| Project by Blake | posted 205 days ago | 890 views | 3 times favorited | 20 comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
I finally made myself something that I have been wanting for a long time: a stationary vibrating 1/2 sheet pad sander. It was inspired by Doug Stowe’s version, which is apparently just a sander sitting on a half-inflated wheel barrel inner tube.
Simple but effective… gotta love it. Very Doug Stowe.
But I just can’t help trying to improve on any design. So I came up with this idea for a box that the sander would sit in, which would, of course, include the dust port to suck out all the sawdust.
Integrated dust collection… gotta love it. Very Blake.
(If you know me at all, you know that every tool gets a dust port in my shop.)
The box will just be held fast in my vice, and then stored easily under the bench. It works beautifully and I highly recommend this design.
For those interested in the full story, read on…
I have a mini production run of small boxes in the works for Christmas presents. They all need quite a bit of sanding. I had been wanting to make one of these so today I finally splurged and spent a whopping $8 on an old Craftsman half sheet sander at the Used Tool Store, where I work.
I built the box and the original version had an inside shelf which was just the right size for the base of the sander to rest on (it sort-of wrapped around the midriff of the sander). I made sure that this shelf was well padded to cushion the whole thing from vibration.
Well, this didn’t work. The sander made the box, the bench, the floor, the walls, the cabinets, and the mice living in the cabinets all vibrate like crazy.
So I ripped out the shelf and installed two pieces of rubber to cradle the sander. This design was much simpler and much more effective. The rubber straps were temporarily held in place with carpet tape and then sandwiched down by the top piece of the box.
Now the mice can sleep peacefully.
I epoxied a hose coupler into a hole on one side of the box to connect to my shop vac. The opening around the sander is perfect to create enough suction to make it dust free.
I think this will be one of my favorite new tools. It’s just right for “softening” edges of small projects.
-- Dust collectors suck.
Your Online Shop - Your Support Is Greatly Appreciated - Your Woodworking Showcase - 3 Ways To Help, Financially - Your Woodworking Community
20 comments so far
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
10984 posts in 551 days
posted 204 days ago
looks like it is a success!
Well done. Lucky Mice
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Dick Cain
home | projects | blog
4298 posts in 690 days
posted 204 days ago
Looks pretty good, does the sander stay in its cradle OK?
-- Dick Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
rikkor
home | projects | blog
6489 posts in 265 days
posted 204 days ago
Nice innovating.
-- Maplewood, MN
DAN
home | projects | blog
2584 posts in 374 days
posted 204 days ago
cool idea. good place for the ole sander
-- a legend in my own mind ...
Thos. Angle
home | projects | blog
3246 posts in 353 days
posted 204 days ago
Yep, very Blake. I’m glad the mice got to go back to sleep. Good luck with it.
-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon
Brad_Nailor
home | projects | blog
592 posts in 348 days
posted 204 days ago
It’s handy to work in a used tool store! Great idea, Blake!
-- Women love me.....trees fear me
Sgt_Lobo
home | projects | blog
87 posts in 249 days
posted 204 days ago
Sample snippet from my to-do list: Make sure every tool has a dust port-very Blake…
Nice job!
-- Sgt_Lobo -- Montgomery, AL
Dadoo
home | projects | blog
1398 posts in 381 days
posted 204 days ago
But, but, but if the motor housing is allowed to move freely on rubber straps, then how does the sander do its oscillations and orbits? I too have clamped my sander into a vise and shook the china all the way to the neighbors house, and it did work, and I’ll do it again…how well does this unit work? Maybe I’ll have to try it to see for myself. I like the dust collection idea too. Then, by using “transformer” technology, I’ll make it into a toaster too! LOL!
-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!
TreeBones
home | projects | blog
1340 posts in 414 days
posted 204 days ago
Cool. I tried the clamping method and broke my sander. O well.
-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3
jude
home | projects | blog
129 posts in 340 days
posted 204 days ago
Hey, this is neat ~ I’m going to post it on Toologics.com and link back to your project.
hopefully it will generate more traffic to Lumberjocks.
-- life can always be weaved into a song.
Blake
home | projects | blog
1811 posts in 265 days
posted 204 days ago
Thanks for the comments, everyone.
Dadoo, It works perfectly. Dust free, vibration free pad sanding.
-- Dust collectors suck.
SPalm
home | projects | blog
658 posts in 273 days
posted 204 days ago
I still have one of those sanders. A nice option on it is to do both orbit and straight motions. The straight is great for the final pass. The orbit is not random, but still does an OK job. (At least on mine.)
-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon
USCJeff
home | projects | blog
754 posts in 459 days
posted 204 days ago
Nice job. Hadn’t thought of a cradle. I’ve clamped mine in a Workmate and it’s done well.
-- Jeff, South Carolina
Dick Cain
home | projects | blog
4298 posts in 690 days
posted 204 days ago
I’ll have to see if I can hang my square pad sander, it doesn’t have any wide shoulders like yours.
Maybe bungee cords would work.
-- Dick Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
clieb91
home | projects | blog
276 posts in 326 days
posted 204 days ago
Blake, A great idea. I to may have to gve this a try with a unit I just received.
CtL
-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."
Karson
home | projects | blog
11555 posts in 791 days
posted 204 days ago
Great idea Blake. Nice job.
-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
cajunpen
home | projects | blog
5256 posts in 457 days
posted 203 days ago
Nice job Blake – Doug would be proud.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
Dadoo
home | projects | blog
1398 posts in 381 days
posted 202 days ago
OK…I’m gonna try it someday.
-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!
Zuki
home | projects | blog
638 posts in 468 days
posted 199 days ago
neat-o
-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them
grovemadman
home | projects | blog
528 posts in 163 days
posted 136 days ago
Blake I love your idea, I may have to make one myself. I also like that front vise you have. Probably because I have the same one. Snap a few pics of how you mounted yours for me when you get a chance – I would appreciate it greatly.
Thanks,
-- --Chuck