Sanding Solution

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Freetochat

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I have been looking at a sanding solution and wanted to get something more mechanised than a belt and orbital sander. I have been looking at one of these



But have heard that there are sometimes difficulties with panel feed and slipage on the feed belt.

I have seen this



although I don't know how it works or is operated, would it be a better route to take?
 
the second one is an automated pad sander, you position the pad where you want it to start and finish. good for veneers not really for heavy duty sanding.
 
It might not be precise enough for your sort of woodwork, but the Sand-Flee is popular with some scrollers in the USA. I've never tried it myself.

There are free plans available on the internet so that you could make your own for a fraction of the price if you wish.

Gill
 
Hi FTC

Steve Maskery has a large sander and I know that he is happy with it.

If he doesn't see this thread, just send him a pm.

Cheers
Neil
 
Newbie_Neil":1idf41el said:
Hi FTC

Steve Maskery has a large sander and I know that he is happy with it.

If he doesn't see this thread, just send him a pm.

Cheers
Neil

Thanks Neil!
 
I like the principle of the Jet, and Axminster gives good working tolerances for the machine. Does anyone know how easy it is to change the abrasive, thinking in terms of going up through the grits for a good finish.
 
I knew a maker who had a machine similar to this (the smaller Jet) and was very pleased with it, but make sure, FWIW that you also budget for a decent extractor to go with it as they produce a hell of allot of fine dust - Rob
 
woodbloke":2poz530u said:
I knew a maker who had a machine similar to this (the smaller Jet) and was very pleased with it, but make sure, FWIW that you also budget for a decent extractor to go with it as they produce a hell of allot of fine dust - Rob

Thanks - good point.
 
Freetochat":36cl7dbt said:
woodbloke":36cl7dbt said:
I knew a maker who had a machine similar to this (the smaller Jet) and was very pleased with it, but make sure, FWIW that you also budget for a decent extractor to go with it as they produce a hell of allot of fine dust - Rob

Thanks - good point.

You really cannot use one without an extractor.

Brad
 
Freetochat":29pf8897 said:
I like the principle of the Jet, and Axminster gives good working tolerances for the machine. Does anyone know how easy it is to change the abrasive, thinking in terms of going up through the grits for a good finish.

I have an older Ryobi drum sander (clone of Performax, Jet, et al) It is a bit of a pain to change abrasives. They may have improved that aspect in recent years though. I at first thought I would change up through the grits. Now I go no higher than 120 and usually stop at 80 (once the panel/door is flat). Then I work up through the grits with my ROS. It's not just the inconvenience of changing abrasives though, it's also the fact that you're more likely to get burning with the higher grits.

If you go this route, make sure you have good extraction, take very shallow passes, clean your abrasives often, be patient, use cloth-backed (as opposed to paper backed)abrasives and if you can, get a rubber feed belt as opposed to the abrasive feed belt.

Brad
 
The second one is what old codgers like to call a long stroke sander (no automation at all, Senior, unlike your wide belt) - capable of sanding quality to match hand sanding, however, the inexperienced user will need to opt for the much more expensive cloth backed-belts as paper backed belts take a much more sensitive and delicate touch to master. The belts are expensive (typically £10 to £15 each, and you'll need to buy 10 in a grit as a rule) and they sand quite aggressively, so sanding through veneers is a distinct possibility at first, mainly because the motion of sliding the pressure pad right to left with the right hand whilst using the left hand to control the in and out motion of the carraige can take some getting used to (like patting ones' head which rubbing ones' tummy......). You'll also nee a space about 10 feet x 6 feet to accommodate an 8ft machine as they are pretty big. BTW, I still use a Wadkin BGA long stroke sander, so I've become adept at this.........

As with any machine sander you'll need a very good extractor system.

Scrit
 
I used a (manual) pad sander to sand down all the original 1920's oak skirting and architrave in my first house in Minnesota ( the original finish was beyond repair). That was hard work. It was an old pad sander with no thought for dust extraction. :shock:

BTW, when I say it was old and manual, I mean manual--i.e. no levered pad such as seen here. Instead you just held a "pad" (block of wood) down on the lower section of belt and moved it back and forth across the workpiece. My best friend at the time, also ran one of these in a small factory, and the static build up was such that he had to have an earth lead attached to his wrist to dissipate the static.

Brad
 
senior":3q0wo377 said:
The auto ones do exist, honest, :D give a really good finish on veneers
Yep, I've seen them, too - a looooooong time ago.

wrightclan":3q0wo377 said:
BTW, when I say it was old and manual, I mean manual--i.e. no levered pad such as seen here. Instead you just held a "pad" (block of wood) down on the lower section of belt and moved it back and forth across the workpiece.
No self-respecting operator would run one of the lever pressure machines withouit a manual pad just for "tickling up" difficult pieces. Block of plywood, handle, graphite cloth and away you go.....,

Scrit
 
I recently bought a secondhand jet drum sander and I am very pleased with it. It takes less than a minute to change sandpaper, each end is retained by a spring loaded lever you just push the lever and insert the end of the paper.

Andrew
 

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