Last week I talked about How To Turn Your Garage Into The Ultimate DIY Workshop and as part of the arsenal, I recommended a belt sander. This time, I’m going to add the stationary belt/disc sander, and if you do a lot of projects with wood and metal, you’ll immediately get why. Whether you’re making razor-sharp miters, shaping precise contours on a model, making knives as a hobby, sharpening lawn mower blades, smoothing down welds or putting a silky smooth finish on a project, a belt/disc sander can be your best friend in the workshop.
This time, though, I’d like to talk about some guidelines
Safety Tips
1. As with most all power tools, always wear safety glasses with side shields or safety goggles while operating the belt/disc sander.
2. Always be on guard when switching on this tool. A sanding disc or belt cuts quickly and aggressively. Failure to anticipate that may result in the loss of skin or digits.
3. Check yourself for loose clothing, jewelry, hair or other things dangling loosely from your person, and secure them so they are NOT caught in the machine.
4. Sanding on wood or plastic will cause heat buildup due to the friction and may cause the product to burn.
5. A power-driven sander can do some serious damage to the skin. Avoid any contact with the belt and disc when powered up.
6. A filtered face mask is always recommended when working with these sanders.
7. Check the integrity of the sanding belt tracking as well as the integrity of the disc. Any ripped belts or discs should be replaced immediately.
8. Contrary to other the operation of other power tools, do NOT wear gloves while operating the sander, as they can get pulled in by the belt or disc.
9. Let the machine to get to full speed before feeding it material. Also, be aware that it takes time for the disc or belt to stop moving. You just can’t stop it on a dime.
When Operating the Belt/Disc Sander
1. Always approach the belt/disc sander with safety on the brain!
2. Make sure the gap between the sander’s table and the spinning disc or belt is as small as possible.
3. Make sure the distance between your fingers and the spinning disc or belt is no closer than 3”.
4. Absolutely do not sand pieces that are too small to be safely supported.
5. Always hold the piece securely when sanding.
6. Use the backstop, fence, table or other supports as you’re sanding.
7. Always hold the piece on the downward rotation side of the disc when sanding.
8. Avoid putting your hands in awkward positions. A sudden slip could cause a hand to move into the spinning belt or disc.
9. Do not sand with the work piece unsupported. Support the work piece with the backstop or table.
10. Clear scrap pieces and other objects from the table, backstop and belt before turning on the sander.
11. Don’t push hard on the sanding media. Both the belt and disc perform best and safest when they’re allowed to remove material at the rate for which they were designed.
12. Never adjust the belt while the sander is on.
13.Turn the machine off and unplug it before installing or removing belts or discs, or when making adjustments.
14. Never leave the machine when it’s running or before it comes to a complete stop.
15. Shut the sander off, clean it off and clear the work area before leaving. If there are rugrats about, unplug it, too.
Central-Machinery Belt/Disc Sanders
Harbor Freight Tools offers an excellent 4″ x 36″ Belt/Disc Sander (#97181) for most (small-to-medium) home projects with a cast aluminum table tilts to 60°.
Or, if you anticipate larger projects– or want the flexibility for them– we also offer the 9″ x 6″ Combination Belt and Disc Sander #61750 with a 45 ° tilt.
Both of these are great buys as well as great additions to your workshop.
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