# Thickness sander..on the cheap !



## toyguy (Nov 23, 2007)

After recently taking up segmented turning, I soon found that the use of a thickness sander sure would be helpful. Of course, this is one machine I do not own; and with the price tags I have seen it may be some time before I do. Of course, a thickness sander is of great value in segmented turning, there is always more than "one way to skin a cat" as they say.

At another site that I check in on from time to time, a fellow segmented wood turner came up with this useful little add on to your drill press. Although certainly not a replacement for a good thickness sander, it does do the trick…..just remember not to try a take too much of a bite at one go…..

Here is a short U-Tube video showing this cheap means of preparing your segmented rings…..

" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2dDxFjXJvs":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2dDxFjXJvs


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

That's a cool idea, I can see some usefulness there. There's another product called The Luthier's Friend that might also be helpful for narrow strips. Many here on LJ have built the one from ShopNotes too:










Plans available from PlansNow.com.
Bill's version


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

Rance, I have one of those under construction in my shop right now.

Lee


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## RetiredCoastie (Sep 7, 2009)

Brian thanks for the post, That's a great idea. I plan on building a larger drum sander of the one Rance has shown above but the drill press sander will help me get by until I get the drum sander built. Thanks and Merry Christmas!


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## toyguy (Nov 23, 2007)

Yes… there is many drum type thickness sander for the DIY….... I have even seen one that is powered by your lathe. I do have full attentions in building one of these in the near future…. This one you show here from Plans Now looks like just the thing for me…. unless I come across a used; almost free ; commercial sander.


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## scrappy (Jan 3, 2009)

Brian, On the thicker sections I hold them on the lathe with the cole jaws and turn them smooth. Works for me.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

Brian, I made a 12" disk sander that mounts on my lathe. I use it to sand one side of the segment ring and then glue that side onto the workpiece, after the glue has set I flatten the top, again using the same disk sander. This method is quick and pretty accurate too. The drum sander is of course the optimal solution and the most accurate. The method in the video looked like it would do the job too, but it seemed a bit fussy and time consuming to me, and potentially dangerous in careless hands.


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## fussy (Jan 18, 2010)

I have used my oscillating spindle sander to get a piece to a needed thickness. Just clamp a fence tall enough to support your piece to he table at the right distance (takes a bit of fiddling around) and feed the piece AGAINST the spindles' rotation. Works ok, but a real thickness sander would be better. Someday.

steve


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## Belg1960 (Jan 3, 2010)

> After recently taking up segmented turning, I soon found that the use of a thickness sander sure would be helpful. Of course, this is one machine I do not own; and with the price tags I have seen it may be some time before I do. Of course, a thickness sander is of great value in segmented turning, there is always more than "one way to skin a cat" as they say.
> 
> At another site that I check in on from time to time, a fellow segmented wood turner came up with this useful little add on to your drill press. Although certainly not a replacement for a good thickness sander, it does do the trick…..just remember not to try a take too much of a bite at one go…..
> 
> ...


This link says it is private now, what was it about? And did you save a copy by any chance?


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## Belg1960 (Jan 3, 2010)

> After recently taking up segmented turning, I soon found that the use of a thickness sander sure would be helpful. Of course, this is one machine I do not own; and with the price tags I have seen it may be some time before I do. Of course, a thickness sander is of great value in segmented turning, there is always more than "one way to skin a cat" as they say.
> 
> At another site that I check in on from time to time, a fellow segmented wood turner came up with this useful little add on to your drill press. Although certainly not a replacement for a good thickness sander, it does do the trick…..just remember not to try a take too much of a bite at one go…..
> 
> ...





> After recently taking up segmented turning, I soon found that the use of a thickness sander sure would be helpful. Of course, this is one machine I do not own; and with the price tags I have seen it may be some time before I do. Of course, a thickness sander is of great value in segmented turning, there is always more than "one way to skin a cat" as they say.
> 
> At another site that I check in on from time to time, a fellow segmented wood turner came up with this useful little add on to your drill press. Although certainly not a replacement for a good thickness sander, it does do the trick…..just remember not to try a take too much of a bite at one go…..
> 
> ...


This link says it is private now, what was it about? And did you save a copy by any chance?


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

> This link says it is private now, what was it about?


LOL - the post was from 10+ years ago!

Maybe Brian can post a more recent URL for it..

In the mean time - here is something I've been wanting to do for a while now:

Drum Sander Made from a Treadmill

Cheers,
Brad


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