Lam grinding belt sander choices

[sticknstring73]

I am just starting out making laminated bows and am very interested in grinding my own lams. After looking at several options on this site (you're all much better wood workers than I am BTW) and after having a hard time getting accurate results with the drill press method I feel that the best option for me would be to get a small belt/disc sander and build a box to put it in the way Sam Harper has done it on his poorfolkbows.com site. As I look around though there are a lot of options for these types of machines. Is anyone here also doing it with that method and if so which machine did you get?

I looked at a Ryobi and there was a nut in the way of where I would put the table. Harbor Freight has a cheap one but after looking it up on youtube it looks like it needs too much work out of the box. I am currently looking at the Grizzly G0547. Any thoughts?     :confused:

[macbow]

Since you have to buy something new anyway why not consider a real thickness sander?

I have a small thickness sander built using a drum. The biggest problem is being able to have the material move through at a steady feed rate. I can't do very well hand feeding.
I don't build glass laminated,bows anymore but could use a thickness sander for my bamboo backed wood slats.

[Tom Leemans]

Grizzly's 6X48 - 9" sander is a better machine, but it depends on your budget.

[beachbowhunter]

This is what I picked up. Love it.

 http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-Drum-Sander/G0716

[wood carver 2]

X2 for the Grizzly 10 inch. Nice machine at a good price.    
Dave.

[Bivyhunter]

Have any of you guys bought the Grizzly recently? I was reading some reviews on it and it looks like the spiral drive gear for the stock feed belt is made out of nylon and has been really problematic on breakage. Also, how is the accuracy with the hook and loop attachment? I would think that the sandpaper would deflect more with the spongy backing of the hook and loop and give you less consistent thickness on your lams.

[kennym]

I had the Griz Baby drum, the drive gear did break on it and have heard of many others that did also.

The hook and loop seemed to do OK but the splice on the conveyor was thicker and would randomly make a .004 difference in lams. Bout drove me nuts til I figured it out!

Just make a mark at both ends of splice and don't run lams on that part.

You can also let the sander drum down with the belt running and sand the conveyor belt a bit.

[Randy Morin]

I would not want to try and hand feed through a homemade belt sander set-up.  I'd save up money and get the grizzly 10".

The Grizzly mentioned by beach above (the 10") does not use velcro backed paper.  That is the baby drum that does.  Last I heard...the nylon drive gear problem has been fixed on the baby drum too. Mine has never broke but I only grind a half turn on the crank at a time and push/pull the stock to help out the drive gear/motor. Dont know if the 10" sander had the same problem.

[Bivyhunter]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'm currently using a 25"X60" widebelt sander from my cabinet shop. I'm pretty spoiled, but I plan on moving at some point and I don't think I'm going to take that beast with me. Do any of you have experience with both the Grizzly and the Jet/Performax? Curious as to which is the better route. I have a line on a used performax for about the same price as a new Grizz

[Buemaker]

For an open end sander I beleive this is a god one, more expensive than others, but made in U.S.A. They also have other sanders. Supermax Tools.

[2treks]

The supermax is pretty good from what I see. I have not used one but have looked at them and they are well built for sure. Big price tag as well.
Jet/performax are well made but have lots of deflection in the head. It will still work fine but you have to go easy.
I used a Baby grizz and it was pretty accurate. Hook and loop did not seem to bother. The gear broke on me once. Seems to be a good machine for the money,X2 if they fixed the gear problem. you could alwats do away with the hook and loop as well.
I now have a Delta 18/36 This is an older model but it seems to be solid. Some things are not as user friendly but that just takes time to get used to. If I had to buy a new machine I think it would be the new Delta,31-260 I think it is.
Or I would take the beast with me,you make to many bows to mess with something that will slow you down in anyway South. I use my sander for lams as well as cleaning up stock and glue-ups.Like an abrasive planer. I also keep all of my lams to +/-.001 side to side. I am fussy about that and spend as long as it takes to get my machine set up to due it.
I have run through some sanders over the past 10 years and the delta is the second best one I have had. The first was a Timesaver that I could not run in my shop due to lack of power.
Grizzly/Sunhill/Powermatic/ShopFox all make a 15-24" wide belt that is about perfect for bow building in my mind. Get your checkbook out tho.

Any of the above sanders will work fine for the hobby maker and some will work fine for the fulltime bowyer.
Thats what I have found over the years. Hope it helps

[Bivyhunter]

Thanks for your insight Chuck. I've gotten pretty spoiled with the wide belt I have now. Just punch in the setting and it raises to it, no shortage of HP. I'm just not sure I'm going to have the power (amperage)and space down the road....I think I'm going to wait and see before I sell though.

[sticknstring73]

Man you guys have given me a lot to think about. Some of these machines are way out of my league in terms of price and size. But there certainly are way more options than I would have thought existed.

[2treks]

Like you said South, It will spoil you. As a full time bowyer,I can't let my tools hold me back. It is a fine balance between affordability, accuracy, speed and power availablity. I know you already know that.

If I would suggest a lam grinder to a hobby builder,it would be the Grizzly baby drum.
Take care of it and it will serve you well.
It is not crazy money and it will do a good job.
OR
I would keep my eye out for a good used machine.

Good luck

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