Thread: E. G. Lacey and his Woodworking Machines

That’s good that the video runs.

The pink pulley ran a Richardson fan. Squirrel cage fan. I think thats what they are called. Rhichardson was a Melbourne maker . They’re a great fan . The fan sucked from a box that was fitted over the driving wheel for the belt on the left. And piped the dust filled air to the dumbest looking dust collection bag I’ve ever seen. A cotton bag not much bigger than two or three pillow cases. It basically inflated and spewed dust everywhere! .
I believe the shaft the pulley is on was the line shaft drive befits the pulley went on that possibly.
Years ago I mounted a new three phase motor seperate to the sander and new pulleys to that Richardson fan to speed it up and ran my dust extraction for the whole workshop above and then re connected the belt sander to that.

I’ve been considering taking off the pink pulley as there is no need for it . I just wondered if it helped balance things out though?

Rob

Next job on this belt sander was making the dust extraction hood around the wheel that drives the sand paper belt.
I looked at a few other machines and drew an idea of what I needed then started by welding some fittings to the machine to mount the hood. I drew a template and test fitted that and from there I just built what I needed as I went along.
It took most of a week to do. The steel is from an old Oil heater tank we all had down the sides of our houses in the 60s I picked it up years ago from a kerbside rubbish heap.

Cutting the 1.6mm steel was done with the jig saw and steel cutting blade.
The angle grinder with 1mm discs or the Steelfast band saw which was really good and fast on the manageable sizes.
Welding with the Mig welder.
A timber block was fitted inside to leave a tiny gap for the sand paper to pass through and a bolt on front piece in front of the wheel that has to be removed for the hood to come off the machine if need be.

IMG_4734a.jpg IMG_4738a.jpg IMG_4765a.jpg


The door needed hinges and I was almost going to make some but then I thought to go look in the hinge stash drawer.
A pair stood out, what a nice surprise! They were welded on and the door was swinging.

IMG_4781a.jpg IMG_4782a.jpgIMG_4783a.jpg

Next was the transition from the 200 x 150 rectangle to 150 round to match the spiral duct in my system.
I was considering using the heat treated PVC like I did on my PK table saw. It would have been faster to do but I was liking the way this looked so stuck with the steel. Ive never made a proper folded one so now was the time to forge ahead .

I started by gluing up a block of Oregon for a timber form to follow and made the bottom fit inside my out of square rectangle and the top had a center hole that a 150 round extra piece sat on. This had to all be precisely sized to exactly the internal sizes of the metal work needed.

IMG_4786a.jpg IMG_4789a.jpg IMG_4795a.jpg
With a steel ring made up to fit the top of the timber and also fit my spiral duct pipe.
Then it was divided up and a paper template made up which I used to cut out the two steel sides that would be welded together later.
IMG_4801a.jpg IMG_4803a.jpg IMG_4804a.jpg


I have a home made sheet metal bender that came in handy here. As well as a sheet metal stake for my Anvil that I had to go looking for. I couldn't remember where it was or the last time Id seen it. Its a bit rusty and needs a good polish up . It really was a good help using this. I also used a nice flat end grain log, part of a Liquid Amber tree that was also very handy as well. Hitting the right spot with a few types of peen hammer helped steer the metal to fit the form on this. No pictures taken of that.
IMG_4809a.jpgIMG_4805a.jpg IMG_4806a.jpg


The first two pictures below was a decent hard days work . I got the first half almost right and couldnt figure where I should hit it next to correct a problem. Flustered, hot and filthy I went in for a late lunch and a cuppa. When I came back to it rested, the solution to proceed was easily solved and came to me straight away. Its always amazed me how a rest from the problem does that.

IMG_4811a.jpg IMG_4812a.jpg IMG_4813a.jpg IMG_4817a.jpg

It now just needs a catch and knob and some paint.

IMG_4822a.jpg

IMG_4825a.jpg

Blast gate is next and then connection to the dust system.

Rob