Thread: Belt sander question

Originally Posted by vladsch

Thanks Gary and Joe, that is all the prodding that I needed. I have a 4x36 belt sander. It is good enough for shaping the scales but not ideal. I have been eye balling 1" sanders for the last week and now you guys have convinced me to pick one up.

Dang...with the quality of work you do, I assumed you already had one. This is truly disheartening. With a sander more suited to scalemaking, you're going to be uncatchable now.

Joe,

I am flattered but I don't have any secrets and can't see why my results seem so unattainable.

Here is how I do it:

1. I take my time shaping them: start with 50 or 80 grit and finish with 220 grit on the belt sander.

2. Afterwards I take my time sanding the scales up to 2000 grit to get a smoothest possible finish. I sand by hand with a soft padded sanding block (2x5 piece of wood with foam rubber glued to it). I start with 220 to round out the shape. The belt sander is too ridgid for that.

3. Between rough sandings: 220, 320, 400, 600 and 1000 I apply a coat of Tung Oil or Danish Oil and let dry. Between 1000 and 2000 I do not. I find applying the finish between sandings helps maximize the grain and improves the finish. You have to sand out previous grit scratches out of the wood just like on metal or the finish won't be as good.

4. Buff with Tripoli, then White Diamond and buff with wax or 12 coats or more of CA and sand to 2000 and polish with MAAS.

I don't think that this sander will do more than let me work easier and maybe a bit faster but then most of the work is after the belt sander so there is not much room for improvement.

BTW, I just placed a special order with a local Home Depot competitor here in Montreal and I got a sweet deal on the Delta SA180 - $85 Canadian . I'll have it in about 10 days.

That is a good price Vlad I think that I had to pay $100 here at Lowes. This machine is a bit loud but nothing that we can't stand. I put mine on locking caster wheels so that I could swing it about easier from the 1" belt to the 8" disc sander as it is a bit heavy.