Power Sanding?

[Charlie Harley]

I like using small sanding disks mounted in a portable drill for finishing the inside of bowls. Unfortunately, the drill gets heavy after just a few minutes of holding it at awkward angles.

What suggestions do y'all have for power sanding?

Is there a good flex tool available that has a 1/4" chuck?

I saw a small pneumatic tool at Lowes the other day that felt good in the hand and was light, but it runs at 25,000rpm. Isn't that a little fast for sanding?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[MichaelMouse]

Flexible shaft. Power it with a fractional horsepower 1725 induction motor. It allows you a couple of excellent options in that it can be used as a turning tool, with the handle resting on the toolrest for good control, and as a free sander where you can grasp the handle as if shaking hands with the shaft, disk down.

I just sanded the bowls of a couple of spoons with mine this morning, using the flex edge Powr-Lock mandrel. You can also use it as a work-driven sander if you care to with the finer grits, by leaving the motor off. There's a bit of braking in the shaft and motor bearings, but overall it's about the same as using one of those commercial rigs.

I also use it for interrupted-edge work, though I've been informed here that it's not safe. Years of usage have failed to justify that assertion, since the top of the disk is angled away from the work, making contact only at the bottom or edge. A quick look at http://s108.photobucket.com/albums/...t=SettingBottom.flv&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch6 shows a bit of how it's used. With support from the rest, there's only lateral load on the user, and if you're trying to maintain circularity, preserve your grit and avoid burnishing, you won't feel a lot of that, because you don't press, but wait for the work to come to it as you would any other turning tool.

 

[Charlie Harley]

Where do you buy a flexible shaft and motor? I haven't found them at a hardware store. An industrial supply house?

 

[john lucas]

Charlie You can buy flex shaft machines at carving supply houses. I buy my accessories including a 1/4" chuck at www.riogrande.com Unfortunately they make you fill out a big form to get on thier website but they carry all the Foredom flex shaft tools and more cutting bit than you could ever want.
I don't use it for sanding. I use a standard old Dewat 3/8" drill. I use both hands and my body to control the drill. it works fine for me. Using both hands gives me really good control and I keep my arms against my sides so that I can use my body for even finer control.
I keep looking at the Sioux and millwakie drill and it's just too much money. My $64 drill is working fine. I've heard more and more people having good success with the Taiwanese angle drills that run from $39 to $69. I guess there's always some risk in buying these but I've bought a lot of stuff from Harbour Freight and all but 1 item have been well worth the money I spent.

 

[MichaelMouse]

Lee Valley, Woodcraft or Woodworkers' Supply carry them. I don't use the short Foredom type, but the 4' flex to give me room to work. In my case, I believe it's an old fan motor on the power end, though the washing machine motor I use for stropping or the old pump motor I use for sharpening would certainly have enough power. You'll need a chuck to go on the end of the shaft, but since you can use that for brushes or buffs, the price isn't too much to consider. http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=31030&cat=1,130,43409 is one I had until a couple years ago. After a couple-three years they do get worn out, but if I divide the cost over the number of bowls, it's perhaps three cents each.

The one I have now is keyless, and was purchased from http://www.woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=116-753 when I made an order and the bearings were rattling on the other. Don't get the cheapies at Menards or such with the bronze bushings. You almost have to stop between grits to cool the handle when using them, and lubricating the bushings collects crud.

If you don't have access to old appliance motors, you might have to get a rebuilt at a motor supply place, I guess.

Did I mention that there's almost no noise and no TV interference from an induction-run motor?

 

[pencheff]

If you don't have access to old appliance motors, you might have to get a rebuilt at a motor supply place, I guess.

I'm very intrigued. I have a 1/4hp 1720 rpm motor off an old cheapo chinese table top drill press sitting around waiting to be used in a project. How does one attach the flexible shaft to the motor?

 

[JDaniels]

I have been using an air die grinder without the air. The spinning bowl rotates the peice of foam with the sand paper and this has worked pretty well. I just swap out my sand paper and work my way through the grits. It is light and seems to do the same job as a drill and the grinder will only spin as fast as the bowl will let it.
Jay

 

[MichaelMouse]

I'm very intrigued. I have a 1/4hp 1720 rpm motor off an old cheapo chinese table top drill press sitting around waiting to be used in a project. How does one attach the flexible shaft to the motor?

I'm using a chuck like item CL 10009 at http://www.woodworkingshop.com/ on mine. Extends far enough to mount buffs and things too. Get the one for your shaft size and give it a try.

While you're there, check out the mini-mops. Got to be the lazy man's way to sand a bowl with the grain.

 

[David Somers]

You can find the Milwaukee version of the Sioux angle drill by going to Ebay and doing a search on "Close Quarters Drill." You will find the Milwaukee unit from a number of vendors at very reasonable prices, even at a buy it now price rather than going through the bid process. I picked mine up for about $60 on a buy it now price.

Most of these units are refurbished. They should have a full warantee. Double check.

Hope this helps!

Dave

 

[john lucas]

I used to see what was called a heavy duty flex shaft in the Rockler catalog. I just looked and didn't see it but I may have overlooked it. It was designed to fit in a drill press chuck. My friend made a 5/8" to 1/4" adaptor and uses a regular motor to run it. You may be able to find that accessory in some other catalog. I think it ran around $39 which is a lot cheaper than the foredom. It is also much heavier duty.

 

[Tony Reynolds]

If you have a big enough compressor, I like a reversible air drill. I've been using one for about a year now and it works great. It makes short work of sanding a big bowl. Woundn't want to use a oiless compressor because of the noise.

 

[David Somers]

You can find the Milwaukee version of the Sioux angle drill by going to Ebay and doing a search on "Close Quarters Drill." You will find the Milwaukee unit from a number of vendors at very reasonable prices, even at a buy it now price rather than going through the bid process. I picked mine up for about $60 on a buy it now price.

Most of these units are refurbished. They should have a full warantee. Double check.

Hope this helps!

Dave