Customer Reviews
Delta SA350K, great machine ,Needed work 
2007-01-09
Recieved machine new in box. oscalating gear was broke before starting machine. called Delta Tools, They sent me anew one under warranty. registered the tool while on the phone with Delta. Installed the gear myself, The machine has been working great ever since. I would recommend this tool.
OK but!!! 2006-10-29
Comes with 5 vibration free spindles that can handle most of your contour needs. Poor dust management and sanding drums can work their way off the spindle. The sander does the job as well as can be expected for the price. The instructions are a little vague on how to install the sanding drums with the washers that are supplied. The parts list show on how they go on, but the written instructions tell a different way. The each drum needs a washer on top, but the 3/4" drum does not have one. It will slowly work its way off then rubber. I used one of my own washers to stop it from slipping upward. The dust bag is almost useless and the outlet in the rear is non-standard for vacuum hoses. I made an adapter using the top part of a 2 1/4" cone pickup tool that is glued with silicone onto a 2 1/4" to 1 1/4" hose reducer. This is a must and you will have a dust free sander.
Dead on Arrival 
2006-10-06
Don't even think about it. I thought with all the negative reviews about this, surely Delta has corrected the problem with this not oscillating. So I ordered it, assembled it and turned it on. Guess what? It doesn't oscillate. I looked at the nylon gear and it was stripped. So back it went to Amazon. Amazon is great about returns, and I did get money back. Now I just have to decide on the Jet or Grizzly combo. Too bad you can't give 0 stars.
6 hour wonder 
2006-06-25
I was working on finishing out a new front porch for a Historical Register house, and when I got down to making corbels I finally decided to order one of these tools. Setup was easy and the machine worked very well sanding the 3" thick three layer pieces. After running the machine 6 to 8 hours (not continuosly) it quit oscillating. The nylon gear that drives the up and down motion had stripped. My father got home from wintering in Florida and took on the repairs. He got it all apart and discovered (we think) the reason(s) for the failure. First, the horizontal drive shaft has a groove for the set screws, they weren't in it. They had torqued them into the shaft, damaging it and making the bearings too tight so it would hardly turn. Also the up and down guide shaft with the adjustable bolt on each side had the bolts set way to tight. There was no way that gear could handle all the force required to push that mechanisim the way they had assembled it. Also there was no lubrication on the bearings, he said. He machined the shaft so it would turn in the bearings, adjusted everything, put a drop of Marvel Mystery Oil on the bearings, and we are waiting for the new gear to arrive. It was hard to locate one, everyone seems to be out of them for obvious reason. Delta needs to get after whoever they have assembling this machine, as it is it's a blemish on a veneralbe line of tools. I hope this thing works when the gear comes, it was great for as long as it lasted. I've got a lot of drums for it too!
Wonderful tool 2006-02-25
The tool is well made and for the price, it is really great. It is built very sturdy, and has a great work surface which is rock solid. The fact that it comes with all the spindles is a real plus.
Have only one complaint. The spindle seems to be off center when it oscillates, just a tiny bit. By that I mean it backs away from the work on the up stroke and towards the work on the down stroke. It may be something I can adjust.
Best price I could find.... 
2007-12-28
This was the best price, ($249) I could find for this cast iron, beginner's beauty. Did I mention I LOVE cast iron...it will never change shape because cast iron is inherantly stable...did I spell that right? Who cares, you get the point. Cast iron forever! Ps: mine operates very smoothly with no grunts or groans others have experienced. Go for it.
Same problem 
2007-11-12
I used this Delta spindle sander for about 4 working sessions only to have it quit oscillating also. Seemed great until this happened. Sounds like Delta needs to remedy the stripping gear problem before it would be recommendable to buy.
Works fine for me 2007-05-13
I was skeptical about getting this tool after reading all the negative reviews about how flimsy it was and how many broken gear/actuator arms people had encountered. I'm glad to say a friend of mine who owns one (a slightly older model, but to my eye exactly the same unit) talked me into getting it. We both build guitars, and a tool like this is invaluable.
My sander arrived without any problem, set up in minutes and was just fine right out of the box. The table was totally square to the spindle and needed no shimming, the oscillating function worked fine and it operates very quiet and vibration-free. Someone mentioned that the unit is light weight and could walk off a benchtop if not secured. I don't find this to be true at all. While the base is plastic, the table is cast iron and had quite a heft to it. I've run the sander sitting on top of a portable shop table and it stays put just fine. There is no tendancy for it to move at all, so I don't know what the issue was with the other reviews. The large, round table is ideal for what I need to do, and the fact that it's fixed (non-tilt) is a big plus for me. I need to get things square most of the time. I can always make a jig to get an angle, but not having to take the time to re-square the table (and hope it doesn't go out of adjustment) is great and a time saver.
I think some of the problems with the broken oscillating function in other reviews might be because people are trying to hog off more wood than the unit is designed to handle. In my case, it's used for delicate trimming and smoothing. I probably will never sand anything taller than 3", and even then it would be to remove (for example) bandsaw teeth marks or to get the contour of a curve shaped just right. I've already tried this on hardwood (maple, indian rosewood, ebony) and as long as I don't force anything, I've had great results.
I called a local tool store and was give a $250 price plus tax, and the sander didn't include the extra spindle set (they wanted another fifty bucks if I remember right). Not only that, they didn't have it in stock and would need to order it...so please be prepared to wait two to three weeks. I ordered from Amazon, got it for $199 no tax, with the spindle set included. Took four working days to get here.
I'm very satisfied so far, and based on what I've experienced with my sander and the Delta unit owned by my buddy (six years and counting) I don't anticipate any major problems.
Took the work out of Sanding 2007-03-25
I fabricate wooden chairs, ottomans and tables which my wife adds custom graphics. Before I used a drill press and a home built drum to sand the curved surfaces of the chair parts. The BOSS sander has cut the sanding time by 300%. Plus it produces a much better finish.
Small Shop Spindle Sander 2007-02-19
For the weekend or hobby woodworker this tool is great. Obviously, a 1/4 horse motor cannot give the power of an industrial sander.I mounted mine on a home made mobile cabinet with locking wheels so I can easily move it around my small shop. I especially enjoy putting a square edge on plywood prior to edge banding......now I have no gaps along the edge.
