Dave Sharpe
10-01-2007, 8:31 PM
So I was sitting in my shop today contemplating the practicality of building my own thickness sander based on the plans in ShopNotes 15:85 (sounds like a scriptural reference doesn't it) From a previous post I've reviewed this website http://www.woodworkstuff.net/EDTSander.html which has some improvements that I like, mostly the ability to surface a wider panel (ie: cabinet doors).
As I sat there looking around the shop and considering where such a monster would live once I'd built it, an idea came to mind - what about building it to fit my lathe bed, and using the lathe motor to drive the sanding drum?
This has the advantage that I'd then have a variable speed drive motor to work with, and I don't use my lathe all that often anyway, so the sander could just stay installed until I need the lathe itself. In addition, I wouldn't need to change out the saw blade for a pulley, and the sander wouldn't tie up my tablesaw as the original plans call for.
The biggest drawback that I see is that it may be difficult to get a stable enough surface support on the narrow lathebed. Perhaps a hinged support leg on each end would help with this, though.
Any thoughts on this? Has anyone else tried this?
Dave Sharpe
Whidbey Island WA.
As I sat there looking around the shop and considering where such a monster would live once I'd built it, an idea came to mind - what about building it to fit my lathe bed, and using the lathe motor to drive the sanding drum?
This has the advantage that I'd then have a variable speed drive motor to work with, and I don't use my lathe all that often anyway, so the sander could just stay installed until I need the lathe itself. In addition, I wouldn't need to change out the saw blade for a pulley, and the sander wouldn't tie up my tablesaw as the original plans call for.
The biggest drawback that I see is that it may be difficult to get a stable enough surface support on the narrow lathebed. Perhaps a hinged support leg on each end would help with this, though.
Any thoughts on this? Has anyone else tried this?
Dave Sharpe
Whidbey Island WA.