REVIEWED: Felder FST160 Sanding Table
Words: Damion Fauser
Controlling and collecting the fine dust from sanding is vital for a safe and clean operating environment. The FST-160 sanding table from Felder offers a ready-made solution for larger shops and I purchased one of these last year for my own shop. At time of writing, the retail price of this unit is $3,999.
With an operating surface of 1550 x 800mm, this table is large enough to handle most components other than large panels, which would likely go through a wide-belt machine anyway.
The working surface is a series of smoothly-dressed battens in European beech, creating a durable and hard-wearing surface. These battens are fixed to a steel frame that can be easily removed for cleaning inside the cavity if required. I would recommend supplementing the working surface with some non-slip drawer liner or something similar to soften the surface a little to protect your components from any bruising.
The stand is made from galvanised steel and is robust and solid. The overall mass of the unit is 120kg, meaning it sits solidly on the floor and has almost zero vibration in use. An optional set of wheels is available that makes this table easily mobile by one person.
The height of the work surface is easily and quickly adjustable between 726–1026mm. This is a feature that I really like as it means I can work with the table high when working on single components, or with the table down low when working on assembled pieces like tables and cabinets. Felder have cleverly designed the architecture of this frame so the unit can mount onto the FAT300 wheeled hydraulic trolley, which would make mobility even easier and increase the available working height to 1326mm.
The dust collection outlet is 140mm to suit Felder ducting, but simple accessories will step it up or down to suit your needs. The waste is drawn down into the table via the spaces in between the beech battens and airflow is maximised via a series of slots in the surfaces of the main cavity.
Minimum airflow for this table to function as intended is 1500m3/hour, meaning you’ll need to connect it to a fairly powerful extractor to get the most out of it. I have mine connected to a Felder AF22 and this provides sufficient draw.
The system is available from Felder outlets nationally and is reasonably priced for the capability it offers the larger workshop.
Available from www.felder-group. com/en-au
Damion Fauser is a Brisbane based furniture designer/maker who also teaches woodwork classes.