Disk Sander Squaring Jig

[vtgaryw]

I'm not a fan of pen mills, and I've been fiddling around with easy to change-over squaring jigs for the sander. I saw this pipe drilling jig at Eastwood, and thought I'd give it a try.

Wanted something extruded, with a "V" groove built in, with sides parallel to the groove. Made the simple plywood top piece in a few minutes, use my transfer punches and viola! Simple, cheap and effective so far.

-gary

 

[Curly]

Good for what I see but how do you align the jig to your sander? Miter gauge?

 

[low_48]

So you are going to clamp the transfer punch and not the blank, right?

 

[kingkeyman]

I'm curious on how you keep the jig squared to the sanding disc.

 

[vtgaryw]

Yes, I clamp onto the transfer punch.

And yes, I use a miter gauge to square it to the sander. Every blank I've squared with this so far is dead on square. Coming out better than I've ever done with a pen mill or any other jig I've tried. And quick!

-gary

 

[vtgaryw]

Just noticed that I posted two of the same pics. Meant to show it from both ends. 2nd time today I did that.

Here's the pic that shows the other end.

-gary

 

[Curly]

I understand now. I went a similar route using a wood block with a V cut and a Destako clamp screwed to the block as a hold down. It made the pen mill obsolete.

 

[navycop]

Wood it be easier to clamp the blank in the V slot?

 

[Curly]

If you clamp a blank in a "V" block that is not perfectly square and parallel along its length with the tube hole perfectly drilled through it, it will not be square. With the blank on a transfer punch it will sand a square end no mater what the shape of the blank. Think how you would do an antler by holding the outside rather than the axis of the tube.

 

[vtgaryw]

I had tried the "v" groove in a block of wood, but could never get it all quite as square as this aluminum extrusion.

-gary

 

[Signguy]

So the transfer punch goes in the bottom of the groove and the two bolts in the wood top hold it in place?