Has anyone used a sanding belt on there band saw. Just curious if it will work for a beginner. Or would I save a lot of time and hassle by just purchasing a sander. 
Thanks
			
			
			
				Think it would be too much troublemwith the guides.
Belt sanders are a,good,investment.
			
			
			
				Check your local craigslist for used belt sanders.
			
			
			
				One of those harbor freight 1" belt sanders is a mighty handy tool. I use mine mostly for muzzle loader  metal work but I could see were it would be great for shaping a selfbow riser or tip overlays.
I got mine from Grizzly but it is identical to the Harbor Freight model. You can catch them on sale for a cheap price. They are not a high quality tool but serve their purpose. 
    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/a2d806d9-13c9-4a0a-8a5a-4cd52dea8764_zpsrdg2yv49.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/ekrewson/media/bow%20making/a2d806d9-13c9-4a0a-8a5a-4cd52dea8764_zpsrdg2yv49.jpg.html)
			
			
			
				Thanks
			
			
			
				This Combo Belt sander does a lot of work for the price. Good tool for a beginner.  
 https://m.lowes.com/pd/PORTER-CABLE-5-Amp-Benchtop-Sander/3163789