idk if this is the right place but i dont know if a regular belt sander like this one http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-3-in-x-18-in-Portable-Belt-Sander-BE318-2/100047418 could be used to sand and shape decks when placed upside down or sideways on a table?? has anyone tried this?? because ive seen the fl decks how its made video but im not sure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJtTWpV62xM

just buy one of these so you dont hurt your hand
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Skil-4-in-x-36-in-Belt-Disc-Sander-3376-01/204504292

yea thats a great idea but i dont have a spare 120 bucks to spend

Do take into consideration that the quality of the decks produced will be better/easyer by having the right tools for the job or simply having access to them somewhere. If you have a really good eye, take your time on each deck, make sure you have a good template and preferably a digital caliper and take the right steps when shaping you can get quite allright decks with a sander like that no doubt.. 

Hell.....Id shape a deck to perfection with plain sandingpaper or a butterknife if I had to....lol

Just lock it in a vice, use safety goggles at all times when shaping! Upside down or sideways comes down to preference. But whats more important is that there is a steady surface close to the sanding belt that you can use to feed those decks smoothly onto the belt at 90 degrees. For this, sideways would be best. At your budget this will work just fine..

Good luck and have fun!!  

so just use a belt sander and sand against it like in the video?

I havent seen that video..

Ahh..I guess you can do it like that. A little all over the place, but sure..

Bakko wrote:

Do take into consideration that the quality of the decks produced will be better/easyer by having the right tools for the job or simply having access to them somewhere. If you have a really good eye, take your time on each deck, make sure you have a good template and preferably a digital caliper and take the right steps when shaping you can get quite allright decks with a sander like that no doubt.. 

Hell.....Id shape a deck to perfection with plain sandingpaper or a butterknife if I had to....lol

Just lock it in a vice, use safety goggles at all times when shaping! Upside down or sideways comes down to preference. But whats more important is that there is a steady surface close to the sanding belt that you can use to feed those decks smoothly onto the belt at 90 degrees. For this, sideways would be best. At your budget this will work just fine..

Good luck and have fun!!  

some 60 grid sand paper is all i used back in the day. took hour but i couldnt afford a sander then

also there are so many things in this video that can go wrong if you dont know what your doing

I'd recommend the more expensive unit. It'll pay for itself with use in a variety of projects throughout your life. I tried cheap sanders when I started, well I pretty much tried cheap everything when I started...Now I've upgraded most of it because the others just don't do the job.

Yea, expensive tools are always better. But it is kinda overkill if he just wants to play around with making decks. You gotta start somewhere.

Compared to other deck makers like the ones who replied above, I am still very new, and in some ways still learning and perfecting my particular method to shaping decks. There is no real right or wrong way to make decks for yourself as long as you have a finished deck you are proud of. Start out with whatever means you have whether its a block and sandpaper or a belt sander. As your deck making skill increases you will outgrow these tools and look to purchase equipment that will help shape your decks with more precision.

I started out with hand sanding from start to finish, then a sanding drum in my drill press, and finally I bought a disk sander when I decided to start selling decks.