Thread: Uses for my hand held belt sander?

Put in vice upside down and use it as linisher
Cheers
Yachtie

Originally Posted by yachtie

Put in vice upside down and use it as linisher
Cheers
Yachtie

That's a thought but in my case, I already have a small benchtop belt sander. I also have a Sorby belt sharpener.

ooo!! ooo! me! me!

Ive a whole bunch of images Ill share! Im going to be making a few mighty jigs to use the belt sander as a super-dooper many-thing

This is how I used to have mine setup.

Dustyon.jpg
RAStop.jpg

Having two sanders means you can reduce belt/grit swapping.

I used to use one on a trammel for roughing circular table tops bigger than my lathe would handle.

I'd mark the circle with trammel/pencil setup, cut close to the line with a jigsaw and then use the trammel/sander to bring it to final dimension.

Google "belt sander racing"
You could be the first champion in Australia
cheers
Yachtie

"Hand held" belt sanders. Fantastic tool for sizing recoil pads on rifles and shotguns.
Three wraps of masking tape and a garbage bin bag to protect the action.
You cut until you nick the tape then quit. Maybe 1-2 mm above the stock surface.
I have a 15" LOP so I need some thing to take up the slack.

Belt sander drag racing? You have not done this? The most awesome crowd pleaser in a wood show.
It's the same as AA/F on the track. Wet your shorts funny.

These are some of the projects I'm considering.

On the Ply-tools, I really like the look. Steel is not my favourite material.

Homemade Edge Belt Sander Table Plans
Homemade Woodworking Lathe Accessories - Woodturning Tips - for the belt sander bit

These images are some of the "ideas" I've collected. Some aren't belt sanders, but use their belts, or a bastardisation thereof.


edge belt sander 3.jpg belt sander jig 3.jpg belt sander jig 2.jpg belt sander jig 4.jpg belt sander jig 5.jpg belt sander jig.jpg Belt Sander Upgrade.jpg belt sander flat.JPG

I caused a bit of a kerfuffle a while back when I said that belt sanders were verging on redundant technology. Random orbital sanders now do most things better and easier.

My Makita 100mm belt sander was bought in 1983, still going well, was used alot in the 1980's but recently only for:

• With 60 grit, to rip surface grime off salvaged timber to make identification of hidden nasties easier, and
• With 120 grit and upsidedown in vice - as a linisher - nothing as sophisticated as woodPixel or Bob's examples..

Have not tried drag racing - would need a longer cord!

The big Makita BS In a noisy brute of a tool.

I've used them to flatten timber panels too wide for thicknesser or wide belt. Makes quick work of a mill or two unevenness between boards, just takes some practice to get the technique right so you don't gunk into your nice timber and make your time with the orbital that much longer.

If you want to see how versatile and useful they can be, check out this guy, Ramon Valdez. He is very skilled with the belt sander. Belt Sanders - Tips & more - YouTube

It depends on the sander. It might be tiresome to hear, but Festool makes a sanding frame for their belt sanders that prevent digging in more than planned, and allows great, accurate flattening of large surfaces.

I did 25 doors with mine and the result was much better and faster than starting with a random orbital. The larger belt sander does not create little level variations between hard and softer parts of the grain pattern like a ROS does. Of course I finished with the orbital sanders. Homemade doors that look like they have been finished on a wide belt.

And yes, racing. I use 80 grit for best grip/acceleration.