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This is my variable speed belt sander created by combining a lathe headstock with a multi tool belt sander. The sander is held using threaded rod studs, it was only meant to be a proof on concept before turning a proper ring on the metal lathe but it's so solid and works so well I never changed it. RPM's are adjustable from 500-2000, it's a great tool.
Hi,Quote:
Originally Posted by Rorschach
Where did you get the Lathe Headstock ? I think I could use one of those. Please email me, banjo tom (at) hot mail (dot) com
Thanks,
Tom
Depending where you are you could contact suppliers of similar machine tools. I cannot say for definite though, I bought mine on ebay, a chance spot for a local pick up item, it was cheap, no-one bid because of the collection only. I thought it might be useful and it was!Quote:
Originally Posted by BanjoTom
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Thanks Rorschach! We've added your Variable Speed Belt Sander to our Sanding category,
as well as to your builder page: Rorschach's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:
<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-variable-speed-belt-sander"> <img src="/uploads/212136/homemade-variable-speed-belt-sander.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-variable-speed-belt-sander">Variable Speed Belt Sander</a> <span> by <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/builder/Rorschach">Rorschach</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/belt-sander'>belt sander</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
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By "multi tool belt sander" do you mean a Shopsmith add-on?
No it's an (Australian made I believe) attachment designed to go on bench grinders.Quote:
Originally Posted by Komo
Ha ha! Small world...Here's mine in 4". Bought with 8" grinder for $300 complete in 2003....now the attachment alone is about $400....very useful, standard 36 x 4 belt and 7" disc. Quiet strong induction motor, will go all day...
Attachment 25110
Attachment 25111
Jim in Sunny South Coast NSW, Australia
While I don't find the 2" version limiting, I wish I had bought a 4" version, after all you can always run a smaller belt on the larger machine, but not the other way around.
How often do you use it Jim? Have you had to replace the bearings on the grinder?
Looks much like my original purchase of a 1990 (model 48214), 2" one made by Linishall P/L fitted to an 8" GMF (Sydney) bench model . I had a 6" linisher & was concerned re bearings etc so bought the smaller size for bench work. I had a young guy working for me in mid nineties & had no work for him (in Winter) so set him to a days work sharpening tractor mower blades to help him out. I had many contracted parks on sand (at the beach) :the sand blasting played havoc with the blades and the whole mowing decks..What I required was- the blades ground on the grinder wheel side & then tip sharpened on the linisher side. The enthaustic youth enquired about the Ausie grinder & I told him it "was bullet proof" and would go all day (unlike my cheap Tormek). Upon my return He proudly advised the 1970's grinder was not bullet proof as he had managed to stop it more than a couple of times. So "you actually tried to stop it?" I asked. "Yeah, you said it was bullet proof & I had to find out....".SOME MOTHERS DO HAVE 'EM! I kept that one for staff & purchased another Ausie linisher for my own use.Both still go well. The newer grinder is not a patch on the GMF & the new linisher is not branded though I do have paperwork for it somewhere.
Cheers & thanks for posting
unless it is a makita (bit of a side step, to a portable--sorry)LOL
Ranald,
Mine does not get used for long periods, maybe 1-15 minutes several times a week. Bearings will probably outlast me! My only beef with the Abbott & Ashby grinder is the 2850 rpm fixed speed. you must be very careful when grinding chisels and such. I know I could put a speed controller on it, but it does the job nicely with a bit of care. It's most popular use is grinding countersunk screw heads down to 5mm diameter for making 'homemade' trim screws , that I use in my cabinetmaking hobby business. I can fasten adjacent carcasses through shelf pin holes or countersunk in 5 mm holes and filled with dowel. I use a LOT of screws. I have 10 sizes I buy in 1000 boxes. And I'm forever re-purposing steel and alum junk I have on hand for jigs and such. And I never throw a drill bit away, until it won't fit the General brand bit sharpener, about 1" long.....I guess I'm a pack rat, but not quite a hoarder....but then as a coworker frequently said in his own defence of pack ratism...., 'handy if you never need it...' Cheers
Jim
Hi Jim,
I guess, by using it mostly for screws, it should last a lifetime. The second one I bought for my personal use is a P.A. Multitool (NSW) & I have another one, a smaller version on my Metabo 115mm angle grinder. They are rated for continuous industrial use. I've never worried about using the disc sander as I have a 9" one with the 6" linisher. one day I will have used up all my 9" discs and use velcro ones as they are easier to change grits. Just curious, but If I understand it correctly; I'm surprised you can obtain 5mm dowels or do you use a steel block to resize as I do with larger dowels/square section-bit time consuming if assembling furniture. I have been tempted to make a larger disc sander for my Elu lathe that I seldom use as it has odd size threads (in Oz) for accessories but I have a large face plate, stainless, which would work a treat but time and chronic fatigue are my biggest issue at present.
Not sure about the newer speed controllers, but one had to be careful with older ones as they could cause damage to some types of motors. You wouldn't want to ruin an induction motor or a universal for that matter. I had one made for a small bandsaw around 1980 bu only used it ocassionally cause I didn't want to risk the little Itilian induction motor.
Thanks for posting
Cheers,
Ranald
Ranald,
I get 5mm whitewood (harder than basswood, not ramen but surely a SE Asian timber) from Spotlight In their craft section...always a good thing to poke around for opportune purchases while she is shopping! I use 28 and 45mm 'assembly screws' from Lincoln Sentry (wholesale cabinet supplies). The have a duplex, hi-low thread, sharp point, posidrive head. The key advantage is the head, which looks like an 8 x 1.5mm disc on top of a 5mm cylinder, a top hat design for sinking flush with no countersinks. I use a small countersink over a 3.5mm pilot (screw is 4.2mm diameter).
For the hidden screw, I grind the top hat down to the 5mm cylinder head. This gets countersunk into a 5mm hole (or a hidden shelf pin hole), then filled with 5mm dowel, easy peasy! I'm happy to help you source the screws if you like. I'm in China on holidays till 12 Sept, can contact then. Cheers
Jim
thanks Jim,
I once sourced sized dowels from the US. Cost a bomb, but were perfect for wooden thread bolts.
cheers
Are you in Aus?
Jim
Jim I'm at Black Mountain ; about 150k north of Bris in Noosa Hinterland.
Ranald
Ronald, check your profile, have left my contact details. We're probably boring the thread readers...
Jim
