If you got a linisher - do me a favour?

[Clinton1]

I'm wondering if someone who has bench mounted or free standing beltsander/linisher can do me a favour. Machine only, not a hand held belt sander.
I need a belt sander/linisher that can be fitted with a 'fence' and used to 'square up' a piece of 'out of square' timber.

Say a 300mm long piece of 100x100 timber, i.e. fence post offcut.
Sand or plane it so 3 sides are out of square by 2 or 3 mm... if side 1 is 'pretty flat', angle side 2 'out' and side 3 'in' a few mm. All referenced to side 1.

Then sand it smooth using the sander bed and fence and see if it can easily and quickly become 'square' and to what tolerance. Only 3 sides need to be square to each other, forget about side 4 completly (don't even use side 4 as a reference or anything).

I'd need you to tell me:
1. how square is the fence to belt,
2. how square is the block of wood,
3. to what tolerance you measured the above two points.

Preferably I'd need this done with as much accuracy as possible.... accuracy of measurment is essential... I need to achieve square sides to the fraction of a bees pubic hair, or whatever that equates to in decimals.

OR - forget about the fence and do it freehand.

Don't ask me why, its so left of centre that I feel a bit ashamed .... and its linisher or nothing even though I know that there are easier ways to do it.

Its a bit of an ask, but its for a good cause.


As always,
both left of centre and always appreciative!

[ian]

Clinton
haven't tried but don't I think it's possible using my linisher

primarily because
1) the belt is not "flat to within a bee's pubic hair" across the plattern, the edges tend to curl up a bit
2) the "pull" of the belt tends to grab the front of the work piece pulling it down and lifting the rear edge of the piece — leading to a tendency to slightly taper or round the face (again fails your bee's whatsit tolerance)
3) the plattern is not long enough to acccomodate a 300mm long work piece
4) I can't see how to mount a longitudional fence that is
a) square to the belt, and
b) allows the work piece to be controlled on the belt while achieving your required tollerance
5) dust collection is not good enough for the quantity of dust the proposed operation will generate


ian

[Clinton1]

Ian,
Thanks mate, fair enough... what type/brand/model linisher do you have?

[bsrlee]

I have a 'Multi-Tool' brand linisher and it is NOT capable of doing what you want - it is probably what Ian has. e.g. http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...t=1,44047&ap=1

There are linishers that are close to what you want - the all-in-one type that Carbatec sell for instance. That is assuming you have to use a continuous belt sander, if not one of the open side drum sanders would be most accurate.

[Bodgy]

Sorry Clint, you're dreamin.

Mine wouldn't have a hope of doing that

Jon

[Groggy]

I have one of these, if I get time tomorrow I'll have a go.

I suspect you are thinking of belt sanders though, are you? (like the CarbaTec big boy edge sander type)

[woodbe]

Mine is something like this:

http://www.awtwood.com.au/images/PPA12140344.jpg

No way it could do that accurately.

woodbe

[ian]

Ian,
Thanks mate, fair enough... what type/brand/model linisher do you have?

it's a linisher/disk sander from Carbatech bought a few years ago but very similar to the current models

It works fine with small pieces, but not at the scale you're thinking of


ian

[Clinton1]

Thanks to all that replied and thanks for telling me what you have. Eliminates a few types for me.
Goodonya!

Groggy,
Yeah, be suprised if the Jet machine can do it... depends if the fence can be moved to run parallel to the belt, I guess.
I don't know though... its a pain to not have anyway to go and play on a sander myself. Sort of groping around in the dark from over here.

You are spot on, its the Linishers like the Carbatec 'big boy' that I think should be able to do it. maybe

Again, thanks all for your time and thoughts.

[Groggy]

I had a look at the jet and although you can fit that size on the belt it is not easy to get a fence rigged to parallel the belt, let alone with the accuracy you need.

[Bodgy]

Clinton

I have the Carbatec 'Big Boy' and yes you probably could do it on that. It has a mitre slot in the very solid cast iron table for the fence. But, I've got to ask, why would you. There are easier (and cheaper) options.

My bench linisher wouldn't have a hope - as per earlier reply.

Hope alls well in Timor.

[ian]

Clinton

what are you trying to achieve, with squaring a lump of wood using a stationary belt sander?

it's not particulary efficient
if you're doing any quantity, you'll will go through belts like you wont believe
if you don't have decent dust colllection you'll eventually give the users something like silicocious or worse

give us an idea and the collective thinking foilies can be put on


ian

[barnsey]

Clinton,
Have to agree with what's been said before.

Sounds like you are trying to square and surface a 4X4 with an axe!!

Guess you could do it - probably destroy a forest somewhere but!!!

I would guess you are building some sort of construction and either misguidedly believe 3 sides need to be square not 4 or you think the squareness is otherwise important. Give us a clue!

Jamie

[Clinton1]

Ok, I'll tell... but no laughing... my secret perversions are showing!

I'm teaching some blokes here to make planes in the Krenov style, they show me how to make them in the old woodie style.
I know the old woodie style but I watch and ask questions and let the blokes have a chance to teach me.
Feeling good about being an expert smoothes the way for us to swap ideas as equals... and anyway, I can't sit on the floor and bash out a plane throat like they can, so they are way above me in that aspect as well as many other things.

I've made a few steel body planes, but never bothered to square up the sides... which I'd like to do now and then pass the knowledge on.
I've dovetailed planes, welded the sides, doweled the sides to the sole... a few different ways. Each way works and has its pro's and cons. Doweling a long rectangular piece of mild steel to each side of the sole, then doweling the sides on turns out well... easiest is to dowel on the frog and tack weld the sides.
Thick enough sole and you don't really need sides anyway.

So the trouble is that I want to make a smoother/shooter, so the sides need squaring off.
So I was thinking of making a jig to fix a run of abrasive to, something like a shooting board with a high fence to use to get the 3 sides of a metal plane stupidly square to each other.
First priority will be putting the sides on as close as possible to square, then touching it up.
But remember it is in metal.
My 'reference surfaces' will be bit of glass to 'blue' looking for 'flat', and I have a jointer with fence in one workshop to use as my reference 'right angle' surfaces.

So I thought, if someone has a linisher with a fence, having a go on wood would be reasonably quick... if it can be done on the linisher in wood, a jig and fixed belt will take time but still be possible.

I am stuffed for getting tools and consumables over here, and am trying to do this in a way that is affordable for the guys... most of whom are on $3 per day wages.

I've done a few other things, planes are the latest.

[ian]

Clinton

there's sure to be other comments ...

the first difficulty that comes to mind is as the linisher abrades the sides of the plane they will get really hot and distort out of square so after a couple of minutes you wont know if you'vecouple of hours as quenching might distort the plane the 't'other way.

what you really want is a milling machine — but the cost will be a big obstacle



BTW who do you work for?
maybe you could take a few old #6s & #7s with you next time you go over



ian