Sander & Squaring

[Big]

My wife's father passed away a couple of years ago and her mother has been clearing out his garage shop. She gave me a 4x6" belt sander, 6" disc sander that was made in 2005. If you look at the current models that Sears sells there is a table attachment that you can move the work up to the sanding face on. My sander does not have that and I can not for the life of me get anything square by hand especially working with small pen blanks.

Anyone have any idea about making some little stand or table that could sit on the table I built to put the sander on that would allow me to slide the pen blanks up to the sanding face for squaring? I am trying to avoid having to spend $169 for a new sander right now.

I don't have the experience or knowledge with tools and machinery to figure this out on my own so I am passing it off to the master craftsmen here. Thank you so much in advance for your thoughts and help with this challenge.

 

[Swagopenturner]

Sander Table

Are you talking about something like this?

 

[Bill Arnold]

After seeing a discussion about blank squaring jigs on IAP a few days ago, I grabbed a few pieces of scrap and made one. As you can see in the photos, there are four pieces of wood. I used red oak because I have a good bit of it. I cut one piece to a width equal to my miter gauge height and about 8" long. For the "V" groove, I beveled the edge of a piece of oak, cut equal lengths and glued them together. Then, I glued those to the piece that attaches to the miter gauge. I cut another piece of wood to act as a clamp in concert with a knob and bolt.

I drilled holes for two threaded inserts to match the miter gauge slots and one hole in the "V" groove for a knob and bolt to tighten the clamp onto a rod. I already had a set of punches from HF, so there are sizes to match all the pen tubes.

After choosing the appropriate punch, it slides into the holder. The clamp gets tightened and I'm ready to square a blank.

 

[Curly]

Bill I did the same, only different, a few years ago. I've showed it before.

 

[Bill Arnold]

Bill I did the same, only different, a few years ago. I've showed it before.

Looks good! It was your post in a thread a few days ago that prompted me to take a stab at making a jig.

 

[Big]

Swagopenturner,

Yes. The sander I have has no platform or table at all. The disc sander is completely exposed.

 

[Mortalis]

What is the make and model of the sander unit that you have?
http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/part-model/Craftsman-Parts/Sander-Parts/Model-137215360/0247/0743000/10059834/00001?blt=06&prst=&shdMod=
Or Ebay

What other shop tools do you have that you could employ to build something like a tool rest?

Stumpy Nubs made a tool rest for his grinder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU4w4K8nWLo
Fast forward through the stuff you are not interested in.

 

[Big]

It is a Sears Craftsman that was manufactured in 2005. From what I have been able to find out they did not start putting the little table/platform on them until 2010. I built a little wood thing and is the best that I can do. Works alright but not great.

 

[Big]

Bill & Curly,

Those are nice, what would something like that cost to make and who could I get to do it?

 

[NittanyLion]

Without a table on your sander, you will need to build one. It would be much easier to sand on your lathe. It's how I trim all blanks, before and after finishing(when using CA). Here is a quick photo I snapped of my setup. You probably have everything to make one. Hope this helps.

 

[Big]

Steve,

I actually did build one this afternoon. Send me a message at mike@dixieemporium.com and I'll send you pics of it.

Big

 

[Dan Masshardt]

Without a table on your sander, you will need to build one. It would be much easier to sand on your lathe. It's how I trim all blanks, before and after finishing(when using CA). Here is a quick photo I snapped of my setup. You probably have everything to make one. Hope this helps.

You've got some torn grain on your sanding block. ;-)

 

[Tom T]

One of the guys on the sight buils a sanding arm device (he sells it) to go in the head stock. It was pretty cool. That way you did not sand just in one place on the sanding disk. You make the disk the arm holds the flat disk you make to put the sand paper on. I wish he made the disk as well as I do not get to turn much and do not gave time to make the disk and set up come together. PSI also maks a pin on a metal jig for 7mm size. I have used it for large sizes. But you need a table on your sander.

 

[NittanyLion]

One of the guys on the sight buils a sanding arm device (he sells it) to go in the head stock. It was pretty cool. That way you did not sand just in one place on the sanding disk. You make the disk the arm holds the flat disk you make to put the sand paper on. I wish he made the disk as well as I do not get to turn much and do not gave time to make the disk and set up come together. PSI also maks a pin on a metal jig for 7mm size. I have used it for large sizes. But you need a table on your sander.

Here it is. I've been wanting one for some time now.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f172/custom-made-penturning-tools-accessories-92501/

 

[Tom T]

That's the one. I really need to buy one. Thanks for finding it.

 

[darrin1200]

One of the guys on the sight buils a sanding arm device (he sells it) to go in the head stock. It was pretty cool. That way you did not sand just in one place on the sanding disk. You make the disk the arm holds the flat disk you make to put the sand paper on. I wish he made the disk as well as I do not get to turn much and do not gave time to make the disk and set up come together. PSI also maks a pin on a metal jig for 7mm size. I have used it for large sizes. But you need a table on your sander.

Here it is. I've been wanting one for some time now.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f172/custom-made-penturning-tools-accessories-92501/

I would have to second this sweet litle jig. I finally got myself one back in the spring.
Rick is great to do business with as well.