Thread: Turning a bandsaw in a small belt sander

Originally Posted by bosox

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?

HI Bosox I believe so....... Judging from the other post’s there appears to be a couple of forum members that have gone down this track already the only thing that concerns me is…. my machine has two wheels and not three as in the case of the other bandsaws mentioned.
But if necessary I can make new wheels to suit I have a metal lathe and a mill although in saying that I may not have the experience but you never know till you give it ago….. And that’s what I said to my wife before we started to have a family

Colbra Col
PS
I will keep you in the loop with things in regards to the bandsaw not the wife.

Originally Posted by crowie

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

Hi Pete
The belts are not a problem I can get them in Sydney about $1.50 in lots of
15,30 45,and whatever comes next I have my slippers on so thats as far as I can count ....will not have thongs on till the sun comes up
PS Col
Pats snoring again

Originally Posted by Avery

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...

HI Avery I am starting to think that it might not work as well with only two wheels all the posts so far are talking three wheels do you have an opinion on this please

Colbra

If anyone else is keen to try this but doesnt have a cheap bandsaw then I notice that Aldi is selling little bandsaws for $100.

ALDI - special buys from sat 04 aug - hurry, limited stocks in store*

I've bought a bit of the Taurus brand and find it cheap but serviceable - good for the things you dont use much or arent worried about the last degree of accuracy.

cheers
Arron

Originally Posted by colbra

HI Avery I am starting to think that it might not work as well with only two wheels all the posts so far are talking three wheels do you have an opinion on this please

Colbra

I can't see that it would make any difference Col.

Three wheeled bandsaws were just a way of putting a larger bandsaw into a benchtop configuration - I don't think that it ever worked very well.

The only problem that I can see would be running the sanding belt at an appropriate speed - whatever that may be.

Interesting idea Col. Its always cool to resuse something that otherwise would not have been used. Glad to hear you only wear thongs in the sunshine! My wife snores too! I have a lifetime supply of pure silcone ear plugs!
Bret

Originally Posted by Arron

If anyone else is keen to try this but doesnt have a cheap bandsaw then I notice that Aldi is selling little bandsaws for $100.

ALDI - special buys from sat 04 aug - hurry, limited stocks in store*

I've bought a bit of the Taurus brand and find it cheap but serviceable - good for the things you dont use much or arent worried about the last degree of accuracy.

cheers
Arron

HI Arron it would be great if people tried my idea but as I stressed in the posts so far it’s only an idea at this stage with me.
Although the Aldi band saw sounds like a good buy…. but it would worry me if someone bought the bandsaw solely to make a sander from it… and then it did not work.
Some of the forum members have already made one but they used a three wheel machine.
It is my intention to have ago over the next week or two.
What does slow me down is the fact that I have to buy the belts in lots of 15 at a time or multiples of that. They work at a $1.50 plus GST it’s not a lot of money but when you’re on a pension ever bit counts.
So anyone is thinking about making it, might want to wait to see how mine turns out in saying all that I believe you can get a sanding belt for the Jet machine I am sure I read that or seen it on the internet.

I will send you a PM about your signature that is my back yard

Colbra

Originally Posted by Arron

If anyone else is keen to try this but doesnt have a cheap bandsaw then I notice that Aldi is selling little bandsaws for $100.

ALDI - special buys from sat 04 aug - hurry, limited stocks in store*

I've bought a bit of the Taurus brand and find it cheap but serviceable - good for the things you dont use much or arent worried about the last degree of accuracy.

cheers
Arron

Looking at the image of the Taurus band saw, either the fence (parallel guide) is in the wrong place or the saw must only be for short pieces.

I'm guessing that advertising product photographers are not woodworkers .

cheers
Arron

Originally Posted by Handyjack

Looking at the image of the Taurus band saw, either the fence (parallel guide) is in the wrong place or the saw must only be for short pieces.

This seems to happen quite often in machine ads.

I would guess in this one that the table has been assembled 90' out of whack.

There is a photo on the Hare and Forbes website of a router table with opposing featherboards and a I remember another for, I think , a table saw where the featherboard was behind the blade.

Originally Posted by colbra

HI Bosox I believe so....... Judging from the other post’s there appears to be a couple of forum members that have gone down this track already the only thing that concerns me is…. my machine has two wheels and not three as in the case of the other bandsaws mentioned.
But if necessary I can make new wheels to suit I have a metal lathe and a mill although in saying that I may not have the experience but you never know till you give it ago….. And that’s what I said to my wife before we started to have a family

Colbra Col
PS
I will keep you in the loop with things in regards to the bandsaw not the wife.

That’s what we call motivation! Achievements are never reached when you follow the word “stop”. I’ll be hanging around waiting for your band saw updates and not your wife. LoL

Originally Posted by bosox

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?

Hi All
At this stage not to sure on things but will push on
Just a quick up date on things I am trying to make a belt to suit the bandsaw it would not be woth wild buying any if it will not work
I have broken two so far..... have another one glued and clamped up will try again in morning
Colbra

Ps First belt to short.... Second just broke but not on the bond not sure why... still pressing on

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Interesting idea Col. Its always cool to resuse something that otherwise would not have been used. Glad to hear you only wear thongs in the sunshine! My wife snores too! I have a lifetime supply of pure silcone ear plugs!
Bret

Hi Brett so does my wife I did record the snoring once...... that was not a good idea I payed dearly.
colbra

Originally Posted by colbra

Hi All
At this stage not to sure on things but will push on
Just a quick up date on things I am trying to make a belt to suit the bandsaw it would not be woth wild buying any if it will not work
I have broken two so far..... have another one glued and clamped up will try again in morning
Colbra

Ps First belt to short.... Second just broke but not on the bond not sure why... still pressing on

I hope you get it done by the third try.