Shopsmith Forums

The treadmill is dead. Long live the Frankensander!
Tore the old tread mill apart. Threw out the parts not needed, rerouted the wiring, shored up the bed and got a hands on lesson in the operation of Reeves pulleys.
Re wired the motor power cord and disconnected the pulse monitor.
Plugged it in and it runs!!!!
Now, I've got to engineer a lead screw to adjust the motor carriage that will give me speed control. I may try to rig up a similar set up to adjust the powered platen for belt tracking. Then weld on some legs and order some belting. It takes a 14X"105" belt, so I'll have to order a longer one, cut it and re splice it. Anybody got any suggestions on the kind of glue I should use?
So far, this has been fun!

Here's a place that will make custom sanding belts -- http://www.customsandingbelts.com/abrasive.asp --. Just plug in sizes and pick the abrasive type and get a price. Then you could decide if it's worth trying to make a belt yourself.

Getting the belt to stay together likely will be your biggest problem in making your own belts and you may have tracking problems if the ends don't match perfectly.

What kind of sander are you making that would use a 105" belt? A stroke sander?

Gene Howe wrote:The treadmill is dead. Long live the Frankensander!
Tore the old tread mill apart. Threw out the parts not needed, rerouted the wiring, shored up the bed and got a hands on lesson in the operation of Reeves pulleys.
Re wired the motor power cord and disconnected the pulse monitor.
Plugged it in and it runs!!!!
Now, I've got to engineer a lead screw to adjust the motor carriage that will give me speed control. I may try to rig up a similar set up to adjust the powered platen for belt tracking. Then weld on some legs and order some belting. It takes a 14X"105" belt, so I'll have to order a longer one, cut it and re splice it. Anybody got any suggestions on the kind of glue I should use?
So far, this has been fun!

You should never through away PARTS! Next week or maybe some time a little later you are certain to need at least one of those parts.

pennview wrote:Here's a place that will make custom sanding belts -- http://www.customsandingbelts.com/abrasive.asp --. Just plug in sizes and pick the abrasive type and get a price. Then you could decide if it's worth trying to make a belt yourself.

Getting the belt to stay together likely will be your biggest problem in making your own belts and you may have tracking problems if the ends don't match perfectly.

What kind of sander are you making that would use a 105" belt? A stroke sander?

Thanks Pennview.
Can't use a belt. No way to get it on the platens past the solid frame.

With any luck, I'll have pictures this evening.

Here are some pictures of the Frankensander. Just in time for Holloween.

[ATTACH]14627[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]14628[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]14629[/ATTACH]

Looks like belt changes will involve a partial tear-down. Do-able for that kind of size!

Derek

I believe I'll be threading a "belt" through the frame and re gluing it. A hassle, for sure, but I won't be changing often.

Gene Howe wrote:I believe I'll be threading a "belt" through the frame and re gluing it. A hassle, for sure, but I won't be changing often.

I do hope that is NOT wishful thinking!:)

JPG40504 wrote:I do hope that is NOT wishful thinking!:)

Well, I really could remove the platten rollers and the bed and then slip on a pre made belt. It would be a half day job. but what the heck, I don't have anything else to do.
After due consideration, I may just do that.