2" X 42" Belt Sander

Mark_f

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While I was building my sheet metal brake, (I built , as a fill in project), a 2" X 42" belt sander. The sander uses an eccentric to tighten the belt making simple and quick belt changes. The tracking assembly design is based on the design used by Craftsman. It is a simple but effective tracking adjustment. The heavy duty table tilts to any angle up to 45 degrees. This sander was so easy to build, It was built in two weeks as a fill in project.
finished sander4.JPG
I have attached here a complete write up with photos and plans for this sander. As soon as the brake is finished , the first job for it will be to bend the covers for the motor and a door for the belt area. I have a power on/off switch with a paddle stop button that will mount in the covers.
 

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  • Building a 2 inch Belt Sander.pdf
    1.2 MB · Views: 218
beautiful work there, Mark, well done.

Thank you for sharing the information as it was very generous..
 
Thank You for posting and including plans I really need a belt sander like this.
 
Awesome job Mark! I've been thinking about a design for a table for my Porter Cable CN-2 and I think yours is it - thanks for sharing.

John
 
Very nice Mark. I don't need one now but will save it for the future
 
Mark, awsome build and wriþe up. Whats the RPM of the motor?

sent from somewhere in East Texas!
 
Mark, awsome build and wriþe up. Whats the RPM of the motor?

sent from somewhere in East Texas!
1725 Rpm . This gives the proper surface feet per minute travel recommended for the belts. (I calculated the surface feet on the Kalamazoo sander and made this a match for speed) If you run the belt too fast, you greatly shorten its life.
 
1725 Rpm . This gives the proper surface feet per minute travel recommended for the belts. (I calculated the surface feet on the Kalamazoo sander and made this a match for speed) If you run the belt too fast, you greatly shorten its life.

Is their "recommended speed" a maximum speed or can you slow it down if you choose to do so?
 
Is their "recommended speed" a maximum speed or can you slow it down if you choose to do so?
Sanding belts are not measured in RPM for speed. They have a maximum recommended surface feet per minute for the belt to travel and function best. That is around 1800 to 2000 surface feet per minute. You can run the belt any speed you like but if you get too slow it wont work as well and if you go too fast it will wear the belt out quickly. Speed is also a variable depending on the material you are grinding. Ideally , aluminum may grind better at a little slower speed than steel or iron but the difference is usually not worth the cost or effort to make the sander variable speed. I find the 1800 surface feet per minute range works well on steel and aluminum. Therefore a 3.75" to 4" diameter drive wheel is good for a 1725 to 1750 Rpm motor. If you wish to use a 3450 rpm motor you would make the drive wheel half the diameter or around 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter. This would keep you in a good speed range.
 
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