I've tried some other bench top spindle sanders and had to move up from a piece of junk that I've been using for the past couple of years.
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br /I wanted a bigger table, smoother action from the sanding spindle, and a smoother surface to work on. Additionally, I wanted a dedicated tool on its own stand. I spend a lot of time at the spindle sander. I wanted a comfortable and rock steady station to work.
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br /After looking at what was available, my choice came down to this unit and one made by Grizzly. After looking very closely at the pictures and manuals offered by both companies, I decided that these were very likely made by the same company in China. There are virtually no differences that can be determined.... except one. The Jet's table is rounded on the corners. I envisioned pemanent bruises on my hips from running into sharp corners of the Grizz.
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br /I own several Jet and Delta tools. I like working with tools that are well finished, that have a surplus of power for the job, that have smooth and flat work surfaces, and look good. I have customers in my shop all the time, so appearances mean a lot.
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br /So, for the looks and rounded top corners, I decided to spend the extra couple hundred for the Jet. I am not dissapointed. The work surface has been machined flat and sanded smooth. It has the nicest surface of any machine in my shop.
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br /The unit came fully assembled. All I had to do was to remove the protective gunk that prevents rust from the table top and install the sleeves on the spindles. The manual is nicely prepared in BW and has good pictures to illustrate the points being made. The manual is also pleasantly short yet covers all significant details.
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br /The spindle action is smooth and quiet. There is plenty of power to quickly remove material but it is easy to control as well. The result is you'll have exceptional control when removing material. I hooked up my dust collection and with only 650 CFM, it pulls most all the dust very well. I'm very impressed with the operation of the tool. It is truly the nicest OSS that I've used.
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br /The machine comes with a full assortment of different sized spindles of 60 grit paper. I practically never use 60 grit for my projects. I've found that sanding spindles are available from Southern Tool and from Grizzly. I've got some on order for the sizes and grits I use most. It also has a 4 inch spindle. This is great for sanding straight edges or large arcs.
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br /One nit that I have is that there are two shelves for spindle storage, one mounted on each side of the cabinet. The holes in these shelves accomodate the smaller spindles well enough. But the larger spindles have large nuts on the bottom and don't fit in the smaller holes. They keep tipping or even fall out when I move the tool around.
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br /Other than the silly thing with the spindle storage, I feel that this tool is of the highest quality. I am very happy with this purchase and highly recommend the tool for anyone who needs a spindle sander.
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A two foot square smooth cast iron table top combined with a very smooth spindle makes this machine very easy to work with. I measured the spindle runout to be 0.004 inches maximum for all spindles, except for the 1/4 spindle that was 0.013.
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br / My lower rating of only 3 stars is due to 3 quality issues. The top came with chemical stains, but was smooth and usable. I had to re-wire the switch... minor but should not have been required. And third, the table inserts are not flush with the table top. This can cause a piece of wood to catch as you are sanding with a resulting cup or glitch. Jet is sending me a new set of table inserts, but I have a feeling it is a poorly machined table top. I could easily shim the inserts, but for the price of the machine I expect it to be right and I want JET to know their quality control is slipping.

This machine get the job done. It has the power you would expect and the cast iron table is a good size. I like all of the sizes of spindles that come with the machine and Jet has included storage along both sides of the cabinet for the spindles. This may be a small detail, but it is the attention to the small details that really impress me.

This machine is solidly built. It runs smoothly and does a great sanding job on all your curvy things. Despite a warning that it was on backorder and that delivery wouldn't be possible for many weeks, www.Amazon.com confirmed within three days that it had shipped! With the exception of the wooden pallet on which it was shipped (the pallet had been smashed to the point of almost being useless), the sander arrived intact and ready to go. It's heavy, so plan on having some help on hand at your end to assist with the unloading. It's top is ground flat and glassy smooth and provides ample support for any of the projects I'm likely to encounter at home. It's also square to the spindle which is always a plus. There was some spillage of the 90 weight oil from its reservoir during shipping (caused by the unit having been tipped too far, no doubt), and some missing or chipped paint from the backside of the base unit where the access door butts against it. Aside from these minor defects, I'm very pleased with the condition in which it arrived, and very happy with this choice in an oscillating sander. I doubt there's abetter one out there for the $. I've given this purchase only four stars for one reason only: www.Amazon.com does not sell replacement sleeves for this sander. The sleeves are not readily available in any of the local woodworking stores and I haven't figured out yet where I'm going to get them (perhaps the folks at JET can make a recommendation?).

I hate sanding and I do most by hand with various size blocks, dowels and such. The only power sander I regullary use is a 6" belt on a stand. This is good for outside curves.brI had been looking at spindel sanders for a while and keep coming back to this one, because it includes up to 4" drum and the others stoped at 2 or 3", I'd go to 8" if they had one.brAnyway, checked locally and picked one up for $[money]BRWorks really nicely, really nice large solid table and easy to change the spindels. The dust collection seems to work well too, you can watch the dust swirll around the spndel and down the shute.brused it last night on some table legs and am really pleased with the results.brFiner sanding drums would be nice...So, if you make curvy thingies and want them to look nice I recomend this big guy.

The machine itself is excellent, and would get 5-stars if it could actually be delivered intact. It is shipped direct from the manufacturer, using the manufacturer's choice of shipper. For my order, they used Estes Express Lines.
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br /The machine and accessories were covered with leaked gear oil from the transmission. I even had to disassemble and clean the switch, because there was oil literally "dripping" out of it. Obviously the machine was tipped during shipping, instead of remaining upright per the labels on the box. Only Estes can be blamed for this, but Jet could prevent the problem by sealing the transmission for shipment or supplying the oil in a bottle for the purchaser to add.
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br /The left-hand table trunnion and support bracket were bent beyond repair. The threaded part of the trunnion locking knob was sheared off, leaving a portion stuck in the threaded hole of the casting. The other trunnion was bent, and the table lock pin was bent. I'm guessing that something fell (or was stacked) on the top-left of the box during shipping. No tell-tale damage to the box, but since there is no packing between the table and top of the box, this damage could occur without damaging the box. Another strike against Estes for whatever they dropped/stacked on top, and a strike against Jet -- they should pack better, with some framing protection of the table or at least some crush room and "do not stack" warnings on the box.
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br /Jet agreed to replace the bent/broken parts, although I had to call back twice because they were having "system problems" and couldn't get the order entered.
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br /Now that it is all fixed (due to several hours of MY labor, phone calls, and waiting for parts), it is a great machine. Good fit and finish, beautiful flat table, smooth running. But it was absolutely my worst tool purchase experience, due to the manufacturer's bad packaging and poor choice of shipper.
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br /Shipping damage and leaked oil seem to be common for this machine (see other reviews). If you are willing to accept that you may need to order parts from jet and do some repair work, the reward is a great machine. Just be ready to put in some labor to get there.

I chose this machine over the Grizzly since I like its looks primarily. But when it arrived sitting in a puddle of oil, I had doubts about my decision. The oil contaminated the spindle sand paper except for the smaller ones that came in a sealed bag. After the unpleasant clean up, I briefly ran the machine and it does seem to do its job. I would prefer it had variable speed but I don't think any of the other similar machines have that either. My porter cable hand held spindle sander does have variable speed and it comes in handy. But the Jet is a stationary machine and that makes it easier to control the work piece. This machine is well made with a nice sized cast iron top. The fit and finish is superior to the two Grizzly shapers that I have so maybe my choice is justified. I hear that others have had this oil experience with the Jet and that makes me wonder why they don't correct the problem or at least send the oil in a container to be put into the machine by the buyer. The oil spills out of the machine when tipped during shipping, I'm told. And why is that? It is quite common for freight companies to be careless. Manufacturers need to expect that and not disappoint their customers like this. Sorry for only 3 stars Jet. No oil all over would have meant 4 stars easily.

When I bought this Oscillating Spindle Sander I was glad Jet came out with it. The quality of this sander is very high, the only hangup I have is that I have to elsewhere to get my sleves.

I have been trying to buy one of these machines for over a year. In Fact I placed an order and waited and waited and my order was never filled. I have asked dealers and I have asked Reps at Shows and no one knows or will tell me why an order can't be filled. None of the wood working suppliers have any machines on the floor. I now ask the question WHY IS THERE SUCH A SHORT SUPPLY.pDale