Homemade super belt sander from a treadmill!

[MesquiteMan]

I had a need for a belt sander that was at least 12" wide. I could not use a typical widebelt sander since I needed to have the top of the belt unobstructed. I looked all over and could not find anything. I have a drum sander that basically uses a sandpaper belt for the conveyor and thought I could come up with something myself. While looking at the drum sander, it occured to me that it was very similar to a treadmill!

Of to Craig's List I went! I found a really nice treadmill for $50 and bought it. I then went online and found a company that will make any size sanding belt for you. I spent $40 for the belt, shipped. I removed all of the upright parts to the treadmill and disassembled the control board that is on the riser part that you hand on to for dear life! I took the plastic for the control board and cut it down on my saw and made a wood frame for it. I then welded up a steel frame with steel legs and fastened the treadmill to it. Lastly, I crafted a fence and made a new end cover to mount the control board on.

I now have a sander with capacity of 16" x 42" with variable speed from 52.8 feet per minute to 880 feet per minute. It works absolutely fantastic and I only have $90 in it if you don't count the cost of the steel frame and legs (I already had the steel). Here are some pictures as well as a link to a Youtube video.

Who ever knew sanding was such a good work out! After sanding for 20 minutes or so, according to the control board, I have burned a few hundred calories and ran a mile or more! I never even work up a sweat either! I should be in great shape after doing a lot more sanding!

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[navycop]

Looks interesting.. You can maybe work out while you wait for the CA to dry...

 

[SteveG]

Nice way to come up with a solution for your specific need. I hope it does not succumb to the sawdust it will generate, in spite of the dust collection incorporated into the design. Way to go Curtis! If I had to maintain 6mph when sanding, I would have to give up wood working, but could otherwise, still make pens!
Steve

 

[Curly]

Ingenious.

If it were possible to get perfectly matched belts you would be able to run a pair of belts side by side and have two grits ready to go at any time. Problem is getting the two belts that would track with one setting.

 

[Neil]

That's cool curtis

 

[ALA]

Great idea and neat work!

 

[BRobbins629]

Very cool

 

[markgum]

excellent idea!! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Twissy]

They say ingenuity is the mother of invention......case proved!

 

[firewhatfire]

Love it

 

[AlanZ]

Nice project, thanks for sharing

 

[TexasTaxi]

Proof positive that everything is BIGGER in TEXAS!

I love it, but am curious as to what you're sanding.

 

[Justturnin]

Wow. Well you know what they say, Everything is bigger in Texas. Awesome.

Now something in this picture really gets my goat. You have a freakin' treadmill in your shop and there is not a single tool or bench or table within 10' of it...... I think the space that sander is in is as big as my entire shop.:frown:

 

[jimdude]

Nice...Now the Patent paperwork.

 

[MesquiteMan]

Problem is getting the two belts that would track with one setting.

That would indeed be a huge problem! It was a real pain to get one belt to track properly. I would get it all set and running true and then, all of a sudden, it would take off to the side for no apparent reason. I did a little research and found that all sanders have a bit of a crown built into the roller to make it track. These roller have none. To overcome the issue I put a couple of wraps of duct tape in the middle of the roller! Problem solved!

Besides, I need at least 10" width so it would not do me any good to have two belts. I don't need the length, just the width.

I love it, but am curious as to what you're sanding.

I use it to flatten the tops of of the vacuum chambers I build.

Now something in this picture really gets my goat. You have a freakin' treadmill in your shop and there is not a single tool or bench or table within 10' of it...... I think the space that sander is in is as big as my entire shop.:frown:

That is actually in the non-air conditioned portion of my shop. I have a 3,000 sf shop. 1,000 sf of it is walled off, insulated, and air conditioned for my wood shop. The rest is for welding and general storage/use. The sander is outside of the wood shop portion.

Nice...Now the Patent paperwork.

No patents available here! While this was a completely original idea TO ME at the time, I found out after the fact that others have done similar things with treadmills.

 

[Justturnin]

Now something in this picture really gets my goat. You have a freakin' treadmill in your shop and there is not a single tool or bench or table within 10' of it...... I think the space that sander is in is as big as my entire shop.:frown:

That is actually in the non-air conditioned portion of my shop. I have a 3,000 sf shop. 1,000 sf of it is walled off, insulated, and air conditioned for my wood shop. The rest is for welding and general storage/use. The sander is outside of the wood shop portion.

Ohh.... Thanks for clarifying, I feel much better now.

 

[BradG]

Brilliant. well done Curtis :wink: Certainly worth showing off your brain wave.

 

[Pioneerpens]

love it!

 

[carpblaster]

Great idea you came up with,i could see my dad making nice guitars with that wide belt

 

[walshjp17]

Great idea. Shows some real True Grit :biggrin:

 

[PeetyInMich]

Any variable speed tool that is set in MPH is a winner to me!

 

[skiprat]

Imagine the 'Road Rash' you would get if you tripped up while doing your morning jog!!

Very ingenious Curtis!! It will be interesting to see how long the crowning tape will last.

 

[hewunch]

I bet your running shoes wear out faster now

 

[PenMan1]

I LOVE it!!!!!! I rarely have need to sand anything that large.....BUT, I may build one and try to "pitch" it to Nike or New Balance as a walking shoe tuner that custom fits the soles of a customer's excercise shoes to the shape of the road.

Just think how many MORE pairs of shoes Nike could sell with such a hi-tech shoe customizer! Hey.... Somebody sold them "air" to put in shoes that double the price

Curtis, I think you are on to something BIG!!!! Maybe the Turn-Tex Cactus Shoe Tuner

In all seriousness, WHAT A GREAT IDEA, well executed! Just curious (as I bet you've tried, I know I would) how far can you fling a 2x4 at 880 Bfm?

 

[edicehouse]

Hey you said you have $90 in it, bring it to MAPG I will give you $120. LOL. That is awesome.

 

[MesquiteMan]

Hey you said you have $90 in it, bring it to MAPG I will give you $120. LOL. That is awesome.

I wonder if they will allow me to bring it on the plane as a carry on?

 

[MesquiteMan]

In all seriousness, WHAT A GREAT IDEA, well executed! Just curious (as I bet you've tried, I know I would) how far can you fling a 2x4 at 880 Bfm?

Not tried flinging a 2x4 yet. I am a little leery of kickbacks! I had one a while back on my tablesaw that hit me in the privates and hurt like hell! I stay well away from flinging things now!

 

[ttpenman]

Great thinking outside the box. One question, just curious -- how hard is it to change belts? Don't imagine the treadmill was concerned about that. I would imagine a belt should last awhile.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

 

[Freethinker]

Awesome ingenuity. Great idea, great execution.

 

[mikespenturningz]

What a great idea. Well done Curtis.

 

[Russknan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Curtis. Very nice. But one question: Can you still hang your clothes on it at night like the main function of the one in my bedroom? Russ