Black & Decker 3 x 21 In. Dragster Belt Sander
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Does the job and does it well.
Pros
Cheap, well powered.
Cons
Made of Plastic, Dust Collection clogged and difficult to clean.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
As solid performer in the price point, I recommend it for the casual do-it-yourself'er, but not for professionals.
The first and foremost thing that you will notice about the Black and Decker Dragster is that it is cheap. We are talking really cheap. Now because of this ultra-low price point you shouldn't be expecting the world, or a solid metal sander. But what you get is perfect for around the house work.
Design
The dragster is a slightly modified belt sander, as it has a very small front roller with a large rear roller, capable of fitting 3" x 21" sandpaper rolls. This design is unique and allows for you to fit the sander into tighter crevices and do more precision work then a bulky sander, I have grown fond of the nimbleness of this sander.
Once you get past the rollers, you will see lots and lots of plastic, but you can't really expect much more from such a low cost tool. I am not sure there is a metal part on the body besides the screws holding it together.
Integrated in the unit is a small dust catching bag, and a cord to plug it in and get to work. To change the sandpaper simply pull out the lever on the side of the base of the unit and slide on, or slide off the paper as needed. Make sure to read the manual for tips on getting the most out of the sand paper.
Operation
To operate the dragster simply push the safety button in and pull the trigger, you will have instant full power response from the sander. And the power that it provides is plenty. I have used the sander to peel off old paint from the siding of my house, multiple layers of unknown age of paint, and it has not skipped a beat in approx. ~30 hours of use. It powers right through the paint and quickly reached to bare wood underneath, and I have had no issues with the motor stalling or feeling under powered.
The only issue that I have had is holding the sander upright for a long period of time caused the dust to clog the dust collection port behind the rear roller of the unit. There is no way to easily access this to clean it or free it of debris so now the dust collection doesn't really effect the operation of the machine, just and inconvenience.
Overall
I feel that given the price and the amount of use that I have put this sander through it has more the served it purpose and continues to run strong. I recommend it for around the house projects where it is nice to have but not a necessity, it is not built to professional standards, but it rocks around the house as needed.
Design
The dragster is a slightly modified belt sander, as it has a very small front roller with a large rear roller, capable of fitting 3" x 21" sandpaper rolls. This design is unique and allows for you to fit the sander into tighter crevices and do more precision work then a bulky sander, I have grown fond of the nimbleness of this sander.
Once you get past the rollers, you will see lots and lots of plastic, but you can't really expect much more from such a low cost tool. I am not sure there is a metal part on the body besides the screws holding it together.
Integrated in the unit is a small dust catching bag, and a cord to plug it in and get to work. To change the sandpaper simply pull out the lever on the side of the base of the unit and slide on, or slide off the paper as needed. Make sure to read the manual for tips on getting the most out of the sand paper.
Operation
To operate the dragster simply push the safety button in and pull the trigger, you will have instant full power response from the sander. And the power that it provides is plenty. I have used the sander to peel off old paint from the siding of my house, multiple layers of unknown age of paint, and it has not skipped a beat in approx. ~30 hours of use. It powers right through the paint and quickly reached to bare wood underneath, and I have had no issues with the motor stalling or feeling under powered.
The only issue that I have had is holding the sander upright for a long period of time caused the dust to clog the dust collection port behind the rear roller of the unit. There is no way to easily access this to clean it or free it of debris so now the dust collection doesn't really effect the operation of the machine, just and inconvenience.
Overall
I feel that given the price and the amount of use that I have put this sander through it has more the served it purpose and continues to run strong. I recommend it for around the house projects where it is nice to have but not a necessity, it is not built to professional standards, but it rocks around the house as needed.
