On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 20:24:15 -0400, (J T)
wrote:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=30749

It's a very intriguing concept, and I could definitely use
something along those line on a pending woodworking project. However!
Seems to me you wouldn't have all the fine control of it the ad writer
implies you would. If you had a couple of handles along the lines of a
chainsaw I think it could be accurate enough - nothing like a bit of
chainsaw carving. But set-up the way it is I'd be worried it would be
inclined to take more off in places then you wanted. I may get one
later, for metal-work, I think it would work fine for that, but just
wonder how well it would operate on wood.

Any of you guys have any experience with one of these? Good
experience? Or bad?

I used an air version of a similar tool- it wasn't a grinder
conversion, but a standalone thin belt sander with a handheld grip.
The idea is neat, but I found that for myself, it wasn't all it was
cracked up to be- the two major problems were that the belt liked to
slip off the roller on the end no matter how it was adjusted, and was
a PITA to put back on, and because the belt was so narrow and moved so
quickly, it had a tendancy to gouge things very quickly.

Useful for rough work, an maybe carving- but not really a finishing
tool in any sense of the word.