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Stationary Sander

Project by Blake posted 692 days ago 1759 views 7 times favorited 20 comments Add to Favorites Watch

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.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com


20 comments so far

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14090 posts in 1039 days


posted 692 days ago

looks like it is a success!

Well done. Lucky Mice

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View Dick, & Barb Cain's profile

Dick, & Barb Cain

6991 posts in 1178 days


posted 692 days ago

Looks pretty good, does the sander stay in its cradle OK?

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

View rikkor's profile

rikkor

11338 posts in 753 days


posted 692 days ago

Nice innovating.

View DAN 's profile

DAN

6396 posts in 861 days


posted 692 days ago

cool idea. good place for the ole sander

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

View Thos. Angle's profile

Thos. Angle

4015 posts in 841 days


posted 692 days ago

Yep, very Blake. I’m glad the mice got to go back to sleep. Good luck with it.

-- Thos. Angle

View Brad_Nailor's profile (online now)

Brad_Nailor

1192 posts in 836 days


posted 692 days ago

It’s handy to work in a used tool store! Great idea, Blake!

-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"

View Sgt_Lobo's profile

Sgt_Lobo

87 posts in 737 days


posted 692 days ago

Sample snippet from my to-do list: Make sure every tool has a dust port-very Blake…

Nice job!

-- Sgt_Lobo -- Aurora, CO

View Dadoo's profile

Dadoo

1724 posts in 869 days


posted 692 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!

View TreeBones's profile

TreeBones

1558 posts in 902 days


posted 692 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

View jude's profile

jude

148 posts in 828 days


posted 692 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.

View Blake's profile

Blake

2715 posts in 753 days


posted 692 days ago

Thanks for the comments, everyone.

Dadoo, It works perfectly. Dust free, vibration free pad sanding.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

View SPalm's profile

SPalm

921 posts in 760 days


posted 692 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

View USCJeff's profile

USCJeff

899 posts in 946 days


posted 692 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

View Dick, & Barb Cain's profile

Dick, & Barb Cain

6991 posts in 1178 days


posted 691 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.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

View clieb91's profile

clieb91

679 posts in 813 days


posted 691 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."

View Karson's profile

Karson

25271 posts in 1279 days


posted 691 days ago

Great idea Blake. Nice job.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View cajunpen's profile

cajunpen

5970 posts in 944 days


posted 691 days ago

Nice job Blake – Doug would be proud.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

View Dadoo's profile

Dadoo

1724 posts in 869 days


posted 690 days ago

OK…I’m gonna try it someday.

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

View Zuki's profile

Zuki

1219 posts in 955 days


posted 686 days ago

neat-o

-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them

View grovemadman's profile

grovemadman

558 posts in 650 days


posted 623 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

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