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Thickness Sander


Stevo
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Stevo - I would suggest you visit a wood working tool shop and look at their sanders. As an example: http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2004943/2381/JET-Benchtop-Sander-Model-10-20-Plus.aspx

This small machine is some thing you could look at for info on how it is built!

There was a good article in one of the wood working magazines a while back that also had the plans for building a drum sander! Unfortunately, I cannot find the article. The drum to which the sand paper was attached was rotating below the work piece and you would just push the work piece across an exposed area of the sanding drum. Very simple! Very much like a Joiner except no blades just sand paper!

Leo

 

Edited By Luther Oswalt on 02/03/2014 22:05:29

Edited By Luther Oswalt on 02/03/2014 22:08:20

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Upstairs I have a bench thingy that is designed to take a standard router mounted on its back. The cutting tool sticks up through the work surface. It has fences so that pieces of timber can be shaped by the router bit.

It makes a router into a shaper.. I understand that a shaper is about the most dangerous machine in a woodworking workshop.

I have used it. I took care.

I have warned you.

Would this be the way to go? Could you make suitable fences to do what you need - at much less expense?

Plummet

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ok I'm beginning to move on this... got a 1/4HP motor, and found this: -

Thickness sander build your own plans Departed with a fiver and downloaded the plans. Will scale down to suit as it's a bit large for what I want. I have a different conversation with SWMBO.

Found various bearings, axles etc on ebay. Paid at end of the month! Will start to order then.

Anyone got a sheet of 12mm birch ply they dont want?

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Posted by Budgie Daz on 01/03/2014 19:57:31:

Nice one Steve, keep us updated with your progress mate.

Some years ago I went to Boston on holiday, and had tried to arrange a visit to the NYW through the American TV company WGBH that does the show. At the time (mid 90's) you could have a workshop visit. Unfortunately the dates I was there was when Norm was away on his holidays!

Norm is the man when it comes to woodworking. "And there is no more an important rule than to wear these, safety glasses". Ah, I can hear him now.

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OK got moving on it after much thought.

Started off by cutting 16 12mm x x76mm discs..

drumsander 1.jpg

These are the end bearings..

drumsander 4.jpg

1/2" EN6 Mild steel shaft, pulley and bearings: -

drumsander 3.jpg

Managed to drill the shaft at 4.1mm (wow.. tough stuff!) and put a 4mm bolt through. Routed one of the many 12mm ply discs as a key to hold the drum tight on the shaft (belt and braces): -

drumsander 2.jpg

And yes Norm Abraham fans, I can now mention the word GERLOOO... Loads of aliphatic and 4 clamps keep it all in place: -

drumsander 5.jpg

I 'll leave that lot to cook overnight. Once the sander is almost complete and I have a drive to this shaft from the motor, I'll use turning tools to make the entire drum concentric to the shaft and a uniform diameter.

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Posted by kc on 30/03/2014 14:51:30:
A biscuit ( woodworkers type! ) could make a fair substitute for a wing dowel......

If the exposed side of the biscuit ever gets damp then it will be useless as they swell greatly and will not fit into it's corresponding slot. Then you have the hassle of trying to get the remainder out of it's glued slot which is nigh on impossible. I wouldn't use one for this purpose.

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I use digestives myself, they just get soggy and dont swell. cheeky

Ive ordered some 12mm birch ply for the housing - get this. A 1/4 sheet delivered off ebay, £35 (2'x4'. Went to timberclick.com, £43.20 for a WHOLE sheet (8'x4'. OK so they charge £6 for delivery, but as I'm having some decking delivered, it was free... so for an under a extra tenner I get the rest (3/4) of the sheet!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Finally designed and built the 'box'. All 12mm birch ply, all biscuit jointed and glued with aliphatic.

Slotted holes in the base are for the 1/4HP motor. The holes at the top take the bearings for the main drum spindle.

drumsander 6.jpg

drumsander 7.jpg

drumsander 9.jpg

And of course the on/off switch..

drumsander 8.jpg

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More done today. OK so the photos are retrospective, but you get the idea.

 

First, until the correct size belt arrives, I clamped the motor in place so I could make the drum 'round'

drumsander 12.jpg

Then made a temporary 'tool rest' and took some of the rough edges off...

drumsander 10.jpg

OK so it was NEVER going to be perfectly parallel like this, so reinstated the brace, and whilst rotating, ran a router with a 12mm bit , taking off 1mm...

drumsander 11.jpg

After sanding, all was dead stright and parallel.

I then sealed it with some thinned varnish.

I needed two bushes for the table raising mechanism (all will become apparent later). 12mm brass ino the lathe, 3mm shoulder machined and M8 thread through the center.

Parting off:-

drumsander 13.jpg

Finished articles..

drumsander 14.jpg

Edited By Stevo on 10/05/2014 14:43:22

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  • 2 weeks later...

More done today and more inventiveness yes

Here's how the table is pivoted. one M* length of studding and some rose joints. This will make for individual adjustments of the table to get it dead parallel to the sanding drum.

drumsander 18.jpg

drumsander 17.jpg

drumsander 15.jpg

Theres absolutely no play there at all whilst being fully adjustable. I wedged the table in position and took a 1.5mm cut on some scrap balsa.

Absolutely blinkin' PERFECT laugh

drumsander 16.jpg

But like an idiot I didnt connect up the dust extraction. Will spend the next 30 mins with a hoover...

I've got ideas for the adjusting mechanism. More later.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey, don't wrap this up. There may be a lot more interest than you think. Just because people don't post comments doesn't mean they're not interested.  I've only just found the thread and it looks really good.

Unless you are saying you are no longer interested.

Edited By Lazygit on 31/05/2014 01:13:54

Edited By Lazygit on 31/05/2014 01:25:29

Edited By Lazygit on 31/05/2014 01:26:56

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