pipemakersforum.com

I recently watched a YT video with the pipe maker shaping a good deal of his stem with his belt sander and am thinking about an upgrade. I am presently using a cheap HF 1x30” sander but find it to be limiting due to visibility, and slackness of the belt even when the adjustment is maxed.
I am think that a 1x42” unit will be more desirable, but due to the cost of the two highest rated units, I wanted to run it by some guys who know what they are doing. Thus far, I have done very little with the integral disk sander and can forego that device.
Because I cut freehand stems, I don’t think that the wider belts will be suitable.
Any recommendations?
Thanks, DocAitch

Personally I find a belt sander with a contact wheel to be most suitable for stem work, of course this is personal preference.

I had the HF model and then I got a good deal for the 1x30 Delta off Craigslist and now the HF one is just collecting dust. The Delta runs a bit truer, but I'm not sure I would have paid full price for it.

The real secret is a good belt. If you aren't using these belts, you should check them out:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Norton-SGBlaze ... QqQCCURwaA

I get just over a year's worth of use out of a single belt. I think a good belt may be enough to where you don't need to upgrade the machine.

The timing of this post couldn't be any better. My small grizzly 1x30 just crapped out after about 6 yrs and I'm looking to upgrade to the 1x42 as I love the 1" belt for certain aspects of stem work. The up side is that in the mean time I've been doing my stem work on my 24 grit resin backed disk and I've really improved my shaping abilities on that disk. I've watched Nate King rough in a stem on the 24 grit disk in no time at all with astounding precision, and I always thought it was crazy, but after learning how to work the wheel, I actually find that it can be more versatile and possibly faster, with enough practice.

Jeremiah,
Thanks. I ordered those belts. Certainly all less expensive than the road I was traveling:).
Emmanuel
I don’t have the confidence yet to try that with a rough grinder, but will keep it in mind.
DocAitch

I have one of these 1x42 belt sanders from Lee Valley. http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=44884& I also have another that is like it, but it came from Montgomery Wards in 1971. It is on it's 2nd motor and still kicking out sanding dust. They are as noisy as you can get, but built so simple that the only thing that can wrong is the motor gets tired and quits. Unfortunately they are not cheap. At $80 without a motor, you can expect another $100 for the motor.

I've had a Rikon 1x30 belt / 5 inch disc. Sometimes Woodcraft or Rockler have sales where you can pick one up for less than $100. Mine's been going strong for over four years. No issues other than replacing a bearing last week, cost me all of two bucks.

I've got a Kalamazoo 1SM (42"). Expensive but worth it. American Made!
What you really want is a Burr King like George's. Second mortgage time.

I got the cheapo harbor freight model. I'ts the cheapest tool i have since i focused my money on quality in a lathe etc first. That said, it seems to get the job done.

The delta 1x42 and similar brands are good. Try to find a used one locally on fb or cl.

dogcatcher wrote:I have one of these 1x42 belt sanders from Lee Valley. http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=44884& I also have another that is like it, but it came from Montgomery Wards in 1971. It is on it's 2nd motor and still kicking out sanding dust. They are as noisy as you can get, but built so simple that the only thing that can wrong is the motor gets tired and quits. Unfortunately they are not cheap. At $80 without a motor, you can expect another $100 for the motor.

Shame we can't get something like that over here, looks a good bit of kit and easy to customise.

caskwith wrote:

dogcatcher wrote:I have one of these 1x42 belt sanders from Lee Valley. http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=44884& I also have another that is like it, but it came from Montgomery Wards in 1971. It is on it's 2nd motor and still kicking out sanding dust. They are as noisy as you can get, but built so simple that the only thing that can wrong is the motor gets tired and quits. Unfortunately they are not cheap. At $80 without a motor, you can expect another $100 for the motor.

Shame we can't get something like that over here, looks a good bit of kit and easy to customise.

Here is a "do-it-yourself" version. http://lumberjocks.com/projects/205034

I also have made one of them for a 2x42 belt, it is as good as the Lee Valley and cheaper. But I had bought theLee Valley before I found these plans. I also have a semi copy of this one in a 1x42 version. http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/ge ... ost2098587 I can control the speed with a router speed controller, which makes it real nice.

This is the source for the Shopnotes plans. https://www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/4-in-1-belt-sander/
I didn't buy them, I made it by looking at the pictures, pretty basic, not rocket science.

What you really want is a Burr King. I've used George's a time or two and if I had the funds...and the room...I'd get one in a heartbeat. You can damn near finish your stem completely on it.

I've used his machine a few times myself, and Scottie speaks truth.

3 belt widths + infinite speed control + infinite grit control + being able to look DIRECTLY down at the work (meaning see the light gap) = amazing shit can be dood

.

LatakiaLover wrote:I've used his machine a few times myself, and Scottie speaks truth.

3 belt widths + infinite speed control + infinite grit control + being able to look DIRECTLY down at the work (meaning see the light gap) = amazing shit can be dood

.

I'm going to use the word SEXY here...

Thank you Scottie and George
Now I have serious sander envy that will be unrequited due to the funds issue.
That sander costs 2 1/2 time what my very satisfactory basic lathe did.
I suspect that there is about 2 1/2 times the cost of several other pieces of my machinery tied up in belts alone.
Ah well, I just cut a satisfactory stem with my French wheel and files that probably took me about an hour longer than George takes.
DocAitch

Actually, while I got it to speed up stem work, it didn't take long to discover it's even more valuable for tool making & generalized Other Cool Shit. Some tasks would be completely impossible without it, in fact. Like so:

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=11592

I've had this thought to make my own belt sander at some point. I've already made a slack belt sander with variable speed. Maybe when my 1x30 gives out, I'll build one like George's. I doubt I could ever save enough time to justify the expense of a Burr King.

Who said anything about saving time being the only factor? That thing is just cool, lol.

I should probably start visiting George once a week just to shape my stems. I could literally make 4 stems in less than half the time with that beast.

Here is a slack belt sander I made. It does not look like much. It will hold 2, 2" x 72".
sorry these are on there sides. I don't know how to turn them.