Many woodworkers are afraid of using a belt
sander, and you can't blame them. Used incorrectly, a belt
sander can ruin in seconds a project that you spent days building.
I've succeeded in making some reasonably flat boards into
moonscapes, thanks to improper use of a belt sander. But I've
learned from this, and want to pass some tips along to you. With a
little practice, you'll even be willing to use your belt sander
on plywood!
Buying
Advice
When you're sander shopping,
bigger is better.My 4-in. x 24-in. sander, left, has a platen
that's nearly 35% bigger than a 3-in. x 21-in. sander. It's
much easier to keep a large platen flat on your work than a small
one. Yes, a bigger sander is heavier, but if you're using it
primarily on horizontal surfaces, that's not a big deal. If you
need to hoist the sander to a vertical surface, a smaller machine
will be easier to handle. But if that's only a small part of
your woodworking, buy the biggest machine you can handle
horizontally.
Consider a sanding frame.A sanding frame acts like training wheels,
helping prevent the sander from tipping. Some machines accept them,
some don't. If you're shopping, this is a nice feature to
keep in mind.If you already own a sander, you could be out of luck
if your machine wasn't designed to take a sanding
frame.
Look for a machine with variable speed.When
you're first learning to use the sander you can run it with a
fine paper at low speed so you can't take wood off too quickly.
I still use low speed on delicate sanding operations, like when
I'm sanding a face frame flush to a plywood cabinet side.
Variable speed provides great control.
Setting
Up
You've got to make certain
the board you're working on can't 'run away' from
the sander.You can brace it against a stop you've clamped in a
vise, above, or use a no-slip router mat, below, available at
woodworking specialty stores.You can also squeeze the board between
your vise and bench dogs.
But don't clamp the board itself down to the table. Working
around a clamp is a sure way to ruin the surface.
Mark your work. A random pencil line across
the face of your material will help you keep track of where
you've sanded and where you haven't. This helps insure
uniform removal of material. As soon as the pencil line is sanded
off, make another one before continuing to sand.
Using the
Sander
Before you fire up the sander
make sure the cord is out of the way.Your goal is to make smooth
flowing passes over your material. If you're worried about
sucking the cord into a spinning belt (not that I've ever done
that), or taking one hand off the machine to move the cord, you
won't be a smooth operator. I like to drape the cord up over my
shoulder, trailing down my back.
Get ready for a smooth landing.Start with the
sander lifted slightly off your work.Turn the machine on, then ease
it down and back, beginning your first sanding stroke on the
board.Think of the way a plane touches down, and try to make the
sander contact the work with no turbulence, with the platen
parallel to the board.When you're done sanding ease the machine
off the work, then let it come to a stop.
Sand the board by moving the sander forward
and back, in the same direction as the grain. At the end of each
stroke move over half the width of the platen to begin the next
long stroke. Each sanding pass should overlap the previous pass. No
need to lean on the sander. Just let the weight of the machine do
the work.
When you get to the end of the board make
sure the platen doesn't cantilever too far past the edge. Allow
1/3 or less of the platen length to project over the edge. More
than that, and the weight of the machine could cause the sander to
rock down and round the end.
As you sand out to the edge, be careful again
of how much platen sticks over the edge.If the sander rocks and
rolls, you'll have a rounded edge in a
heartbeat.
Keep the belt clean. Sawdust builds up
quickly in a sanding belt. If you don't do anything about it
you'll have sandpaper that's still sharp but can't cut
because it's filled up with dust and wood resin. Avoid this
problem by using an abrasive cleaning stick. You can find them at
woodworking specialty stores and some home
centers.
The stick is an eraser for sandpaper. I
epoxied one to a board, and then clamp the board to a table near
where I'm working.Touch the sander to it every
few minutes and you're sawdust-free, as
these before and after pictures show.
Get your work at the right height.Sometimes
this means getting the project on something besides your workbench,
especially in the case of large pieces, like this cabinet. If this
case were on my bench it would be awkwardly high for sanding, and
I'd be more prone to tipping the machine and sanding through
the cabinet's veneer.
Finally, take the time to work with, and
learn to use, your sander. I always admonish my students 'You
wouldn't just pick up a guitar and expect to be able to play
it. It takes practice. (As my fingers have painfully learned.)
Woodworking takes practice, too.' Set up a board on your bench
and run your sander over it. Lay a straight edge across it to see
how you did. Refine your technique, and soon the belt sander will
become a go-to tool for you.
Other Related Articles
SuperMax 37-Inch Drum Sander
View RSS Feed
Printer Friendly Version
Email this Information
