Sanding Box

[Barefoot1]

I am going to build a box to place boards on for pre-pattern application sanding that I can hook either my shop vac or dust collector to. I saw these advertised somewhere a while back but cannot remember where. What I am trying to find out is what to make the top out of, metal screen of some type but not sure what. I would place a rubber mat down to hold the piece and prevent the metal from scratching it but I am still not sure what to use for the top. Any ideas?

[JohnB]

G'day Thomas,
I have seen people use Peg Board for the tops.
I used a piece of 12mm mdf and drilled holes with a 1" forstner bit. I then place holes around the edges so that they would hold bench dogs. This allows me to use a belt sander.

[Barefoot1]

Interesting, hadn't thought of the peg board idea. I was also thinking about using a wood top and drilling it out like you did. How big did you make it?

[JohnB]

G'day Thomas,
I have a bench that is about 3' x 2' it is where I do most of my assembly and stands in the middle of the shed.
I made the the down draft box slightly larger, with the bottom recessed about a 1/2". This allows the box to sit over the bench top and prevents it sliding when I use the belt sander.
I made it about 6" high as this allowed plenty of room to fit a 4" connector for my dust extractor, into the side.

[Rolf]

use the peg board and then use a perforated router matt on top of that to keep things from slideing around.

[Barefoot1]

Good Idea Rolf, thanks!

[CanadianScroller]

You could also try that "egg crate" grid that is used in fluorescent light diffusers.
There is a wire product called hardware cloth. It looks like a fine square wire fence. If you [lased that on top of a wooden grid that would allow maximum airflow too.

[Chase]

Originally Posted by Rolf

use the peg board and then use a perforated router matt on top of that to keep things from slideing around.

I did it like Rolf said. Works great and cuts down on dust. Stand it on edge in front of your drum/pneumatic sanders and it catches that saw dust.

Chase

[earlinjax]

Just saw at a friend's shop this weekend. He made the sanding box with a peg board top and had several short lengths of wood with a couple of dowels in them that he could place anywhere on the peg board to hold whatever he was sanding.

Earl

[Pop]

Thomas... If you didn't already go ahead and make one... here's a simple set of plans for a downdraft table using pegboard. I made the holes a little larger in the pegboard after making one like this and finding out that once I put the rubber pad on top, it closed off some of the holes.

The carousel finishing table on the same page is a nice idea too..

Pop