Belt sanders we built

[lane]

Well spent the weekend finishing up some belt sanders my buddy Monty and I built for our shops. Just need a motor for mine . Found his motor on e-bay last week.Here are some pictures.


I got the plands From my friend Bill Pace . He had built one and I thought it was nice I changed some things Made the frame out of 5/8 thick alum. and Bill casted Monty and I some large wheels to drive the belt . They turned out nice

[wierdscience]

Nice job,I've had building one of those on my list for a couple years now.

[JRouche]

Very nice, you guys did a great job. Make sure to "tip" caster, they dont come cheap....

How do you adjust for tracking?

And, are the wheels crowned, one or both?

Nice, JRouche

[lane]

traching is the black star knob on the left side top the bottom wheel is crowned I showed how i did it two weeks ago using my old van norman Mill might look up the post.

[Carld]

Well done.

[YankeeMetallic]

I'm getting ready to build a big one myself out of parts that I have been collecting for a while. I haven't decided on belt width as of yet either 2 or 4 " with a free space of at least 15" between top pulley and platform.
You did a nice job!

[cybor462]

Sweet job.
Did one of the mags have plans for that? I thought I saw it and now forget where. I should have one. What rpm is the motor? I have a new 3/4hp 1725 rpm motor. I should make one of these myself if my motor will work.

Real sweet job.

[Your Old Dog]

Great looking project! I at one time had a 2x72 Wilton belt sander and found it the workhorse of the shop. I've been collecting stuff to build one. I sure hope it comes out as nice as yours !! I used my 2x72 to make knives with and you can grind anything you can't jig in the mill/lather. Just a great tool to have.

I should ask, billett?

[Peter S]

Lane,

nicely done! Can I offer a couple of ideas - a rubber wheel is nice/essential to work against.

Also, for anyone planning to make one, I have used the type in this link for many years, they are fantastic little units (2"x36" belt), they fit to an existing bench grinder. Notice how the working wheel is supported internally, there is no part of the frame outside the belt width in the area of the wheel. This allows you to move your job around freely at any angle to the belt.
These Multitool linishers are one of the most useful tools I have ever used. Made in Australia, we bought our first one probably 20 years ago. Can't say I have ever used the angled plate and face sander though, in fact the bits were lost years ago. there was also an attachment for sharpening chisels and plane blades, also lost....
To change the belt, you push against the rubber wheel, it is telescopic and spring loaded. It pushes back and latches. Fit the belt and trip the latch, instant tension. There is a little lever for adjusting the belt tracking.

http://www.ausmultitool.com/Item/MT362BAL6.htm

[sandiapaul]

Yes very nice..where does one get plans?

[Bill Pace]

Since Lane is at work today and and I'm sorta involved with this neat little sander, I'll try and answer some questions.......

Cybor, my version has a 1750 motor, I coluldnt lay my hands on a face mount anyway and I had this one on hand........... so like a good HSM'er I "ADAPTED"------



Just as a "for what it worth" this design has the 2x42" belts which is one of the less common sizes to find, though a feller could extend it to accept a 48", I suppose, which is real common.

The Plans----- well, I seem to remember I got them from a member on the forum here .... George Barnes, (are you a member, George?) anyway, he freely sent me the copies and I would think he wouldnt mind if I shared them, so if anybody wants to PM me I'll see if I cant get you a set, theres 5 pages 8x11. George just sent them as an email attachment and that prolly what I'll do.

I guess the big wheel CAN be a stumper, --- might could adapt one of the rubber coated caster wheels, which might be nice to get the benefit of the rubber backing...... I was a Dave Gingery fanatic a few years ago and I've got all the casting stuff so it wasnt a big deal to whip up a couple (I cast the top one also on mine) The plans arent any help on a source.

[George Barnes]

Hey Bill,

I'm still around here, just not very vocal.

The credit for the design of this sander belongs to someone else. A friend of mine bought one of these at an auction a few years ago and I did a quick R&D on it. You know, Rip off and Duplicate. Well, on paper at least. It appeared to be a manufactured item. Either it did not have a name on it or I have completely forgotten what it was. All that I did was to convert the quick sketches into drawings.

Bill, one question for you, it appears that the tracking adjuster is reversed on yours. The arm that the set screw pushes against should be on the sanding belt side of the main frame plate. Is the main frame hole threaded and the arm has a hole in it and the tracking is controlled by adjusting the nut? Just wondering.



I like the addition of the platen and the table on your friends machine. I probably ought to update drawings to reflect those additions....someday.

[lane]

Yea bill yours is backwards. These are copies od a Baldor sander we have some at work . and they are exact copies except the baldor has a 7inch ribber groved drive wheel and the upper wheel is 4 inches in dia. then it will use the 2x48 inch belt that being the only difference except for some gaurds. I copied the table and back bracket right off the baldor. Brought it home one evening and layed it on a piece of 1/4 inch plate and traced out a pattern and ran them thru band saw. you could buy one of those rubber wheels but me I`m CHEEP if i can make it i dont buy it . I made 2 wheel out of 4 layers of mdf board with a steel insert untill my buddy Bill made the castings for us.

[7018]

Bill thanks for taking the time to send me the plans.......

[DR]

I just paid 20 bucks for an older Craftsman 1x42 sander similar to the one Lane made. Light, very handy to move around the shop where needed.

As the seller was demo'ing I noticed the belt was turning the wrong way. He mumbled something about switching wires to reverse direction. Okay, no problem.

Once back to shop I took the bottom cover plate off....hmmmm, only two wires going to the motor. Non-capacitor motor. Obviously switching them won't do anything.

So how did the motor direction become reversed? Maybe the armature was turned end for end? Nope.

It turned out the stator in this grinder motor is symetrical end for end. Someone had turned it around. By switching it back I got the correct rotation. Strange.

Anyway, I recommend these type grinders. Mine will never get bolted down (unless I get a couple more). Today I used it by the lathe and across the shop at a mill.