Astro 3036 Air Belt Sander Review for Woodworkers

Removal of unwanted surface residue has been a bit tough when it’s on a crucial and tiny area. The Astro 3036 an air belt sander makes it so simple. No matter what object you need to sand it can help you. Welding residue on a metal sink or sanding a glass everything is possible with it. Need to know more about it? Let’s dive into the details of this belt sander.

Key Features of Astro 3036 Air Belt Sander

1. Belt tension lever

Astro tools are easy to use because of the belt tension lever. Whenever you need to change or replace a sanding belt because of the lever, it becomes simple and easy. You just need to pull the lever down to release the tension and take off the old belt and replace with a new one.

2. Handle

The handle plays an important role when working with this kind of a belt sander as you have to hold it for long with your hand. The handle is claimed to be anti-slip to help the workers. If you don’t have the proper grip on the handles, it becomes tough to concentrate on the work and get the best work out.

3. Speed Control

At the end of the handle, there is a switch to control the speed. It helps to change the speed when needed. You might not need the same belt speed every time. Change of items will lead you to adjust the speed at times. When working with thin objects, you might not need the best speed from Astro 3036.

4. Belts

The Astro is well aware of the users need. They provide you with 3 belts with different grit level. The tool is also designed in a way to help the belts adjust anyway. It has got the perfect pulley space to adjust with a higher grit sanding belt and help to get the job done. The belts will help to get the advantages of using a belt sander.

Specifications

Pros

• Perfect grip on the handle no slip
• Adjust the belt tension with a simple lever
• Increased pulley space
• Three variable size grit belts come with the package
• Lightweight tool easy to work

Cons

• No cover over the belt
• May need to oil the wheel frequently for sound operation

Our Findings

So, before coming to this section everything was positive, but it can’t be true in this materialistic world. So let’s check out whether this tool has got the quality to please the users.

1. Performance

This is a belt sander that does not come with a wide belt, and we have seen the belt sander with wide belts that run at a great speed. Those wide belt sanders are pretty much capable of making the object smooth and clean by taking care of the surfaces in a great way. This Astro 3036 comes with a long and narrow belt that helps to reach the inner places where you need to sand.

This sanding tool is powered by compressed air, and it uses a 90 psi air pressure to operate the tool. It has got a 1/4″ air inlet to support the system. It might not have the capacity to sand a large area in seconds, but it will surely help the users to reach the critical places easily. Also, the handle and belt tension lever is designed in a way to make the sanding job enjoying for a user.

2. Ease of use

As this belt sander has got a narrow belt to sand the objects, the gross weight of the tool is comfortable to carry. Also, the handle of the tool makes it enjoyable to work with. The handle is padded with rubber to make sure it doesn’t slip by chance.

How to Use and Maintain Astro 3036 Air Belt Sander?

1. How to and where to use Astro 3036?

Astro 3036’s belt is 3/8″ x 13″. So you can see it’s not the kind of belt sander that can help the users for heavy stock removal. It’s best to use where regular belt sander can’t reach. When you need to sand in a tiny place, it will reach the surface comfortably.

2. How to change the sanding belt and how much grit it supports?

With the belt tension lever, it becomes easier to set and take off the sanding papers. You just need to pull the lever down to loosen the sanding paper to take and insert a new one. It has got the increased pulley space to fit in any grit sanding belt. Even you are getting 120 grit sanding belt with the package.

Customers’ Feedbacks

The Astro 3036 air belt sander has a 4.4 Amazon rating. The customers are happy with the performance and the price of the product. They have highly praised the variable speeds of the machine. They are very content with the delivery since the product comes fully assembled. However, some of the user complained about the durability of the belts.

We know some people who use this sander, and we went on to ask them about their opinions. They’re pretty happy with the product. Some of them have even claimed that this is the best belt sander they’ve used due to its easy handling. Another customer has claimed that it’s the best budget belt sander for offering so many options at such a small price.

Whom Is Astro Air Belt Sander Ideal For?

Done with all the cutting, nailing, and welding? Now it’s time to give the wood/ plywood / metal piece a smooth finish. There comes the belt sander into the action. Astro 3036’s belt is not wider like the heavy belt sander so it can reach at any angle easily and help the users to get a smooth finish over any particle no matter how tiny the place is. The product is designed for both amateurs and professionals. Since it offers various speeds for sanding, it’s popular among the people who have recently bought a new property and need to work on everything or people who want to redo their homes. Kitchen remodeling is one of the most popular uses of the product.

Our Final Thoughts

After talking about the Astro 3036 belt sander in details, it’s time to give our verdict on the product. And here it is.

This is a compact belt sander that’s very easy to use and comes at a reasonable price. It helps you reach the critical and tiny areas easily where a wide belt sander can’t. Though it’s a small tool, it has got the ability to help you make the surface smooth even after welding on a metal object. If you want to get yourself a budget belt sander with the facilities of a high-end belt sander, you might want to take a good look at this product.

FAQ

Question : Would it be suitable for woodworking?
Answer : If you are looking for a belt sander that can take off a lot of surface residue, then it’s not the right choice because the belt of this tool is not wide enough to cover a big area on a single round.

Question : How to set a new sanding belt in this Astro 3036?
Answer : It becomes simple with the tension lever to set a new belt or change the belt for a higher grit. Just pull the tension lever down to lose the tension, then pull out the old one and set the new belt and pull the lever up to tighten up the belt for use.