Delta Disc Sander Miter Gauge doesn't sit level

[Aeternyx]

I recently purchased a Delta 12" Disc Sander to help with squaring the ends of pen blanks and rounding off sharp corners.

Here is my setup:

The problem - and you can even see it in the photo - the miter gauge sits proud of the surface... so it wobbles forward and backward on that axis. If you hold it right, everything is square.. but it really wants to wobble.

Any suggestions on solving this problem?

Either way, I'm already in love with trimming the ends this way. So much gentler than the barrel trimmer in the drill.

Thanks

 

[jcimm2000]

I recently purchased a Delta 12" Disc Sander to help with squaring the ends of pen blanks and rounding off sharp corners.

Here is my setup:
View attachment 295988

The problem - and you can even see it in the photo - the miter gauge sits proud of the surface... so it wobbles forward and backward on that axis. If you hold it right, everything is square.. but it really wants to wobble.

Any suggestions on solving this problem?

Either way, I'm already in love with trimming the ends this way. So much gentler than the barrel trimmer in the drill.

Thanks

Make yourself a jig with a wooden runner that fits the slot.

 

[Dehn0045]

Remove some material from one side of the runner. I believe that these are usually aluminum, so a block with sandpaper should do the trick pretty easy. Or replace the runner with thinner material - wood/metal/plastic/whatever

 

[egnald]

Greetings from Nebraska - I had the same problem with the last two sanders I have owned. As jcimm2000 suggested, I solved the problem to my satisfaction by building a jig of my own using Baltic Birch Plywood and a Hard Maple runner that fits my miter gauge slot snuggly. My miter slot is a "T" shape so I made the runner by measuring and making two separate pieces for each width out of hard maple and then gluing them together to make a solid "T" shape. The shaft is a piece of "C" Drill Rod (0.242 diameter), but a piece cut from an old mandrel would work as well. Stays square and no more rocking!

Regards,
Dave

PS. It also became a convenient storage location for my collection of barrel trimming sleeves.

 

[studioseven]

I can't tell from the angle of your photo, but do you place your blank in the v groove on top of your jig? If so that is not an efficient way of squaring your blanks. You would be depending on your blank being perfectly drilled which rarely happens. Bits like to drift. Your jig needs some sort of axle that the brass tube would ride on. Perfect example on the above post.

Seven

 

[jttheclockman]

Not sure what I am looking at there. Never seen a disc sander where the miter gauge hangs half off the platform. This must be a new concept and not sure why. I see no advantage to this at all. Just did a search and looks like the Delta and all the clones of that sander are that way. I would definetly chuck that miter gauge and make a sanding jig for sure.

 

[egnald]

I can't tell from the angle of your photo, but do you place your blank in the v groove on top of your jig? If so that is not an efficient way of squaring your blanks. You would be depending on your blank being perfectly drilled which rarely happens. Bits like to drift. Your jig needs some sort of axle that the brass tube would ride on. Perfect example on the above post.

Seven

Seven & All - I agree that using the "V" groove is not appropriate for holding the blank itself. I am pretty sure that this style of squaring jig is intended for use with a transfer punch that is appropriate for the tube size to be clamped or otherwise held into the "V" groove on the jig as the "axle" for the tubed blank thus the blank gets sanded square with the tube. Because there is a set of transfer punches on the stand in the photo, I am assuming that this is how it is being used -- it is hard to tell for sure in looking at the sander and jig though because of the angle of the photo. - Dave

 

[Aeternyx]

Seven & All - I agree that using the "V" groove is not appropriate for holding the blank itself. I am pretty sure that this style of squaring jig is intended for use with a transfer punch that is appropriate for the tube size to be clamped or otherwise held into the "V" groove on the jig as the "axle" for the tubed blank thus the blank gets sanded square with the tube. Because there is a set of transfer punches on the stand in the photo, I am assuming that this is how it is being used -- it is hard to tell for sure in looking at the sander and jig though because of the angle of the photo. - Dave

My apologies for the photo. Dave is exactly correct on how this is used.

I appreciate the other suggestions and I'll try to see about a jig. Unfortunately my "shop" is a lathe, disc sander, and a second hand band saw with no blade that I haven't gotten around to setting up yet. But I'll see what I can figure out. Thanks!