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Hi, This is my first foray into electronic discussion rooms so bear with me.
I recently purchased a Bosch 4 inch belt sander which is a real beast and seems nicely put together. Unfortunately in use I find it (or I) sands heavily on the the first inch of the left hand side and lightly on the right hand side.
Has any one else had a similar problem had how did they fix it?
Is it likely to be my technique or a problem with the machine?
Any help appreciated
Regards
Kramer
Sydney, Australia
Replies
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Are you Mark or Kramer?
Any who, welcome to
i Knots,
and don't take any forth coming "flaming" personally. Hand held belt sanders are about as useful as teats on a boar hog...
Having said that, does it have a belt tracking adjustment? More than likely, it is a matter of technique, you let the weight of the sander do the work.
Dano
*I know very little about the machine you are talking about. Most problems with belt sanders start with the platen. If it is sheet metal, consider replacing it with a graphite one. These are more flat, and reduce the heat build, which makes the belts last longer and sand faster. I agree with Danford (that’s twice today), belt sanders are crude tools. I have one, so this based on experience. I used them when I did installation work, for scribing, and to my immense shame, I at one time used them on furniture.
*a belt sander takes a bit of practice to develop technique with. you may inadvertently be putting more pressure on the left than the right, which a lot of people have problems with. once you get a feel for it the belt sander is a useful tool.I found a bosch that i used was a poorly balanced machine which would create dips in my work very easily compared to other ones (i used a makita on the same project with much better results, so i'm confident it wasn't something i was doing). if you have a problem with the balance you'll have to be really careful when sanding. keep at it and this problem should disappear as you get better at keeping even pressure on the sanding belt. hope this helps
*If I had a board with a rough surface, I think I would use an axe to smooth it before I would use a belt sander!That's an over exaggeration, of course. I have a PC belt sander, but haven't used in at all in over 10 years. I did use it occasionally when doing office cabinets. Sometimes was handy to have. You do have to develop a 'technique' to get a good surface. A slight wandering of the mind and you can have a ruined surface. I found that 'not fighting it' gave best results.
*Mark/Kramer, before i got a 24" drum sander, i used to beat myself up for hours at a time with a belt sander flattening laminated stock; i got to be a wizard with them, but i have Makitas, not familiar with the Bosch. Here's a slick trick i use to keep the corners from digging in with the Maks, that might help you: cut a piece of Sctoch-Brite (nylon) pad the size of the platen and slip it between the body and the flexible steel platen (if the Bosch has this arrangement?). I also glue a piece of the canvas-backed graphite rolls to the platen, but don't use it on good wood right off--let the excess graphite fall off first so it doesn't mark the wood.
*With the beltsander you have to hold it lightly without any downward pressure. Use passes the entire lenghth of the board and overlap passes as minimaly and consistently as possible. If there is a particular high spot or blemish do not stop the sander over that spot. Instead make board length passes over it.Belt sanders have their uses. I polish soapstone with mine.It is a shame to take one to a lovely glued up hardwood panel.By the time you figure out how best to use it, you will see there are better ways to do this. Make friends at a cabinet shop and see if they will let you use their big drumsander. The usual cost is $1 a minute- well worth it.A couple of really sharp hand planes will give a better result yet.Ignore any flames, it was a fair question.Frank
*One other thing: i start sanding on the right side of a piece and work my way to the left so i can see where i've been. If i sand left to right, my arm gets in the way of monitoring the progress and i make a hash of it.
*Mark,You have made an excellent choice in the Bosch and don't let the naysayers dissuade you in the least. I have a 4x24 EVS Bosch and get wonderfull results with it. Most Euro belt sanders have accessory sanding frames that keep them level and control depth of cut, kinda makes for a hand-held abrasive planer. Not only does it kick ass on table tops and panel glue-ups, it takes planer and saw marks out of white oak about a million times faster than my RO and the board is still flat. Bite the bullet and order the frame, it's spendy but much cheaper than a Performax Shop Pro.
*John, do you have a picture of one of these frames? i've heard of them, but never seen one.
*MarkI have the same model sander and had a similar problem. I checked to see what condition the casting was in under the platen.It was a bit uneven on one side and across the back. I took a file and leveled it, smoothed it.I also found that the cork had some "stuff" on it, looked like glue or such. This was very thin, but it did no seem to be nnecessary. I clean it up as well.I always wondered if the stuff on the cork was due to the uneven case.After that the sander worked great, belt stays put, no problem with it being uneven. I checked it by sanding some coated chip board, melmine, or similar. That made it easy to see what was happening.I can't say that I use it a lot, but it is an excellent sander when needed.
*a jepson - I'll take one and post it tonight or tomorrow.
*I have to agree with John, a 4" belt sander with a frame is an awesome tool. I had to build one for my Sears b.s. out of birch plywood, but that sucka leveled out my maple bench top like a white tornado.Yes, you can overdo it and I haven't used a beltsander on a furniture surface in twenty years. I think the reason the tool gets no respect is that it is extremely difficult to control (know of any other tool that literally trys to escape from your hands and run screaming across your workpiece and shop?)and the potential for real damage to your workpiece is large. Here's another tip to tame the beltsander beast: Clamp your sander upside down in your tail vise and set the trigger. You now have a handy stationary sander that is ideal for sanding contours, etc. I used mine just last night to thickness some maple inlay strips that were juuuuuust a little bit fat. No, it has its uses. Just don't confuse it for a plane or a saw.
*Mark: sorry to hear you bought the Bosch. I also had one and with the same problems. Design-wise it looked good with the adjustable handle but like you said, it is heavily weighted to the motor side. The Makita 9403 is the desired machine to have. Try to return it if possible. I've used Makita's before and have run them for hours one end, day after day and have had them last for 5 years before there was a problem (bearings on wheels).
*if your are able and decide to return the bosch, i would also suggest looking at porter cable. their belt sander the best you can buy IMO. the makita is a great machine, and i have used one before, but i have noticed that my pc is quieter, a bit better balanced, and it also has a metal motor housing as opposed to plastic. just something to think about
*Clamp your sander upside down in your tail vise and set the triggerA tip from one who knows -- when it jumps out of the vise and heads floorward, DON'T try and catch it!!
*Ian,That, and get out its way after it lands!Scott
*this reminds me of some of the beltsander races we used to do when we were bored at work.
*Yeah, it can get lively if THAT happens, but it hasn't to me, yet.Used it this way again this week. Needed to make some ebony pins. I have a mirror frame and I am putting faux square headed corner pins. They will be glued into drilled holes. The bs was perfect for the job. I cut shoulders in a square blank of ebony and rounded them off with the sander, touch up with a file.
*Just a quick post-- a lil' off the subject but not too much-- I've got to weigh in and say that I love hand-held beltsanders. I've got a 25 year old Craftsman that is just terrific for odd tasks. I also have a Performax drum sander, so I don't try to use the hand-held for flattening panels, but heck, I feel like there is actually quite a bit of skill that one can develop in using the hand-held to shape weird curved parts and the like, and consequently a real satisfaction in doing so. Mine has a 3" wide belt, so it is a little lighter weight and maybe easier to use?? I love to use it freehand; the forearm starts to ache like nobody's business, but boy is it satisfying when you get into a zone. Really, I'm not kidding. You'll work up a sweat, but heck, it sure is fun.CheersChris Gleasonwww.interestingfurniture.com
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