Rikon disc sander advice

[hooked]

Hello. I have had this disc sander for about a year and find that I rarely use it because I have accuracy problems and figured it is time to try to figure out how to fix it. I am hoping someone else may have this sander, and have encountered this issue.

I discovered that it was off alignment when I started trying to sand small parts accurately for segmenting. It is a Rikon 8" disc with a 1x42 belt. The table on the disk is not sitting evenly to the disc. Left side is over 1/8" from the disc while the right side is about 1/16". It only attaches on one side of the table and the more I tighten the table, the further off alignment it goes. In order for me to get the left side to about 1/16", I have the right side touching the disc. I just can't seem to get the table to square to the disc.

Does anyone have experience with this sander that can provide any advice?

 

[jttheclockman]

The need for this is when using the mitergauge. Have you checked to see if the miter slot is parallel with the sanding disc. If so then it is just milled crooked and no need to worry about it. If you want a zero clearance between the disc and table I always take a thin piece of 1/8" thick Baltic birch plywood and doublesided tape it to the table top as close as I want. I rarely use the mitergauge but if you do you can cut the slot in the plywood out for the gauge. What becomes a problem is if your gauge is one of those that rides in a track within the slot. From the photo this is not the case so you would not have a problem.

Not having this type sander is there any bolts holding the table to the base that you can shim on one side to angle the top. Need to see the side better. If you can take the table off the base then there has to be a way to adjust. Not sure how tight the tolerance is between those cast iron wings where the hold down thumb bolts are. If there is space between the arms and the base you maybe able to add washers to the side you show in the photo and it will pull that side out and the other side in. Now the scale if there is one on the side for angles will be off but you never go by those anyway. If angling always use a machinist square or drafting angles for accuracy. Maybe you can just move the motor. Not sure what is attached to what. Without having in front of me that is about all I have.

 

[Curly]

Don't have one but looking at the pictures you posted it seems to me that you can loosen the motor mounting bolts and align the disc to the table mortice slot (not the edge of the table) that way. Best done with no paper on the disc. You'll get your best adjustment that way including perpendicular the the table/disc in the vertical orientation. Once the mitre slot is square you can file the gap to your liking but it isn't needed unless it touches.

Upon a closer look I just noticed the table assembly is bolted to the base with a slot so you have lots of adjustment.

 

[Paul in OKC]

Agreed with John. Most likely just the casting, but make sure the miter slot is parallel to the disc would be the biggest thing to check.

 

[jttheclockman]

Looking at instruction booklets I see the motor and the table are mounted separately so moving the motor to line up with the table is easy fix.

 

[hooked]

Thank you all! As I hoped, I got some great responses! I was able to loosen the bolts from the bottom and slide the whole disk assembly in the slot to align it evenly to the disk. It was a very easy fix and I overlooked it thinking there must be a way to adjust the table from the locking mechanism.

Thanks again to all for the help!

 

[studioseven]

I don't have a Rikon but had a similar problem with a Ryobi. In addition to having the slot in the table perfectly perpendicular ( I hate using words I can't spell) to the grinding disk, it also needs to be level and perfectly 90 degrees to the grinding wheel. Easy to check with a small square and level. Hope this helps.

Seven