Mounting a ROS upside down?

[Wade Lippman]

Years ago I had a Delta 31-750 Bench Random Orbital Sander. I don't know why I got rid of it, it was kinda useful.
Years ago I bought some 6" Rigid/Metabo ROS sanders when HD closed them out for peanuts. I never use them; they are a handful and I rarely make anything big enough to justify them. I tried to sell them, but apparently no one around here wants them.
So... I thought I could mount one upside down in a table and make something like the Delta sander.
I can't be the first person to think of this; I would like to see what other people have done so maybe I don't have to reinvent the wheel.
Anyone?


Yeah, I expect they would sell on Ebay, but after two fake defect claims, I won't sell there anymore; it is cheaper to just throw them out.

[Bernie Kopfer]

I have a PC 330 mounted upside down and find it very useful for sanding small pieces. Really love it for rounding over edges and curved edges. clamped big gulp dust collector hood behind it on the bench and dust is a nonissue. The sander has worked well this way for occasional use for several years.

[Mark Bolton]

How would/do you handle a non regulated orbit (if the sander isnt equipped) where when they are left to free wheel the pad whips into a high speed grinder/disc sander motion til you hit it with the work piece?

I have long had a notion for a gang of RO's above a conveyor feed but never played around with it for a multitude of pitfall reasons.

[Jim Becker]

Similar to what Mark's question poses, some ROS don't rotate at all if not engaged with the material in a certain way which when combined with small parts held in one's fingers could result in a surprise red colored redecoration of the shop. ;)

[Mark Bolton]

Similar to what Mark's question poses, some ROS don't rotate at all if not engaged with the material in a certain way which when combined with small parts held in one's fingers could result in a surprise red colored redecoration of the shop. ;)

Some RO's do have a regulated orbit so they never break into that free wheel situation. We have a couple old Bosch sanders that are like that. The others, especially if the pad is a little warn, if you let them whip up they will nearly throw the paper off the pad once they reach warp speed.

[Jim Becker]

Nobody wants to use the word "warp" in a woodworking shop, even if it's about speed. LOL But yea...the variation in behavior between multiple brands and models is pretty broad!

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Why not just make a bench hook. That's how I sand small and/or thin pieces. I make them from scraps.
I'm in the afraid of that disc flying off crowd. My OLD Crapsman did that. Sometimes soon after lifting it off the surface :eek:.