Grizzly pattern sander

[bjansen]

Here is a relatively simple way to make a pattern sander.  There are many more precise ways, much better than this.... but this fairly straight forward method worked well for me (a guy with no metal lathe, no drill press or other metal working tools).  

I bought a 80" belt sander from Grizzly.  I purchased a 7/16" thick alluminum plate and I had some misc. plastic sheet material for a stationary ring to be mounted under the drive wheel.

I took off the motor from the Grizzly, took the drive wheel off.  I used a sheet of plexi glass to make a template indicating where the 3 motor alignment holes and drive shaft hole hole would need to be.  I transferred those to the aluminum sheet and drilled the drive shaft hole, and drilled and countersunk the Motor mount holes.  I did this all with a hand drill, which is all I had.  

I then mounted the table to the motor (buying slighly longer screws from the hardware store).  Then put the drive wheel back on the motor and check for square from the table to the drive wheel.  Shim as necessary between the motor and aluminum plate to get it square.  

Note:  Thre drive wheel is slighly proud in the middle (to help keep the belt tracking correctly), however it is not a convex shape (but rather straight tapered for about 2.5 inches from the bottom to the middle, flat for an inch and then straight tapered 2.5 inches to the top.  This taper is very modest to say the least, but since you will only be cutting about 2 inches with your templates, just make sure the bottom portion of the drive wheel is square to the table.  

Then make a mark on your template to where you need to install a ring, cut the ring and mount it right under the drive wheel.  There will be about 1/2" of clearance between the table and wheel, so it will be just right to fit a ring in there.  The stationary ring will be what your templates ride up against as you make the cut.

Thats it...you have a pattern sander.  It doesnt take too much time or money either (other than getting the big griz sander).  


 

 

 

[PV]

         
THANKS for posting this Brad. Seen similar set ups but they required a lathe and a few other tools I've yet to get.

[kennym]

Pretty cool, Brad!!      

[Crooked Stic]

Yep I done the same thing only I had my drive drum turned flat except for 1 in. on each end. Then make the jigs thick enough so the profiled pieces are in the flat part.