Thread: Turning a bandsaw in a small belt sander

Interesting idea. What advantages do you expect to gain over your Delta machine?

I put a post up a couple of years ago about turning my 3 wheel band saw into a sander.
The advantage being it has more thoat space and is higher so you can move your work around the sanding belt on a larger table(being the bandsaw table).
I hooked the steel back plate to the old blade guides.
It has worked well for many years.
Phil

The small size belt sanders similar to the delta model are getting hard to obtain although….you can get small belt sanders that are referred to as electric files also as air tools.
The main use as I see on this forum is for fine detail work in the areas that I mentioned in my post.
Some advantages might be the fact that you can go down to a very small width for sanding fine detailed work from 20mm to 6 or 8mm may be even smaller.

Delta only has a 1inch belt although you would be able to get smaller belts from the company I also mentioned in my post.

The delta 1inch sanding machine does not have much flexibility in the way it is set up.

With the sanding in band saw you can slacken off the belt a bit and sand contours
You could support the back of the belt and sand right angles... if you put a shape behind the belt such a half round or square or v you could push into that contour and sand to that shape. Belts can be changed quickly.
There would be other advantages that people who do detailed work may have in mind.

And probably the best advantage is I can go up to my shed and go into my little world for a couple of hours build the machine see if it works….. and if it doesn’t work whose gunna know after all its only an idea that I wanted to share on the forum.

Colbra

Originally Posted by Prime mover

I put a post up a couple of years ago about turning my 3 wheel band saw into a sander.
The advantage being it has more thoat space and is higher so you can move your work around the sanding belt on a larger table(being the bandsaw table).
I hooked the steel back plate to the old blade guides.
It has worked well for many years.
Phil

Thanks Phil its good to get a bit of positive feedback… that gives me a bit more confidence in going ahead with the idea can you put some pictures up for me please.
Colbra
PS I was thinking of moving this over to Bandsaw section of the forum

What made you decide to turn your band saw to a small belt sander?

That is a great idea, I can find uses for it for CNC work that need detail sanding especially for perspex.
The guy I know in Cairns who manufactures perspex items has always used one of those small belt sanders to detail cut the perspex.
In a manufacturing environment, a scroll saw is too fiddly..
Might buy one next time I get to Cairns.
Cheers
Wolffie

Originally Posted by colbra

Thanks Phil its good to get a bit of positive feedback… that gives me a bit more confidence in going ahead with the idea can you put some pictures up for me please.
Colbra
PS I was thinking of moving this over to Bandsaw section of the forum

Don't worry about putting pictures up Phil I just found you old post on using a bandsaw for a belt sander...... unless you have some others pictures that we have not seen.
Thanks again Col

Originally Posted by bosox

What made you decide to turn your band saw to a small belt sander?

HI Bosox how are things in Boston... If I could refer back to my original post it's only an idea at this stage and all feedback is welcome.
What do you think of the idea...... the otherthing is my method of writing it’s my humour I thought I must explain that. I do get myself into trouble at times with overseas members…. Some forum members have got used to it others just can’t get there.
Just to sum up reference to my last post …..
I have not been to Jail unless it was to visit the rest of the family… And I can count past ten as a matter of fact I can go right up to twenty.

PS in Australia we all wear thongs so our toes are exposed and that way we can count up to 20….. and the thongs I refer to are our footwear
Colbra

Originally Posted by Wolffie

That is a great idea, I can find uses for it for CNC work that need detail sanding especially for perspex.
The guy I know in Cairns who manufactures perspex items has always used one of those small belt sanders to detail cut the perspex.
In a manufacturing environment, a scroll saw is too fiddly..
Might buy one next time I get to Cairns.
Cheers
Wolffie

Thanks for you reply Wolffie if you go ahead with the idea let us know how it went
Colbra

Originally Posted by colbra

Thanks Phil its good to get a bit of positive feedback… that gives me a bit more confidence in going ahead with the idea can you put some pictures up for me please.
Colbra
PS I was thinking of moving this over to Bandsaw section of the forum

I can vouch for Phil's sander as I have spent a few full days in his shed and was really impressed with it. John ( Munrubben ) has also had a play on it. For Toy and Model making , it comes into its own and is a lot kinder on your fingers.

Star

Originally Posted by bosox

What made you decide to turn your band saw to a small belt sander?

One of the reasons you would do it is that a lot have upgraded to a larger two wheel model and they had this three wheeler which was often not that kind with bandsaw blades.

Hence, it was turned into a more user friendly sander, perfect for small intricate detail work.

Others might have other reasons.

Star

G'Day Col,
I have an old Craftmaster hobby 3 wheel bandsaw, bench mounted; [under a pile of stuff].
Anyway it originally came with a couple 6mm sanding belts which I never used...

It also has 3 speeds [internal pulley changes], so you'd be able to use the slowest speed for the sanding & not burn the timber.

You may also be able to get the sanding belt easier if they already exist.
Cheers, crowie

I have an old Hafco 3 wheel bandsaw. It originally came with sanding belts as a standard option. It is a 3 speed device. One speed for cutting metal,one for cutting wood and one for sanding. I have never used it as a sander but I do have the original belt for it somewhere. In fact i know exactly where it is - it's in the shed...

Everything’s fine here in Boston. How about you? The idea’s great. I never thought it could happen to a band saw. As for now, can you say that your idea is effective and achievable?