to turn it on is to have a short length of wood plank, roughly same width as the belt, put your sander on one end (belt dead centre) and pick both the plank and sander up with the other end. You will instantly feel the plank trying to flip over to the left.

I spend a long time and effort reading reviews, testing items and doing my research before purchasing, longer than most, its the only way I can get value for my money. Its a damn shame because everything else about this Sander is PERFECT!! ...The bag sits high, out of the way of the exposed end of the belt, and the variable speed and horse power is superb compared to other sanders on the market. Just a right down clumsy design flaw having such high speeds intermingled with an unbalanced, uneven sanding surface that no amount of track manipulation will fix.

The other low rates are correct I'm afraid, you can take my word on this, an experienced craftsman & perfectionist who likes jobs done right and the finish to look right too.

Its a lot of money to pay for such an overlooked design flaw. Whoever approved the production of this concept is an idiot.

A very capable machine for the homeowner and woodworking hobbyist. Does the job quickly and is easy to handle.

This belt sander seems to be well made, but the motor is mounted to the left of center. This causes an unbalance which translates to uneven application of the sanding belt on the wood. To use this sander, you must apply a torque on the handle to counterbalance this tendency. Seems to be an old design - one I remember from the 60's when I bought my first belt sander from Sears. I recommend you do not purchase this unit.

We purchased this belt sander to do the edges of the floor we were going to refinish. At first the sander seemed to work very well... but then, after about a half hour, the sander started to go through the sanding belts VERY QUICKLY! We would replace the belt and within less than 5 minutes of sanding, the belt was shredded on one side! Plus the design of the sander is such that the rollers cannot get under the cabinets at all. We returned it to the store of purchase, and instead bought a Black and Decker model that cost half as much money. That one was easy to get under the cabinets because of the slim design and the handle is able to move into a more upright position to allow you to get underneath things easily. There is much more flexibility with the Black and Decker model. Plus we only used one belt on the sander to do the edges of the whole floor and didn't have any trouble with belt tracking or blow outs! So don't buy this Hitachi belt sander unless you have a knack with using belt sanders that we just don't know about?