3 phase setup for sanding bowls.

[Bob Bergstrom]

In a previous thread a Creeker asked about angle drills for sanding. I suggested using a 3 phase motor, a controller and flex shaft. A friend of mine has been sanding with one for a couple years. Here’s some pictures of his setup. He has a chuck on the end but I would use a quick connect for driver bits. Much smaller and less likely to scare a bowl or the user’s arm.
582E2282-A1AD-4484-B783-2F8BCEFB1F22.jpg 445FB800-8505-4545-BDBA-84DDADC45F90.jpg 80099B21-5D0D-4B1A-AE33-ABDE9933330D.jpg

[John K Jordan]

In a previous thread a Creeker asked about angle drills for sanding. I suggested using a 3 phase motor, a controller and flex shaft. A friend of mine has been sanding with one for a couple years. Here’s some pictures of his setup. He has a chuck on the end but I would use a quick connect for driver bits. Much smaller and less likely to scare a bowl or the user’s arm.
80099B21-5D0D-4B1A-AE33-ABDE9933330D.jpg

Do you know more about the sanding "ball", is it something available to buy or purpose made, sandpaper cut from a standard disk then secured by some means? Almost looks like a disk of wood. Some flexible backing inside?

Great idea, that should have a lot of uses.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Do you know more about the sanding "ball", is it something available to buy or purpose made, sandpaper cut from a standard disk then secured by some means? Almost looks like a disk of wood. Some flexible backing inside?

Great idea, that should have a lot of uses.

John the inflatable mandrel is part of the sanding kit at Klingspoor. Here a url.

http://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/kx11360/

[Don Frank]

I am curious. Is there any advantage over a Foredom flexible shaft style using the same sanding ball. I own a couple of Foredoms but I have never considered using them for sanding bowl interiors.

[Bob Bergstrom]

I am curious. Is there any advantage over a Foredom flexible shaft style using the same sanding ball. I own a couple of Foredoms but I have never considered using them for sanding bowl interiors.

Don, I personally would not use a ball sander on a bowl. This gentleman has years of experience sanding bowls that were cut using a scollsaw. He would cut ovals on a bevel. The glue them in a stack. He also has a number of other inflatables to use if needed. All my sanding is done with a disk. He used a Guinevere sanding unit. He could only sand 20 minutes and had to let the motor cool. This unit will sand all day nonstop. It has a 1/2 hp motor.

[Reed Gray]

Where did he get the flex shaft??? I am looking, and thinking for starters, I could drive it off of my 1 hp mini lathe.

As for the Foredom set up, they tell you it can run a 3 inch disc. While I would think it can, I also think that is over stressing the set up. With the 3 phase set up up above, you could run 3 to 6 inch discs.

robo hippy

[Mike Nathal]

Those ball shaped sleeves go for more than $3 per sleeve. They better last a long time to be cost competitive. But I see no reason why standard 2" or 3" disks wouldn't work with the same set-up. Also David Reed Smith has an article on making your own sanding balls.
http://www.davidreedsmith.com/articl...ballsander.htm

[David Gilbert]

Reed, from the photo of the top of the flex shaft it looks like this is probably the flex shaft from Garrett Wade. It costs about $40. I think the Foredoms are about twice that.

I'd love to have his setup but guess that it's pretty pricey.

Cheers,
David

[Bob Bergstrom]

Look on line and they're a number of flex shafts available all the way up to industrial grade bidirectional ones. I would think one from any of the tool suplliers would work I see some are 3/8" shafts. I would like the ones with the smaller chuck on them.

[Olaf Vogel]

Reed, from the photo of the top of the flex shaft it looks like this is probably the flex shaft from Garrett Wade. It costs about $40. I think the Foredoms are about twice that.

I'd love to have his setup but guess that it's pretty pricey.

Cheers,
David

http://www.garrettwade.com/flex-shaft-with-chuck.html
These are ok, if the spin is in the right direction. Decent size, decent price.

Coupled with this
http://www.garrettwade.com/multi-ang...3-AC3C94D7C0AA

to get the angle, if you are using a flat disc. You want a handle to control the direction.

or one of these
https://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-49-.../dp/B000BYEJ02
to get into smaller spaces

[Marvin Hasenak]

If I wanted a rig like that I would look at industrial sewing machine servo mtartotors. Single phase and they have a built in controller for setting the speed. The cost starts at about $100, if you go this route, skip the electronoic version of speed control, go for the knob.

[Harold Balzonia]

How does one connect the flex shaft to the shaft of the motor? Is there some kind of collet I can't see? I have a couple extra motors sitting around.... now my wheels are turning but I don't know anything about flex shafts.... how do they connect to the motor?

[Bob Bergstrom]

Most use a connector with two set screws our a Jacobs chuck with a set screw.

[Olaf Vogel]

How does one connect the flex shaft to the shaft of the motor? Is there some kind of collet I can't see? I have a couple extra motors sitting around.... now my wheels are turning but I don't know anything about flex shafts.... how do they connect to the motor?

Shaft couplers or U-joints
ex. https://www.princessauto.com/en/deta...nt/A-p8649345e

Flex shaft ends are usually square. so drill and tap end of the coupler, put a set screw or two to hold the shaft.

[Malcolm McLeod]

I have no idea of the 'duty cycle' your friend applies to this rig, which looks "epic cool" (humor me; trying to be more 'millennial' for my sons ), but I'd recommend he re-orient the VFD so the faceplate is vertical. It allows proper convective air flow over the VFD's heat sinks.