Shopsmith Forums

I want to build drum to thickness sand with my Shopsmith. I have looked at the plans for building the drum to mount between the lathe centers, but I want more details on attaching it in the lathe set up and any ideas on dust collection while thickness sanding.

9/24/08
Thanks to all that replied. I have a good bandsaw for resawing rough stock. I just need to be able to take light passes to clean up some spalted maple (3/16") for boxes. Plus, I would like to veneer some of it so it would be even thinner. I already plan to use at least a carrier tray/slide which will deal with the kickback and potential damage to the tabletop issues. I just don't want to waste time and resources reinventing something that already works. Nick, I have one of your books on jigs and fixtures that I think may have a picture of the sander set up that you mentioned. I will look for the other book on sanding. Luckily, I grew up in a family that can make anything. I had already planned to either use a pvc sleeve filled with a wooden cylinder or my dad has an industrial metal lathe that can be used to mill whatever I need if I can't salvage something else. He gave me a 4-way chuck that needed an adapter to fit my shopsmith. When I couldn't find anyone to make the adapter, I had my brother make one for me that works very nicely. He has had technical training and I have never used it. Basically, my imagination is my limit.

Hello,

With a sanding Drum, thickness sanding must take measures to control kick-back. Here is an old thread about this topic:
http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/showthread.htm?t=582

The Sand-Flee is not really a thickness sander, but it will make a surface flat, and it has no worries for kickback.

There is also a Sawdust Session on using the Conical sanding disk for thickness sanding. I have done that successfully but I need to work on dust control.

On page 96 of "Sanding and Planing" by Nick Engler, the author presents plans and instructions for a 16" thickness sander designed to be mounted on a Shopsmith much as the SS thickness planer. The design includes micro adjustment, anti-kickback pawls, and very effective dust collection. It's a pleasure to use and holds up extremely well. Several years ago, I lent mine to a shop class where I volunteer and they continue to use it with no problems. The book is out-of-print, but you can still find them around. See http://www.amazon.com/Sanding-Planing-T ... 908&sr=8-1 .

With all good wishes,