Shopsmith Forums

Hello,
Has anyone tried using a shopsmith sanding disc as a faceplate for turning? The disk can certainly rotate safely at high speed, and stand a significant side load. As a faceplate, I would certainly be turning at slow speeds for a large bowl or plate.

Any thoughts?

Seahawk

sailseahawk wrote:Hello,
Has anyone tried using a shopsmith sanding disc as a faceplate for turning? The disk can certainly rotate safely at high speed, and stand a significant side load. As a faceplate, I would certainly be turning at slow speeds for a large bowl or plate.

Any thoughts?

Seahawk

Sure ya wanna drill holes in it?

sailseahawk wrote:Hello,
Has anyone tried using a shopsmith sanding disc as a faceplate for turning? The disk can certainly rotate safely at high speed, and stand a significant side load. As a faceplate, I would certainly be turning at slow speeds for a large bowl or plate.

Any thoughts?

Seahawk

I have purchased a few Shopsmiths where the previous owner drilled holes in the sanding disc to use as a face plate. I have no experience using them in that capacity.

sailseahawk wrote:Hello,
Has anyone tried using a shopsmith sanding disc as a faceplate for turning? The disk can certainly rotate safely at high speed, and stand a significant side load. As a faceplate, I would certainly be turning at slow speeds for a large bowl or plate.

Any thoughts?

Seahawk

My thoughts would be to use a shopsmith face plate. They have a 3" and a 6" and are designed to perform the task. You should never have to go larger then these.

Depending on what you are turning you may want to add a block to the face plate to either glue or other wise attach the workpiece. Back in the good old days putting a piece of newspaper between the wood on the face plate and the work piece when gluing them together was common. Not many people had chucks and the chucks they had were no where as nice as what you can get today.

I think there might even be some safety concerns with using the sanding disk. Having to in most cases work the blank from the back (headstock side) you will end up with this 12" disk in the way and or finding yourself brushing it with your hands/arms/other body parts...

While it could be done I would question if it should be done.

Now there could be a reason you have in mind but without knowing about it my comments are in just general terms.

Ed

Please, for your safety, DO NOT DO IT!:mad: The SS sanding disk is not designed to take the weight of a project piece that would require such a large faceplate. While the sanding disk does not flex during its intended use, put the pressure of turning on it and a lot of things can go wrong, and go wrong fast. On a side note, I'm sure you will have plenty of trouble with runout and vibration if used in this way.

Please use a faceplate that is designed for woodturning. Do not monkey around with the sanding disk that is far away from being designed for woodturning.

You can't say you haven't been warned.

I have always been an advocate of "The right tool for the job". Using a tool for something it isn't designed for can, and usually does, lead to accidents. Besides, face plates aren't that expensive. My extremities are worth more to me than saving a buck or two.

I tend to agree on not using for roughing or heavy work, however might be nice to convert as a Longworth type for final turn and finishing.

brad_nalor wrote:I tend to agree on not using for roughing or heavy work, however might be nice to convert as a Longworth type for final turn and finishing.

Sheez! We have gone from a few holes to several curved slots!:D

The 12" Aluminum sanding disk that came with my Greenie had holes drilled in it to use as a faceplate, and when I got it, it had a 4-6" diameter, 2-3" long wasteblock screwed to it that appeared to have been used more than once.

I wanted and needed a sanding disk so off came the wasteblock, and on went a disk of sandpaper.

I ended up buying a faceplate, but I have no doubts that I can use that 12" Aluminum sanding disk as a faceplate if I ever need it - but I wouldn't over-stress it with large items. And as has already been pointed out, the 12" diameter of the sanding disk would make it hard to get to the back-side of the workpiece.


PS: That aluminum disk does not run perfectly true. I have no idea if the previous owner over-loaded it using it as a faceplate, or if it is bent for any number of other reasons and things which could have happened to it between 1955 and now. It's bent enough that I wouldn't use it for grinding my jointer knives, but I have no problem using it for rough sanding wood workpieces.