With things the way they are with the economy, more and more woodworkers are looking to get the most use out of the tools they already have, which is why I created this simple base fixture that transforms a standard portable belt sander into a small horizontal benchtop sander. “Use a square rule to ensure that the sander is completely level, if it isn’t save some wood scrap to prop up the end until it has leveled out. To build the fixture, start by cutting out a base plate from 1/2″ or 3/4″ plywood or MDF that’s 14″ wide and 6″ to 8” longer than the length of your belt sander. Set your sander atop the base plate with the open side of the belt rollers facing up, and position the belt platen parallel to the long edge of the base.
Having bought a Ridgid oscillating belt / spindle sander and building my sanding station to house it, I thought my sanding woes were a thing of the past. I use the Ridgid mainly as a spindle sander and although it’s fairly fast and easy to put the belt sander attachment on, it only works in the vertical position and more often I need a belt in the horizontal position. The main points are to hold the sander securely and be convenient to use – no tools needed to put the sander in or take it out.
Over at Humus Workshop, Spanish maker Román Palma created a three-position stand for a handheld belt sander that makes the tool much more versatile without taking up a lot of room. The belt sander can be installed and removed quickly using two bolts. Mounting the sander makes it easy and safe to shape small pieces while taking advantage of the fast material removal that makes a belt sander desirable in the first place.
Each sander has a different shape, so custom-cut the plywood sides. To trace the pattern for the sides, unscrew any removable housing pieces and lay them flat side down to trace their shape on the plywood. Set the sides edgewise on a flat surface, fit the sander in the sides and check that the sanding belt is parallel to the base.
how to make belt sander stationary Related Question:
How do you flatten a belt sander?
The Top Tool for Rough Flattening Belt sanders excel at the rapid removal of wood, making them the best handheld power tool for leveling and smoothing rough boards. Start at an angle to the grain for aggressive leveling, then finish with the grain. 80-grit is good for starting, then switch to 120-grit.
Can you turn a belt sander upside down?
It’s possible to clamp a belt sander upside down and freehand your finish carpentry tweaks, but you’ll probably get better results if your sander is firmly and reliably attached using a sanding stand.
How much material can a belt sander remove?
As mentioned earlier, abrasive belts can only remove a certain amount of stock dependent on grit size. With a three-head sander you can run a grit sequence of 100-150-180 and remove approximately 1/32 inch in one pass.
How do you make flat sand?
Once you find a place, or a really good piece of wood, then place some sandpaper face up on that surface. Hold it with one hand, and work you piece back and forth against the grit. Do this slowly and carefully, and you will flatten the surface of the piece quickly.
Can you flatten a board with a sander?
Hand-held Belt Sander A belt sander is the fastest sander that you will be able to find for the price. They are frequently used to flatten end-grain boards but can work equally well for faces and edges.
Why does the sandpaper keep falling off?
The reason sandpaper is coming off your sander is that the current sander pad is worn out, replace the pad to fix the problem. Orbital sander pads wear out from regular use, eventually, the hook and loop Velcro will not properly hold onto your sanding discs.
How much tension should a belt sander have?
Most wood sanding applications (such as mould sanding using narrow cloth belts) require a belt tension of approximately 40 psi. However, there are some special exceptions. For example, abrasive planing operations using coarse grits typically demand belt tension in the range of 70 to 90 psi.
How much wood can I sand off?
It is not feasible to sand down a wooden member by a whole half of an inch. If something is too long then cut off the additional half inch using a saw. If something is too thick (wide) by the half inch then rip saw off that extra thickness or use a planer to remove it.
What materials can be used with a belt sander?
Fitted with fine grit sand paper, a belt sander can be used to achieve a completely smooth surface. Stationary belt sanders are used for removing non-ferrous metals, such as aluminum. Non-ferrous metals tend to clog grinding wheels, quickly making them useless for grinding soft metals.
How much wood can you remove by sanding?
Engineered and Solid Boards The amount of wood you remove when sanding a floor depends on the coarseness of the paper you use, but it can be as much as 1/16 inch with the coarsest paper.
What is better belt sander or orbital sander?
A belt sander is more effective for large materials, while the orbital sander is ideal for small spaces and pieces of furniture. A belt sander works effectively on flat surfaces, while an orbital sander can work with various angles.