Belt Sander Substitute - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

miniwoodworker · 05-03-2009, 02:20 PM

Here's a substitute if you don't have a belt sander in your shop. Or, you don't have space for one. Mount sandpaper to a hard surface.

Use plate glass or smooth granite counter tiles as your hard surface. Use temporary spray adhesive to attach quarter sheets of sandpaper to the tile/glass. Place various grits, from coarse to fine, side by side on the tile. When a piece becomes worn, simply replace it with a new sheet.

The hard flat surface allows you to sand smooth straight edges, such as backer boards used to display scrolled items. Tilting the item to be sanded, makes it easy to add a bevel or a rounded edge.

In addition to a glass supplier, some good sources for plate glass are flea markets, yard sales, and salvage yards. I use a plate glass window pane from a wrecked school bus. Glass topped coffee tables and shelving from display cases are two more examples. Craft stores often sell glass table toppers.

Use non-slip shelf lining to hold your glass in place. Or use it to protect your workbench top, if using granite tiles.

When you're done with a sanding session, stow your belt sander substitue on a shelf until the next time the need arises.

wood-n-things · 05-03-2009, 05:38 PM

You are just full of good information...Thanks Lee!

ncsealeveler · 05-07-2009, 11:04 AM

Some good tips,thanks.Tony

Andy · 05-07-2009, 11:48 AM

I use glass often too. I have a 2' X 4' piece on one end of the workbench. It's a great recommendation Lee! Another advantage is if you get dried glue on the glass you can scrape it off easily with a razor blade. I mix epoxies directly on the glass. Be careful not to scratch it of course. It's about the smoothest work surface you can.

Andy

JohnB · 05-07-2009, 11:54 AM

G'day Lee,
Great idea.

Andy,
I had a glass on the end of my bench as well, but kept knocking the bloody thing off. Now I just put a can in a stubbie holder

GWhit · 05-18-2009, 02:09 PM

Home Depot or other flooring stores will have granite or other tiles for sale by the piece(about 12" X 12")

wwalker47 · 05-25-2009, 07:18 PM

Lee-

What a great idea. I do have a belt sander and a Sand-Flee. But I have found that I could still need something like that.

Thanks,

-Bill

Band Saw Box · 05-31-2009, 03:18 PM

Hey Lee thats a great tip, We have a Granite cutting board that I use from time to time to get a nice flat bottom to some of my pieces. I just hold the sand paper in place. I've never gotten around to getting a piece of place glass just for the shop.

05-03-2009, 02:20 PM	#1
miniwoodworker Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 497	Belt Sander Substitute Here's a substitute if you don't have a belt sander in your shop. Or, you don't have space for one. Mount sandpaper to a hard surface. Use plate glass or smooth granite counter tiles as your hard surface. Use temporary spray adhesive to attach quarter sheets of sandpaper to the tile/glass. Place various grits, from coarse to fine, side by side on the tile. When a piece becomes worn, simply replace it with a new sheet. The hard flat surface allows you to sand smooth straight edges, such as backer boards used to display scrolled items. Tilting the item to be sanded, makes it easy to add a bevel or a rounded edge. In addition to a glass supplier, some good sources for plate glass are flea markets, yard sales, and salvage yards. I use a plate glass window pane from a wrecked school bus. Glass topped coffee tables and shelving from display cases are two more examples. Craft stores often sell glass table toppers. Use non-slip shelf lining to hold your glass in place. Or use it to protect your workbench top, if using granite tiles. When you're done with a sanding session, stow your belt sander substitue on a shelf until the next time the need arises. __________________ Lee in NC Als Ik Kan DW788 1975 Dremel (labeled Craftsman) Scroll saw w/3" pin blades

05-03-2009, 05:38 PM	#2
wood-n-things Behave Yourself..I can't. Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Right here ---silly Posts: 4,478 Blog Entries: 1	You are just full of good information...Thanks Lee! __________________ The Mike One of them anyway. Don't be so open-minded. Your brains will fall out!

05-07-2009, 11:48 AM	#4
Andy Pattern Person Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,073	I use glass often too. I have a 2' X 4' piece on one end of the workbench. It's a great recommendation Lee! Another advantage is if you get dried glue on the glass you can scrape it off easily with a razor blade. I mix epoxies directly on the glass. Be careful not to scratch it of course. It's about the smoothest work surface you can. Andy __________________ Shoot for the moon. If you miss you'll be headed for a star! www.80artdesigns.com

05-07-2009, 11:54 AM	#5
JohnB 1 Tin Soldier Rides Away Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Kalgoorlie, Western Australia Posts: 4,859	G'day Lee, Great idea. Andy, I had a glass on the end of my bench as well, but kept knocking the bloody thing off. Now I just put a can in a stubbie holder __________________ Regards John "The Golden Mile" I got holes in both of my shoes Well I'm a walking case of the blues Saw a dollar yesterday But the wind blew it away Some of my Stuff Retired Medically Unfit WA Police Officers

05-25-2009, 07:18 PM	#7
wwalker47 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seminole, Florida Posts: 705	Lee- What a great idea. I do have a belt sander and a Sand-Flee. But I have found that I could still need something like that. Thanks, -Bill __________________ My saw is a DeWalt788 Measure twice; cut once; count fingers after cut

05-07-2009, 11:04 AM	#3
ncsealeveler Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Sea Level NC Posts: 266	Some good tips,thanks.Tony

05-18-2009, 02:09 PM	#6
GWhit SKP RV'er Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: motorhome, USA Posts: 94	Home Depot or other flooring stores will have granite or other tiles for sale by the piece(about 12" X 12")

05-31-2009, 03:18 PM	#8
Band Saw Box World's Greatest Scroller Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hampton, VA Posts: 1,005	Hey Lee thats a great tip, We have a Granite cutting board that I use from time to time to get a nice flat bottom to some of my pieces. I just hold the sand paper in place. I've never gotten around to getting a piece of place glass just for the shop. __________________ : Dan US Navy PR1 (Ret) To all who serve or have served, Thank you Well I am the worlds greatest scroller at my house.

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