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  1. #1
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    Default Alloy faceplate for disc sander

    Has anyone made an alloy faceplate around 300mm dia to suit a disc sander.

    If so how did you do it.....or would it have been easier to purchase one from H&F as a spare part for one of their sanders?

  2. #2
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    I made a 270mm Dia. one. It works perfectly well. I made it out on 1/8mm aluminium sheet (cut with a bandsaw). I then used an old aluminium pulley that fitted the motor spindle, put it in the lathe and faced it nice and accruratly. I then bolted the circle with countersing bolts to the now flat face and very gently skimmed the OD while it was still on the lathe, to clean up the bandsaw marks and chamfer it.
    I did glue a hook & loop conversion kit to it. Easy as pie to change grit - even mid-job.
    Cheers, Joe
    retired - less energy, more time to contemplate projects and more shed time....

  3. #3
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    I made this cast aluminium one up many years ago when we had a non ferrous foundry. It was originally 400mm diameter. When I built my belt sander I reduced it down to 300mm. It runs very true.
    Bob
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #4
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    Given that the centre of a sanding disc does (relatively) little work, using say a 15 or 20mm thick slab of Al and bolting that to a steel hub with countersunk screws would probably give an acceptable disc after a skim to true everything up.

    Michael

  5. #5
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    Jan 2004
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    Mackay North Qld
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    Some of the old 12" LP record players had a platter that was made of aluminium.

    There must be a few of them not yet chucked away.

    Grahame

  6. #6
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    Default

    Why not make a steel disc ?

  7. #7
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    Oct 2007
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    Alexandra Vic
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grahame Collins View Post
    Some of the old 12" LP record players had a platter that was made of aluminium.

    There must be a few of them not yet chucked away.

    Grahame
    Many were belt drive though and the platter was ultra light weight, often just a piece of 1/32in sheet spun or press formed to roll a rim on the perimeter for the belt to run on. Many were not overly concentric or balanced, and the all ran at 33, 45, 78 RPM, not particularly suitable for running at speeds between 1000 and 4000RPM (allowing for 10 in type sanding disks that fit to table saw arbours in place of blades, a la the Triton one), and can be subjected to a moderate side pressure. Maybe if someone was scrapping Rola broadcast turntables or Panasonic SP10's, with 2+kg balanced platters, the platters might be useful, but most of the Rola's went to scrap in the 70's, and the SP 10's were always fairly rare beasts in broadcast studios let alone outside them.
    I used to be an engineer, I'm not an engineer any more, but on the really good days I can remember when I was.

  8. #8
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by shedhappens View Post
    Why not make a steel disc ?
    I have though of this and then wondered how much higher the startup current would be for a steel disc. I guess it would be higher in proportion to the ratio of the densities of Al and Fe. Might not be too back if the sheet was thin enough.

    Somewhere I have a 10mm thick 400 mm Al disc that I was going to turn into a sanding disc but then I picked up a 2m x 150 mm belt with a 300 mm Al disc combo for nothing.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by krisfarm View Post
    I made this cast aluminium one up many years ago when we had a non ferrous foundry. It was originally 400mm diameter. When I built my belt sander I reduced it down to 300mm. It runs very true.
    Bob
    thats what I intend doing Bob..except I intend to fit a coupling to belt grinder shaft to drive disc ...the coupling will allow removal of belt to replace when neccessary.

    But how did you manufacture the disc...as Joe says above?

  10. #10
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    [QUOTE=BobL;1945292]I have though of this and then wondered how much higher the startup current would be for a steel disc. I guess it would be higher in proportion to the ratio of the densities of Al and Fe. Might not be too back if the sheet was thin enough.

    /QUOTE]

    once it gets over the initial thump it shouldnt be a problem

    But I will be VFD'ing it anyways.

  11. #11
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    Thanks all...that is generally how I thought I'd go about as well...just making sure I wasnt off track

  12. #12
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    Drouin Vic
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    I cast this one a few months ago, works a treat. //metalworkforums.com/f303/t202...c-sander-build

  13. #13
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    Hi eskimo,
    The original cast aluminium face plate was made by making up a wooden pattern and then using that to produce a sand casting so that it is all one piece. The disc OD was around 410mm and 16mm thick, the boss was 60mm OD and around 75mm long. I machined it to size on a mates 24" lathe. I used at that size for over twenty years. When I made my Belt grinder combination set up I turned it down to a smaller diameter 300mm and reduced the plate thickness and boss size as shown in the picture. I have the belt pulleys for the face plate and the belt sander off set on the frame so the belts can be easily removed,both sets of pulleys are driven by the same 3HP motor.If you intend to make one around 300mm or so in diameter you will need to ensure the plate is fairly stout as you can apply a fair pit of pressure on to OD and you do not want that to flex. Cast Aluminium is
    a good choice as it is around one third the weight of steel and makes the motor start up a lot easier.
    Bob

  14. #14
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    Every comb and cutter grinder I've ever seen had cast iron or steel disks. They take a bit longer to wind up to speed than a normal bench grinder but when they're going they maintain their speed well under load.
    The old Sunbeams seem to come up for sale fairly regularly and with a bit of imagination I reckon you could probably even rig something up to use the pendulum for tool grinding.
    If you happen to have a Swiss fetish, check out the ones made by Heiniger.
    Cheers,
    Greg.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pete O View Post
    I cast this one a few months ago, works a treat. //metalworkforums.com/f303/t202...c-sander-build
    Quote Originally Posted by krisfarm View Post
    Hi eskimo,
    The original cast aluminium face plate was made by making up a wooden pattern and then using that to produce a sand casting so that it is all one piece. The disc OD was around 410mm and 16mm thick, the boss was 60mm OD and around 75mm long. I machined it to size on a mates 24" lathe. I used at that size for over twenty years. When I made my Belt grinder combination set up I turned it down to a smaller diameter 300mm and reduced the plate thickness and boss size as shown in the picture. I have the belt pulleys for the face plate and the belt sander off set on the frame so the belts can be easily removed,both sets of pulleys are driven by the same 3HP motor.If you intend to make one around 300mm or so in diameter you will need to ensure the plate is fairly stout as you can apply a fair pit of pressure on to OD and you do not want that to flex. Cast Aluminium is
    a good choice as it is around one third the weight of steel and makes the motor start up a lot easier.
    Bob
    I'd love to cast it, but but I am miles away from finishing my diy gas fired foundry....maybe I need to pull my finger out

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