Replies

1. 
   RickL | May 27, 2008 07:13pm | #1

   I've used pretty much every type of industrial sander over the last 35 years in factories and custom shops. A stroke sander is by far the better option for a small shop for general sanding.  Low power needs, belts are cheaper fast to change. Much more versatile than a widebelt. We used to dand the dovetaild drawers on our stroke sander.  Every shop wth a widebelt I've wirked had a stroke sander. One shop had three stroke sander and a widebelt.

   A lot of the small wideblts don't have the sanding platen which allows you to right to finishing otherwise you need to sand the drum ripples out.

   Sanding across the grain removes much more material rapidly so it;s a lot tougher and quicker to damage something. If you support it proerly you can get away with you ask on a open sided widebelt. Some hand sanding is required.

1. 
   Nathan Barnard | May 27, 2008 07:30pm | #2

   I barely have room for the open end wide belt, let alone a stroke. I and thinking that I may have to go to 3/4" panels with backcutter so I can assemble and sand the doors, panel up. I don't think I'll be able to do so if the door is recessed on the back and doesn't have both styles on the conveyor. Thoughts? I don't know what customers will think of the insides of the doors, though - as they are usually 5/8" and flat back. Speed is the driving reason for the wide-belt.

2. 
   KiddervilleAcres | May 27, 2008 08:16pm | #3

   Rick,

   Well after many of your posts extolling the virtues of a stroke sander I finally saw one up close and....  Man, all your past words came to light right there in front of me.

   I was yard saleing over the weekend and got talking with one of the guys at the sale.  Turns out he was the owner of the property and a woodworker for over 50 years, the first 30 he was a cabinetmaker in the Boston area. 

   He's now 73 and showed me around his shop and demonstrated his stroke sander for me.  Blown away by it!  He showed me how he raises panels with it and I must say I would MAKE ROOM for one in my woodshop.  You doo need good DC though, but that can be said for nearly every woodworking machine.

   Also, he showed me some mahogany panels that were salvaged from an old building in Boston some years ago - they were 26" x 72" x 13/16" thick, all ONE BOARD!  Now I wanna tell ya these were some impressive.  Almost as impressive as the stroke sander (Ya right).

   Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

1. 
   RickL | May 28, 2008 01:25am | #6

   You can't even begin to imagine how good a stroke sander is. I should consider writing an article on stroke sanders.

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | May 28, 2008 07:21pm | #11

   Rick,

   Always looking for good content on the Woodworking Life blog, hint, hint.

   Might have a good opportunity to buy the one I saw last weekend.  Any sources for how-to info.?  I understand the basic intent of it but I'm sure there are subtlties.

   Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

1. 
   RickL | May 28, 2008 09:10pm | #12

   Pretty much all industrial machines have NO operation  manual as the info is handed down by operator to operator. You can only find a brief description in old trade school text books. The only reason you have books on the router and tablesaw is because of the hobby woodworkers. Practice by rubbing your belly as you pat your head. If you can do that you are probably a gifted stroke sander natural.

2. 
   KiddervilleAcres | May 28, 2008 09:19pm | #13

   Practice by rubbing your belly as you pat your head

   Dang, mebbe that's the problem.  I's always pattin me belly and rubbin me haid!

   Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

3. 
   HWG | May 28, 2008 10:25pm | #14

   "I's always pattin me belly and rubbin me haid!"

   Yep, but it do feel good, don't it!Woody

3. 
   brad805 | May 27, 2008 09:52pm | #4

   How long would it take to become proficient with a stroke sander?  I read that it is a bit of an artform.  Any truth to that?

   Thanks

   Brad

1. 
   RickL | May 28, 2008 01:22am | #5

   Hard to say. I was around them with other advanced users. I alos had a chance to push the envelope and do things I never saw anyone else do such as shapes, curves, brass, stainless, steel, aluminum. I did find others who did simlar things after the fact. It would depend on the individual. I know a really proficient high end shop with a stroke sander sitting in the corner. They gave up on it. I trained guys on stroke sander s and they caught on pretty easily.

   I have heard of others who found it challenging and couldn't figure it out. It would probably a good subject for a video. There were a few articles in FWW years ago and pretty much no instructional info in the older trade school textbooks. They mention it but no how to info at all.

   Edited 5/27/2008 6:32 pm ET by RickL

1. 
   brad805 | May 28, 2008 01:34am | #7

   Whats the trick to their use?  They look relatively straight forward and I would think the more one uses it, the better they would become.  Seems to be a balance and speed type thing.  I have never tried one, but since so many pop up for sale at essentially scrap iron prices I am interested.  I have listened to many experienced fellows rave about them and also have read many put em off to the side and use the big wide belts.

   Thanks

1. 
   Wingdoctor | May 28, 2008 03:46am | #8

   I don't own one, but I used to work for Lane Furniture Co. in VA. and there were many there. It seemed to me that it does take a bit of coordination to operate one though. If you can't walk and chew gum at the same time you might have a problem! The panel carrying sled is moved with one hand forward and backward, and the other hand moves the shoe on the back of the sandpaper belt sideways to cover the entire area being sanded. It does take a bit of practice but no more than holding a chisel in one hand and swinging a mallet in the other to cut dovetails. They do have a large footprint so they take a bit of floor space, but they are very efficient to sand large panels.

   Bruce"A man's got to know his limitations." Dirty Harry Calahan

2. 
   RickL | May 28, 2008 02:32pm | #9

   The most difficult thing is getting the sanding pad correctly made. There's actually several distinct types of stroke sander, hand , the most basic is the  handheld block sander, the fulcrum type which has the pad on a lever actuated sytem. Takes the fatigue out of running one all day but is easier to do serious damage in seconds. There's also auto through feed double belted stroke sanders for production work.

   A good handblock will take an afternoon to make. Typically a wooden hand piece 6" wide by 8" long is a good size. Too big is more probematic. A piece of 1/4" firm felt has to shaped with slight hump in the middle and this goes between the block and the friction fighting graphite cover. Lead weight in the handblock helps to keep your arm from fatiguing from pushing the block down. Try sanding all day with one of these machines. It's still a lot easier than belt sanding.

   They do overlap with wideblts in some ways but the stroke sander is very flexible in being able to sand amny different thicknesses. The belt rides and inch or less above the work so you can sand 3/4" or 1" pieces intermittently.

   http://www.pecfrictionfighters.com/product.aspx?prodID=65

   You haven't tried hand sanding until you used a graphite mitt. It's used with a very flexible belt for contour sanding.

3. 
   brad805 | May 28, 2008 07:15pm | #10

   Bruce/Rick:  Thanks for taking the time to explain.  Next time I see a used one I will think twice before passing it up.  Sorry to the OP, thought some others would be interested to hear this.

   Brad