On 2005-05-02, RonB wrote:
I would recommend spending some time understanding what you want to do with
the shop and machines and carefully selecting equipment to meet that end.

Ah... now you've got me in a pickle :-) There are *tons* of things I
want to do! Wooden toys for my kid, jewelry boxes for the wife,
bandsaw boxes for friends, bowls (already have a litte lathe), kitchen
island, cabinet for the tv... and the list goes on


I got a lot of use out of a simple disk sander well before I owned a
stationary belt or spindle sander. The disk does a lot of things well
including light blade dressing you mention. I get the most use from lightly
smoothing miter cut surfaces prior to joining.

The spindle came along last when I started working with more curved surfaces
and sculpting. Now I am considering a hand-held drum for similar purposes.

I can see a use for a disc/belt sander as well as a spindle right off
the bat (for the toys at the very least), just having difficulty
understanding the advantage b/n the disc (either horizontal or vertical)
and a disc sander.

Come to think of it... I don't think I've ever seen norm use anything
other than his long belt sander or his spindle sander, but then again
he's usually smoothing table legs or headboards or the like and then it
makes sense.

Again, concentrate your time and starting cash on basics - The best
tablesaw, jointer, surface planer, clamps and key hand tools you can afford
Wise investment here will pay dividends forever.

Agreed... I've got that list pretty well down, just trying to round out
the initial list... like to have all my lists in a row you know

Thanks!

-philip

Since you have a lathe, you already have a disc sander. Dedicate a
faceplate (or make one with a block of wood, side grain, drilled and
tapped for your lathe), attach a piece of 3/4 ply, round it off at
desired size, apply a velcro pad, or finish the ply for self adhesive
discs. Build a box to sit on your lathe ways, clamped or bolted down,
with the end toward the disc open and a dust port in the other end. The
height of the box should match the center of your spindle. Voila! A
very cheap variable speed disc sander.
I'm of the opinion that I already own enough MOTORS, and have to fit my
shop into a single car garage space, so every time I need another power
tool, I try to adapt one I already have.
Now, if I can just figure out how to make a belt sander for my lathe, I
can get rid of that dinosaur powermatic I have around...

On 2005-05-02, wrote:
Since you have a lathe, you already have a disc sander. Dedicate a
faceplate (or make one with a block of wood, side grain, drilled and

I thought about that, but had forgotten since, and in fact have done
that in the past, although for a quick/hack buffing wheel, but I was
wondering if the direction of the force applied would affect the
trueness of the lathe after awhile.

Something similar to how you see recommendations against using your
drill press as a drum sander...

Although I suppose it's really only an issue if I have dull sandpaper
and push like a crazy man...

Although this would be a good way to start and would avoid another
tool... hmmm...

Now, if I can just figure out how to make a belt sander for my lathe, I
can get rid of that dinosaur powermatic I have around...

Couldn't you do the same as you described above? Mount a roller on the
lathe that went vertically up to another roller with all the necessary
bolting/boxing/clamping as well?

-philip

"Philip Hallstrom" wrote in message
...
On 2005-05-02, wrote:
Since you have a lathe, you already have a disc sander. Dedicate a
faceplate (or make one with a block of wood, side grain, drilled and

I thought about that, but had forgotten since, and in fact have done
that in the past, although for a quick/hack buffing wheel, but I was
wondering if the direction of the force applied would affect the
trueness of the lathe after awhile.

Something similar to how you see recommendations against using your
drill press as a drum sander...


No problem with sanding on the lathe, though you might want to consider one
of the commercially available 10" discs bolted to a trued faceplate. Better
adhesion and heat dispersal.

For toys and small stuff, the disc and OSS have to be the choice. I don't
even keep a belt on my belt/disc sander. One goes on when it's needed.
Planes and shaves do the work he does better.

On Mon, 02 May 2005 14:52:42 -0500, Philip Hallstrom
wrote:

On 2005-05-02, wrote:
Since you have a lathe, you already have a disc sander. Dedicate a
faceplate (or make one with a block of wood, side grain, drilled and

I thought about that, but had forgotten since, and in fact have done
that in the past, although for a quick/hack buffing wheel, but I was
wondering if the direction of the force applied would affect the
trueness of the lathe after awhile.

Something similar to how you see recommendations against using your
drill press as a drum sander...

Although I suppose it's really only an issue if I have dull sandpaper
and push like a crazy man...

Although this would be a good way to start and would avoid another
tool... hmmm...

Now, if I can just figure out how to make a belt sander for my lathe, I
can get rid of that dinosaur powermatic I have around...

Couldn't you do the same as you described above? Mount a roller on the
lathe that went vertically up to another roller with all the necessary
bolting/boxing/clamping as well?

-philip

the problem as I see it is that you begin to turn your lathe into a "shopsmith"
like machine... way too many changes to go from say, turning a bowl to sanding a
flat piece of wood, to sanding contours..
I have a Shopsmith, and over the years have added a lathe, belt/disk sander,
grinder/buffer, etc.. t avoid all those setup changes..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On 2005-05-03, mac davis wrote:
On Mon, 02 May 2005 14:52:42 -0500, Philip Hallstrom
wrote:

On 2005-05-02, wrote:
Since you have a lathe, you already have a disc sander. Dedicate a
faceplate (or make one with a block of wood, side grain, drilled and
[snip]

-philip

the problem as I see it is that you begin to turn your lathe into a "shopsmith"
like machine... way too many changes to go from say, turning a bowl to sanding a
flat piece of wood, to sanding contours..
I have a Shopsmith, and over the years have added a lathe, belt/disk sander,
grinder/buffer, etc.. t avoid all those setup changes..

That's true, but honestly I haven't used my lathe in almost a year...
hmm... that's about how old my son is so I have a feeling 99% of the
time it would be set up as a sander...

still, that's a good point and one of the things I found over and over
when reading about belt/disc combos was how many people hated having to
move the table from one to the other and back again...

-philip

On Tue, 03 May 2005 11:56:51 -0500, Philip Hallstrom
wrote:

On 2005-05-03, mac davis wrote:
On Mon, 02 May 2005 14:52:42 -0500, Philip Hallstrom
wrote:

On 2005-05-02, wrote:
Since you have a lathe, you already have a disc sander. Dedicate a
faceplate (or make one with a block of wood, side grain, drilled and
[snip]

-philip

the problem as I see it is that you begin to turn your lathe into a "shopsmith"
like machine... way too many changes to go from say, turning a bowl to sanding a
flat piece of wood, to sanding contours..
I have a Shopsmith, and over the years have added a lathe, belt/disk sander,
grinder/buffer, etc.. t avoid all those setup changes..

That's true, but honestly I haven't used my lathe in almost a year...
hmm... that's about how old my son is so I have a feeling 99% of the
time it would be set up as a sander...

still, that's a good point and one of the things I found over and over
when reading about belt/disc combos was how many people hated having to
move the table from one to the other and back again...

-philip

I never move the table on mine.. hmm...
I have this one:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=38360

or, if that's too long, http://tinyurl.com/brwph

It goes on "sale" a few times a year for about $160... I use the hell out of it
and it's taken it well..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

mac davis wrote in
:

I never move the table on mine.. hmm...
I have this one:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=38360

or, if that's too long, http://tinyurl.com/brwph

It goes on "sale" a few times a year for about $160... I use the hell
out of it and it's taken it well..


mac


Mac,

How long have you had it? I came close to buying one a while back - went
to the local store (PDX) to have a look at it. The floor model had a
busted disk. It looked really thin, to me.

So I bought a Jet bandsaw instead ;-) ....

But seriously, if you don't have problems with deflection in the disk,
I'll have to revisit my thinking the next time I see it on sale.


Regards,

JT