Sander

Hacklab acquired a large belt and disc sander/grinder on 2016-06-29. It is mostly intended for wood, but can be used with other materials with care and possibly specialized belts. The sander is on a stand with wheels and is stored on the left of the mill.

• Model: Busy Bee SB-6x12
• 3450 RPM 12" disc
• 5000 SFM 6x48" belt
• 1 HP motor
• Several decades old, but works perfectly fine

Usage & Safety

The belt sander is a dangerous tool if misused! It has a 1HP motor which gives it enough power to grab things out of your hands, and throw them across the room. Touching the running belt/disc will also give you a nasty 100km/h road rash.

1. You must be trained to operate this machine
2. Tie back long hair, remove long sleeved shirts and jewellery.
3. Eye protection must be worn when machine is running.
4. Check machine for damage before using, including the bolts that hold it down to the table.
5. Brace object being sanded against the table if possible, otherwise it may be thrown by the machine.
6. Don't use the right side of the disc table, the disc spins counter-clockwise.
7. No unconventional / unsafe use.
8. Don't sand anything you don't want in your lungs.
9. Do not sand on same spot on disk/belt, move around to reduce heat build-up and wear.
10. Do not apply too much pressure and set the disk/belt/work-piece on fire through friction.
11. Outside of disk sands faster than inside.
12. Sweep / vacuum up chips and leave the machine clean.
13. Unplug after use.

Supplies

6x48" Belt

Currently: Klingspor 120-Grit Aluminum Oxide belt from BusyBee installed 2016-12-27

Spares: Stored next to the sandpaper cabinet, behind the drill press

• 220-Grit Busy Bee
• 80-Grit Busy Bee
• Two old, worn-down belts that may still be used for polishing

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Replacement instructions:

1. Unplug machine
2. Open side door on belt cover
3. Pull forward and down on big red lever to release tension on top roller
4. Slide belt out through where the door was
5. Slide new belt on and center it
6. Let go of tension lever, check that the belt is still centered
7. Close cover
8. Plug machine in
9. Start the machine but be prepared to shut it off if the belt starts slipping off
10. Belt may slide left and right <1cm a few times, then center itself
11. Done!

12" Disc

Currently: Primex Abrasives 60-Grit Aluminum Oxide disc from BusyBee installed 2016-12-27

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The disc is a peel-and-stick type and should only be replaced when worn out since you can't put a used one back on!

Replacement instructions:

1. Unplug machine
2. Unscrew the left and right protractors on the disc table (Careful, the left on is busted!)
3. Rotate the top left table level stop out of the way
4. Remove table from machine to allow better access to the disc
5. Peel the old disc off the metal backing plate
6. Completely remove any remnants of glue from the backing plate, use a knife blade to scrape it off and finish with rubbing alcohol
7. Peel the backing on the new disc about 10~15cm and fold the backing out of the way
8. Place disc on the metal, backing first, and center it
9. Press down on the peeled portion to make it stick
10. Rotate the stuck portion down into the dust extraction port
11. Slowly peel and stick down more of the disc until it's all down
12. Apply pressure all around disc to make sure it's stuck
13. Put table back on (Careful with the busted protractor), tighten it down lightly
14. Use machinist square to set the table 90° to the disc
15. Swing the rear table level stop back onto the table
16. Keep checking table level with the square and tightening the protractors until hand tight
17. Plug machine in
18. Test run the machine, don't stand in the plane it might throw the disc in.

Wishlist/TODO

• Dust extraction to not fill the shop with wood and other shavings, just adding a vacuum port for the shopvac would help
• Left protractor on the disc table is cracked in two, needs to be welded back together or replaced
• The nuts holding the machine on the table have unscrewed themselves before from vibration. Nuts were replaced and threadlocker was applied 2016-12-27, check to make sure all 4 nuts are still tight before use.
• New power cord