Thread: Tool for Thicknessing Scales

This Jig looks like it would be very useful. It is sold by a luthier company for making guitar parts. I am positive we can make our own for less than the $160.00 they want for it.

Luthier's Friend Sanding Station at Stewart-MacDonald

That's a neat idea. I especially like the dust collector attachment.

If I'm not mistaken I'm sure I've seen a thread before by someone who actually had the same idea and made a jig himself with the same structure.

hmmm... we surely could make something for much less than that. But I'm wondering if I'd rather have that set up for a different tool than the drill press. Something about that constant side pressure on the drill that was designed for downward pressure doesn't sit right with me. (*edit- looks like they may have some bottom anchor that would take the lateral force out of the problem)


Maybe take the drum sander bit idea and put it in another tool (I don't know, something more router like)...or rig some kind of spindle sander... I do know that those flexible drums do not leave an even thickness because the drums are soft enough to flex depending on grain features and stock feeding speed. hmmm... I know a way to get it done cheaply, but the actual mechanism I'd want to think about.


And Max, you are right... both RandyDance and I have made similar jigs... Randy's being much more sophisticated than mine

Very neat idea, thanks for sharing that link

Definitely a bad idea for the drill press, IMHO...

I think it would be better suited for a spindle sander attachment, to be honest.

If you're worried about ruining your drill press - which is a definite concern - a motor from an old oscillating fan or vacuum might work. I'd mount it under the jig, with the shaft pointing up, through the floor of the jig then use a 1/4" thick L- Bracket to stabilize the shaft above the sanding drum. Maybe dieing the top of the shaft to fit a 1/4" wing nut can secure it to the shaft, then screw it to the floor of the jig. (Some fans are already died to fit the cap, so that could be a plus.) If it's variable speed, lower speeds could be better for celluloid.

The rest looks like it can be done with plywood and a bit of PVC tubing. Cut guiding grooves through the floor of the jig so the side piece can move back and forth, and use a sunk bolt and wing nuts to allow adjustment and tightening. Or, repurpose a sliding T square which would already have a ruler on it - just route out the first ply so it fits in level or just under the top surface.

The dust catcher and sanding drums are PVC. The catcher is a T joint cut across the horizontal axis of the cross tube. The drums are PVC tubing wrapped with whatever grit you want. I guess a nipple cap can be glued on top of the drum and drilled through to attach to the shaft of the motor.

Make the floor of the jig long enough to clamp it to your shop table, or make it a permanent sander and bolt it on.

What do you guys think? I'm thinking I can use the same idea to make a makeshift buffer, but use a smaller fan - maybe even a battery operated hand-fan you see in the gift shops. It'd be about $10 all in. Just cut off the "wings" and wrap the drum in a few thick layers of felt. Dab of Flitz and viola.

Originally Posted by BingoBango

If you're worried about ruining your drill press - which is a definite concern - a motor from an old oscillating fan or vacuum might work. I'd mount it under the jig, with the shaft pointing up, through the floor of the jig then use a 1/4" thick L- Bracket to stabilize the shaft above the sanding drum. Maybe dieing the top of the shaft to fit a 1/4" wing nut can secure it to the shaft, then screw it to the floor of the jig. (Some fans are already died to fit the cap, so that could be a plus.) If it's variable speed, lower speeds could be better for celluloid.

The rest looks like it can be done with plywood and a bit of PVC tubing. Cut guiding grooves through the floor of the jig so the side piece can move back and forth, and use a sunk bolt and wing nuts to allow adjustment and tightening. Or, repurpose a sliding T square which would already have a ruler on it - just route out the first ply so it fits in level or just under the top surface.

The dust catcher and sanding drums are PVC. The catcher is a T joint cut across the horizontal axis of the cross tube. The drums are PVC tubing wrapped with whatever grit you want. I guess a nipple cap can be glued on top of the drum and drilled through to attach to the shaft of the motor.

Make the floor of the jig long enough to clamp it to your shop table, or make it a permanent sander and bolt it on.

What do you guys think? I'm thinking I can use the same idea to make a makeshift buffer, but use a smaller fan - maybe even a battery operated hand-fan you see in the gift shops. It'd be about $10 all in. Just cut off the "wings" and wrap the drum in a few thick layers of felt. Dab of Flitz and viola.

The problem you're going to run in to here is with torque... it takes a lot of it to sand off anything more than a hairsbreadth of material, or buff, etc.

Excellent idea!

Once I get around to picking up some shop tools, I will certainly be looking into making one like that

Maybe someone could draw up plans for one and throw them in the DIY section of the Wiki

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

The problem you're going to run in to here is with torque... it takes a lot of it to sand off anything more than a hairsbreadth of material, or buff, etc.

Even with a light touch? You're right that the fan motors probably have a release to prevent injuries when used normally, like if a finger gets caught in the blade. I wouldn't think there's that much resistance from the friction, but I could be wrong.

yeah, torque is a big issue here. You can pretty easily bog down a bench size drill press by trying to thin down a piece by any substantial increments,... you have to take small bits off and it can still take a while. It can get hot too if you try to go too fast.

Originally Posted by BingoBango

Even with a light touch? You're right that the fan motors probably have a release to prevent injuries when used normally, like if a finger gets caught in the blade. I wouldn't think there's that much resistance from the friction, but I could be wrong.

HUGE resistance. Sanding is a very heavy application... for example, our 36" x 72" wide-belt requires a 30-horse 3-phase that draws god-only-knows how many amps... and it can only take about 1/32 off of a 6" wide oak plank without going over 75% load capacity.

A fan or vacuum motor wouldn't stand a chance. A drill press would have trouble taking off enough material to make this an time-saving device... For sanding, you really need POWER. Take a look at the size of the motor on a belt sander or grinder relative to the 'light' work it does.... pretty much equivalent to what you would find on a rotary saw.