lathe into a disk sander

[RPE1]

No problem.  I was starting to think that, in the words of Dirty Harry Callahan, my mouthwash ain't makin' it.  


I shimmed it square.  Since the pipe nipple bears against the inside of the banjo bore for its whole length and is held against it by the screw, the position is always the same.  Unless I rotate it, but I can't since it has a long, flat side.  So it always comes out square, once it was initially squared via shims.  It hasn't moved in years, maybe partly because it's mahogany that was once part of a pattern used in a foundry.  My Dad got lots of mahogany back in the day from a friend of his in the business.  But any construction that's rigid and flat I would think is fine.

My biggest problem with it is that the disc itself is not flat.  Easy to correct on a metal lathe, but it's actually slightly curved back from center.

Your lack of flatness is what has bothered me about making a 20" disk for my lathe.  How to eliminate run out (I think that's the term).  I want things to be flat when I place them against the disk.  If the disk isn't flat, my work isn't going to be either.
I do segmented work and I'd like to be able to place a ring on the sander and it be flat when I take it off.

RP

[handi]

Hello all,

I am making what I need to use my lathe as a disk sander.

I already had the disk and sanding part done.

Now I wanted to seek your advice on making the table that will be built (out of plywood) to go in front of the sanding disk.

Any tips or advice from those who have done it?

I built one some years back for the 2Sand.com Blog, but the photos seem to no longer be active, the host must have gone. I will try to find the info and share it here if I can.

[Arlin Eastman]

Peter

I found my tool rest did not work correctly since it was at an angle and I even had someone weld up a post with a flat top to add a platform on top of that but still not great.  So I did it like I said instead like a saddle that sits on the ways.

On the dust collection at the time I just used a elastic cord to keep my hose in place at the back end and that is all.

[handi]

That's exactly what I was thinking.

Any advice about a miter slot? or dust collection?

You can add an extruded miter track into your 3/4” ply table, or you can glue your table up from 1/2” Baltic birch, with the bottom layer full sized and the top segmented to leave a 3/4 groove. 

But in order to do accurate angles this way, you will need to insure the slot is perpendicular to the disk face. You could try to insure the table mounting system is accurate enough, but I did not bother. I typically use the disk sander for shaping parts, so alignment is not an issue. But when I need to be accurate, I can always align things for that work session.

[Peter Tremblay]

You can add an extruded miter track into your 3/4” ply table, or you can glue your table up from 1/2” Baltic birch, with the bottom layer full sized and the top segmented to leave a 3/4 groove. 

But in order to do accurate angles this way, you will need to insure the slot is perpendicular to the disk face. You could try to insure the table mounting system is accurate enough, but I did not bother. I typically use the disk sander for shaping parts, so alignment is not an issue. But when I need to be accurate, I can always align things for that work session.

I agree.

This is what I came up with yesterday in the shop.

   

[Peter Tremblay]

I think to square the miter slot to the disk I'm just going to make a simple jig.

It'll have a lip to sit inside the miter slot and a "hook" to reach around the back of the disk. I could then just gently pull the table away from the disk and let the jig catch the back of the disk. When it touches/catches on both sides it'll be parallel. Add to that and I won't have to do any measurements.

[Arlin Eastman]

I agree.

This is what I came up with yesterday in the shop.

That is well done and like mine but mine is about 8" longer at 24x18 with the DC added below like yours.

[Peter Tremblay]

That is well done and like mine but mine is about 8" longer at 24x18 with the DC added below like yours.

Wow, that's very large.

Mine is about 12"x10"

[Arlin Eastman]

Wow, that's very large.

Mine is about 12"x10"

   Well my Disc is 15" so I had to go bigger then the 12"x10".  I also went to PSI and got their 6" faceplate and   put the  1-1/4 adapter on it to keep it more stable while turning.  I believe it would be best for yours also.

https://www.pennstateind.com/store/CF6.html

[Peter Tremblay]

   Well my Disc is 15" so I had to go bigger then the 12"x10".  I also went to PSI and got their 6" faceplate and   put the  1-1/4 adapter on it to keep it more stable while turning.  I believe it would be best for yours also.

https://www.pennstateind.com/store/CF6.html

What is your disk made of?

Wood, MDF, plywood?

I bought a 10" sanding disk that is sold at Woodcraft as a sanding attachment for the table saw.

Then I drilled and tapped it for a small faceplate.  It runs very true.

It is easy to find PSA paper for the 10" disk.

The one drawback is that my lathe is a 12" so I could conceivably go up to a 12" disk.