Grinding tapered laminations, your process?

[Morning Star]

For the guys who are grinding your own lams. Would you mind explaining the process that works most consistent for you?  My tapers have been inconsistent.

I have some jatoba sleds,they are right on. Using a Grizzly Baby Drum sander.

[Bowjunkie]

Inconsistent in what way(s)?

[kennym]

First two things I’d check are don’t run on the conveyor splice( it’s thicker on some sanders )  and check to see if your sleds are slightly twisted. It don’t take much...

[Roy from Pa]

I run the lams through twice on the same setting. Then do one turn on the adjustment and run through twice every time after adjusting. On the last pass I'll do 3 runs through.

[Bowjunkie]

I go one pass after each adjustment. I'm using a Delta.

But that's not a fair comparison... we could be using different grit paper, feed rates, removing more or less material with each pass, etc. In fact I often alter the rate and depth of cut as work progresses for various reasons.

[Krasus]

Is the conveyer feed belt perfectly parallel to the drum? Even out slightly will have a big impact

[Crittergetter]

When I get close I make Multiple passes without adjustments  and flip end from end and sides several times.  Flipping ends and sides makes it more consistent at least for me .

[Holm-Made]

The  hook and loop paper the the baby drum takes isn’t the best choice for grinding consistent lams.  Too much give.   Can you clean the drum to bare metal?  Attach the paper with two sided tape or spray adhesive.  Wrapping each end with packing tape.  Grinding on a hard drum is the way to go.

[Bowjunkie]

Maybe that's why mine is consistent. The paper is wrapped directly on the metal drum, I use a relatively heavy machined aluminum sled, and it rides on a thin belt on a metal feed table.

[Roy from Pa]

I Agree with you, Chad.

[Morning Star]

Thanks fellas, I will let you know how it goes.

[kennym]

Oh, not to do with grinding except saving time and material, I like to cut the lams to taper before grinding, not grind from parallel.......

[Morning Star]

Just wanted to update you guys. The advice on getting rid of the hook and loop paper on the Baby Drum is spot on.  I replaced it with standard paper attached with spray adhesive.  My tapers are much better.  Thanks fellas. 

Those reading this that have a Grizzly Baby Drum, I wouldn’t hesitate changing over.  Very easy to do, still need to tape the ends.

[Forwardhandle]

Kenny how do you pre taper your lams on the band saw with a jig or sled ?

[Shredd]

Good Move Morning...  Personally I think the Hook and Loop is chit...  It might be good for some applications but not for sanding lams accurately...

[Flem]

I was having problems with inconsistent tapers. So I made this sled/shooting board, now they are dead on side to side and running length.i don't use the plane much, mostly the block with sandpaper

[kennym]

Ritchie, I run a 2" wide sled about .250 thick(thickness really don't matter much) of proper taper rate against the fence.

You can set it to lam butt thickness with a preacher stick(it don't lie) which is a .005" per inch taper marked every .010 "  starting around .050 " and going as high as the thick end allows.

Just put the proper thickness number on the end of sled (thin end here) for your desired lam butt thickness plus whatever you need to clean up saw marks when  grinding. .035 " extra works for me unless it is on flat grain, osage and red elm are the worst to lead the blade with the flat grain for me....