# Homemade belt sander / linisher



## DennisCA (5 Mar 2016)

Well, kinda. I really liked the concept of the sorby pro edge sharpening system. But the price wasn't very agreeable and I like homemade tools. The design isn't mind but copied from John Heisz 's forums, by another user called Pekka.







Got some extra bolts, and replaced the tracking adjusting rod with a bolt and knob:





The tensioning mechanism works real nice and I calculated that I can take up to a 50x1000mm sanding belt. So this sander can take belts from 790mm (sorby belts) up to 1000mm long, a span of 210mm.





Because of this wide span of possible belt sizes, the upper and lower wheels will be in different positions depending on belt length. So I made the platen so it could be moved and adjusted for various belt lengths.






The platen is made from a piece of angle iron that I literally found rusting under my deck this summer (some of the house builders must've left it behind) and had forgotten about, just the right size too.

Next step is to paint it, I am thinking black and yellow. The belt speed is not very fast so the dust mainly falls straight down. Some more fiddling with the tool rest is needed too.


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## marcros (5 Mar 2016)

brilliant. well done!


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## blackrodd (5 Mar 2016)

An excellent job, Wouldn't be surprised if matthius asks for you're plans!  
Rodders


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## DennisCA (6 Mar 2016)

Thanks, one of the things I believe I need to chance is the tool rest, would be better if I could move the pivot point as near the belt as possible.


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## woodpig (6 Mar 2016)

Nice job Dennis. It might be an idea for you to route a slot in the table for mounting jigs? That's what I've done with my sander. I've also mounted a round shaft for using a jig to sharpen wood turning gouges.


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## Random Orbital Bob (6 Mar 2016)

Brilliant


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## AES (6 Mar 2016)

Looks really good DennisCA, thanks for posting.

Yet another item to add to my "gettaroundtoit" list!

=D> 

AES

Edit for P.S. Is the motor/pulley drive belt a toothed belt? If so was there a special reason, or was it just a question of "what I had lying around" please?


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## ColeyS1 (6 Mar 2016)

Genius, looks good aswell

Coley


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## DennisCA (6 Mar 2016)

Thanks, all 



woodpig":1njohhyk said:


> Nice job Dennis. It might be an idea for you to route a slot in the table for mounting jigs? That's what I've done with my sander. I've also mounted a round shaft for using a jig to sharpen wood turning gouges.



That's definitely the plan, but the table was the part I had thought through the least and I am already replacing it. I am building a metal table instead to make it sturdier. I'm new to working with metal, I cut up some pieces of 12mm steel I had and shaped it as best I could. Still working on the slot on the side, that way I can always keep the table near the belt regardless of angle. Not quite sure how I will mill a slot in the top but I'm sure I'll think of something.


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## graduate_owner (6 Mar 2016)

Very nice indeed

K


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## woodpig (6 Mar 2016)

This is the table I fabricated from a couple of pieces of steel fixed together with two M8 bolts.


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## DennisCA (7 Mar 2016)

AES":35qizgyf said:


> Edit for P.S. Is the motor/pulley drive belt a toothed belt? If so was there a special reason, or was it just a question of "what I had lying around" please?



It was just what I found in the local store that was in the right length. I understand they are better for making a tight bend though.


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## DennisCA (8 Mar 2016)

woodpig":mzfrjf1h said:


> This is the table I fabricated from a couple of pieces of steel fixed together with two M8 bolts.



are the slots in the table milled?


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## woodpig (8 Mar 2016)

Yes Dennis they are milled. Another option though is to bolt two strips of metal on top of another piece leaving a gap between them leaving a slot.


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## DennisCA (8 Mar 2016)

woodpig":3j085pik said:


> Yes Dennis they are milled. Another option though is to bolt two strips of metal on top of another piece leaving a gap between them leaving a slot.



That's what I've been considering. But after going through the options it seems it'd be best to JB weld or solder the plates together. Real welding would probably warp it, screws and tapping is imprecise (or so I was told).


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## woodpig (8 Mar 2016)

Screws on there own wouldn't be ideal. It would be better to use dowel pins and screws.


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## slemishwoodcrafts (16 Mar 2016)

I've been looking into making something similar! One question I have is how you made the tensioning system for the belt?


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## DennisCA (17 Mar 2016)

Well the upper portion pivots up and down on a piece of 15mm axle, to force the rear part down and thus the front part up, I made this thing:





I welded some M10 nuts to a piece of metal, then I welded that to a threaded rod to get this cross shape. 






I made hooks in the rear of the pivoting part for the short rod to hook into, and then using a hinge, some washers and jam nuts I made a pivoting base that retains the long threaded rod. By spinning the rod now I can force the back down and thus tension the rod. I used a drill to start with, but then fitted a turn crank.


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## AJB Temple (17 Mar 2016)

If I were making one I would be tempted to try to make a twin belt machine, to run course and fine grits without a belt change.


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## DennisCA (19 May 2016)

I have updated this machine a bit, new motor and mount and step pulleys for various speeds. 





And today I finished a new table and a better way of mounting it and the backing plate:










Plug welded three pieces of steel together to make this. That stuff in the slot in the last picture is just metal from grinding.


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## graduate_owner (19 May 2016)

I'm really glad someons has made one of these Sorby clones, it shows it is possible. I have been put off by the price too and I was looking into modifying a stationary belt sander.

K


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## curtisrider (23 May 2016)

I've been building something similar but based on a knife grinder (longer belts don't get as hot and are less likely to snap apparently). Where your belt sits against the back rest/support, will that not cause wear/friction being so proud of the pulleys?


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## DennisCA (23 May 2016)

I've adjusted it since but it wasn't much of a problem like it was, I sanded and polished the backing piece to reduce friction


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## curtisrider (23 May 2016)

Sorry, it wasn't meant as a criticism just trying to figure out what mine should be like when I complete it!


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## AES (23 May 2016)

Very nice job Dennis CA.

Re the rear belt support making a problem against the back of the belt, I modified my own small belt sander when I first got it by lightly filing any burrs, etc, off it, then lightly sanding it all off with fine wet n dry. I then used an old belt lightly impregnated with metal polish and ran it free of work for a couple of minutes. The result is that the face against the back of the belt is now nicely smooth and polished there's very little friction, so I don't have any trouble with belts getting attacked by any irregularities on the face against the belt.

Re a previous post by someone else, I also like the idea of 2 pulleys, one with a coarse grit belt, one with a fine. It looks quite easy to do on your machine too.

AES


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## DennisCA (24 May 2016)

Thanks, I've actually been thinking if I should add another pulley to stop down the speed even further and add a home made wet grinding wheel setup instead. But I am not convinced I need such a setup. 120 grit and then to a strop (paul sellers style) seems to do the job, at least for chisels.

What I need to do is cut down the size of the table. It's too big for most bevel edge chisels, there's not enough flat for them to rest squarely on this table. Though some kind of square holding jig that rises above the table, creating it's own mini table could work too, without reducing my work surface.


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