Sander / Grinder By illistration in my shop I have an older 6" x 60" Sunstrand belt grinder. This is a 5 HP machine. When set for 2000 sfm it's a fine sander for wood or graining Alum with the correct belt. At 3300 sfm it is great for deburring and sanding steel. More on practicalmachinist.com

Very simple idea but: belt for longer pieces where you need a more consistent pull, disc for smaller areas. More on reddit.com

Depends on what you want to make. It's hard to find belt Sanders rated for work with metal, so if you buy a harbor freight special, it will eventually break down or have an electrical short (which could cause a fire). That being said, my first three years of blacksmithing functioned off a 1x30 harbor freight belt sander. It works well enough while you save money for something better. I personally suggest scouring your local swaps and/or craigslist listings. I found a decent grinder for about $150 that is loud but works great on metal. You just might get lucky if you're persistent. More on reddit.com

If you want a belt sander built like a tank that can perform 25+ years of regular active service, the only player left in the game is Makita. There are no other top end belt sanders, although Porter Cable is quite good. The upper middle market fell away many years ago with the influx of cheaply manufactured ones, leaving only the very most robust to survive. DeWalt hasn't made a belt sander for about 12 years now. Bosch & Metabo still make options, but not for North American voltage. Bosch left the belt sander game in North America years ago. I'm just making the assumption you're in NA because of your use of the $ sign, I realise I might be wrong. Whatever option you choose, you should know that the better belt sanders have cork and graphite pads between the steel bottom plate and the belt. The cork goes between the graphite and the steel, and the graphite faces the belt to help create a low-friction surface. Replacement pads are inexpensive and should be stocked at dedicated tool/woodworking/industrial stores. Of the Makita models there is one that is a bit of a step down and it's the 9911KX1. This is a basic 3x18 UK-made model, whereas the others are larger, heavier, Japanese-made tools. If you are specifically doing flooring, just flooring, the most popular model is the 9924DB. It can take a 4" wide belt even though it is a 3"x24" sander, is heavy enough that its own weight gives the correct pressure, has a really long cord and a fixed RPM (no variable speed). Tracking will be bang on 25 years from now. More on reddit.com