Hi Mich,

How do you control it?

Variable speed would be nice but I don't have that option.

That leaves grit and experience.

I use 60, 80 and 100 grit depending on what I am doing and the width of the edge that I am working. 60 or 80 for shear clamps and 100 for trimming the deck edge or fairing the flat panels before stitching.

With the belt sander you can't let the full weight of the tool bear on the material - removes too much material and can cuse the panel to deflect. You just have to feel what you are doing through the machine, kinda like "tipping" the bubbles with a brush. The first thing to learn is where the "plane of the belt" is. When the beltsander is flat on a surface, then flat IS flat. When you are suspending it in the air you have to know where "flat" is relative to your material being sanded. As you get the feel of the process you will be able to control the tool better and be able to remove more material without [too much ;-)] danger of overshooting the mark.

While you can count on "feedback pressure" with a beltsander to guage the rate of material removal an electric planner is a different story - it removes EVERYTHING that it touches. I use mine for real coarse work. You have to use the front plate as a "fence" and a fine cut. I am still gaining experience with the planner - the "OH SH!T" factor is getting less and less.

All said, handtools to a fine job. It is a choice of finesse or brute force. But then I am the kind of guy that will use a chainsaw and an axe to "remove a log off of a bow" in a hurry ;-)

Hope this helps.

Hank