Kent A Bathurst
04-18-2010, 11:18 AM
The belt sander does stuff that nothing else can do nearly as well, but those tasks seem to come up rarely for me - maybe once per year.
However - yesterday in the middle of about 500 forstner-bit plunges to hog out mortises (PT posts for 6 planter boxes for large shrubs), the return spring on the DP broke. Ordered a new one - 3 business days to deliver. Seemed fair. Now what to do in the meantime? Already had my once-for-this-lifetime bloody accident with the DP - nothing left to prove on that score.
Tied a rope to one of the DP handles, looped it around the shaft twice, then through a small pulley mounted to the wall with an eye screw. Next - find something heavy to hang on the end of the rope. No chunks of wood weigh enough. Cans of paint only half full - too light. If I had an empty 1-gallon paint can, I could borrow some gravel form the neighbor's driveway - nope no cans. Hmmmmm........wandering around the shop looking for something dense and compact..........
EUREKA - Mr. Belt Sander is hanging off the rope as a counterweight..
As I said - the belt sander does stuff nothing else can do as well
However - yesterday in the middle of about 500 forstner-bit plunges to hog out mortises (PT posts for 6 planter boxes for large shrubs), the return spring on the DP broke. Ordered a new one - 3 business days to deliver. Seemed fair. Now what to do in the meantime? Already had my once-for-this-lifetime bloody accident with the DP - nothing left to prove on that score.
Tied a rope to one of the DP handles, looped it around the shaft twice, then through a small pulley mounted to the wall with an eye screw. Next - find something heavy to hang on the end of the rope. No chunks of wood weigh enough. Cans of paint only half full - too light. If I had an empty 1-gallon paint can, I could borrow some gravel form the neighbor's driveway - nope no cans. Hmmmmm........wandering around the shop looking for something dense and compact..........
EUREKA - Mr. Belt Sander is hanging off the rope as a counterweight..
As I said - the belt sander does stuff nothing else can do as well