Shopsmith Forums

After seeing Reible's and nuhobby's posts and pics about their DIY Sandfrees, I ordered a 6" Shopsmith sanding drum (555948). That was around January. It arrived in June. I'd forgotten all about it by then. I had some old formica closet organizer parts that we'd just pulled out of a closet to renovate it, so I looked them over and found that they were quite flat/straight/square. So I made a sort of torsion box with 2 of them and some scrap 2x4 pieces, and used one as a tall fence for edge-sanding. It only took a couple of hours, including the dust-collection attachment that connects to the shopvac/HEPA filter (via the Thien separator).

So it sits on the 500 main table with 2x4 pieces holding it forward/back and side-to-side. There doesn't seem to be any need to clamp it on, since it's weight and any pressure you apply to the board hold it down. It's quite stable.

The dust collection works extremely well, since there are so few paths in to dilute the flow. And best of all, the only cost was for the sanding drum. I thought the formica panels might warp, but it's been a couple of months and it's still nice and square.

Thanks to the SFlee guys for a great idea that works, and to Reible & nuhobby for a great idea that saves a small fortune.

-w4f
PS: I don't see the attachment paperclip icon in the New Thread user interface, so I'll reply to this 1st post and include the pictures there.

wood4fun wrote: PS: I don't see the attachment paperclip icon in the New Thread user interface, so I'll reply to this 1st post and include the pictures there.

I think the reason there wasn't an attachment paperclip icon was because I was using the Chrome browser...I switched over to Internet explorer to post these pics and there's the paperclip, right where it should be.

-wf4

w4f,

GREAT JOB! Very professional-looking. I especially like that you've implemented a nice right-angle fence in your machine.

wood4fun wrote: So it sits on the 500 main table

Looking at those 500 table pics I couldn't help think, Gee, where did SS get the idea to improve the 510 rail system to the 520 style? Well, by golly, from the 500, of course!

keakap wrote:Looking at those 500 table pics I couldn't help think, Gee, where did SS get the idea to improve the 510 rail system to the 520 style? Well, by golly, from the 500, of course!

OK! Just where do the tubes fit onto the 500 table?:D

GREAT IMPLIMENTATION/EXPANSION of a good idea! I also like the fence!

Hi,

Great job! It is always good to see another members version of a project and I have to admit yours certainly looks a good deal better then mine.

This has been a very useful tool in my shop ever since I built it. It does not require much money if you already own the sanding drum and can be done in a short period of time so I really would expect a lot more people to have built one.... I think some more of you would find this a good project if you would get out in the shop and just do it.

Ed

wood4fun wrote:After seeing Reible's and nuhobby's posts and pics about their DIY Sandfrees, I ordered a 6" Shopsmith sanding drum (555948). That was around January. It arrived in June. I'd forgotten all about it by then. I had some old formica closet organizer parts that we'd just pulled out of a closet to renovate it, so I looked them over and found that they were quite flat/straight/square. So I made a sort of torsion box with 2 of them and some scrap 2x4 pieces, and used one as a tall fence for edge-sanding. It only took a couple of hours, including the dust-collection attachment that connects to the shopvac/HEPA filter (via the Thien separator).

So it sits on the 500 main table with 2x4 pieces holding it forward/back and side-to-side. There doesn't seem to be any need to clamp it on, since it's weight and any pressure you apply to the board hold it down. It's quite stable.

The dust collection works extremely well, since there are so few paths in to dilute the flow. And best of all, the only cost was for the sanding drum. I thought the formica panels might warp, but it's been a couple of months and it's still nice and square.

Thanks to the SFlee guys for a great idea that works, and to Reible & nuhobby for a great idea that saves a small fortune.

-w4f
PS: I don't see the attachment paperclip icon in the New Thread user interface, so I'll reply to this 1st post and include the pictures there.

Thanks guys for your comments. Good example of this forum's usefulness -- I knew I wanted a DIY sandflee, but I didn't see how to do it practically until I read reible and nuhobby's posts -- then it was a breeze.

It is a really handy jig to use, though a bit bulky to store. Maybe a coffee-table-top would be a convenient dual-use disguise:D

-w4f

I saw a comment in another thread on this subject (?from Dusty?) regarding a bearing on the unsupported end of the sanding drum. Haven't looked too closely at this yet, but if this is considered necessary would it not be possible to incorporate the live (lathe) centre?

Ray