72" x2" Knife blade Belt sander machine build

**Gert Odendaal** · 09-10-2016, 09:21

Originally Posted by Erebus

50x2000

Sent from my SM-G900F

Erebus, what type of of belt? The brown ones?

**Erebus** · 09-10-2016, 09:38

Originally Posted by Gert Odendaal

Erebus, what type of of belt? The brown ones?

The 180grit I got at the store is a normal brown one. The 36 and 80 are blue klingspor aluminum oxide, the 120 and 400 are red pferd vsm and the 800 is a grey klingspor could be pferd not 100 sure havent used it yet, I can check the exact belt codes if you need that info.

Sent from my SM-G900F

**Gert Odendaal** · 09-10-2016, 18:55

How do you members feel about a group purchase regarding these type of sanding belts. ? As I see it , a person really needs a lot of these different grain belts. I will give more info regarding these belts sourcing from a company here in South Africa.

Plan B: purchasing these belts from a factory in China..I am still discussing the technical detail around such a purchase.

This week I need to start doing finishing touches to the belt sanding machine...fitting the motor will be te final step then the grinding process will proceed.....

**apocza** · 10-10-2016, 07:42

Originally Posted by Gert Odendaal

How do you members feel about a group purchase regarding these type of sanding belts. ? As I see it , a person really needs a lot of these different grain belts. I will give more info regarding these belts sourcing from a company here in South Africa.

Plan B: purchasing these belts from a factory in China..I am still discussing the technical detail around such a purchase.

This week I need to start doing finishing touches to the belt sanding machine...fitting the motor will be te final step then the grinding process will proceed.....

Gert, which belts are you referring to? As far as I know the 2x72 / 50x2000 belts are widely available in SA. Here in Port Elizabeth we even have a supplier in pretty much any grit or grit composition.

**Andrew Leigh** · 10-10-2016, 09:16

Think this is what I will build. I have different take on the tracking device but may change it still. I have two platen attachments one to take 50mm wheels and the other to take a 25mm and a 75mm as per forum advice. The parts are being cut from 10mm aluminium and will be welded together. The motor is a 3ph 1.5kW 1420rpm so I have inserted a jackshaft to double the speed. With 2840rpm and a 140mm drive wheel I should get (140mm*(22/7))*2840rpm/25.4mm per inch/12 inched per foot = 4 100fps maximum belt surface speed.

Gert you made any progress with the drive?

**The Beast** · 10-10-2016, 09:51

What belt surface speeds should one be aiming for. I have a 4 pole motor with a 200 dia drive wheel. so that should give me 2928fps belt speed.
I opted for the variable speed drive that can give a 100% increase in speed and a 50% reduction. So my range would then be from 1464fps to 5856fps.

My grinder would be used mostly for wood rather than steel. This was my reasoning to go for the slower motor.
My plan is also to turn the square tubing guides 45deg this way they will be more rigid and by tightening on the corners and pushing the inner square tube into the corner of the outer one should help eliminate vibrations.

**Gert Odendaal** · 10-10-2016, 17:22

Originally Posted by apocza

Gert, which belts are you referring to? As far as I know the 2x72 / 50x2000 belts are widely available in SA. Here in Port Elizabeth we even have a supplier in pretty much any grit or grit composition.

I will be looking around here in Witbank for these type of belts. I already ask around in hardware shops like Cash Build, Jack`s Paints Builders Warehouse and no one could sell me any of these types of belts. Which hardeware stores do you refer to in Port Elizabeth ? Maybe there is a branch here in Witbank as well?

**Gert Odendaal** · 10-10-2016, 17:27

Originally Posted by Andrew Leigh

Think this is what I will build. I have different take on the tracking device but may change it still. I have two platen attachments one to take 50mm wheels and the other to take a 25mm and a 75mm as per forum advice. The parts are being cut from 10mm aluminium and will be welded together. The motor is a 3ph 1.5kW 1420rpm so I have inserted a jackshaft to double the speed. With 2840rpm and a 140mm drive wheel I should get (140mm*(22/7))*2840rpm/25.4mm per inch/12 inched per foot = 4 100fps maximum belt surface speed.

Gert you made any progress with the drive?

Andrew,your design look great, it really is going to be an excellent machine....

I did not have time today to work on the belt sander..I had to commence building some kitchen cupboards for my wife. I decided to first finish the whole sander and frame completely and then commence fitting the motor. Still on the lookout for a decent motor...

**Gert Odendaal** · 10-10-2016, 17:31

Originally Posted by The Beast

What belt surface speeds should one be aiming for. I have a 4 pole motor with a 200 dia drive wheel. so that should give me 2928fps belt speed.
I opted for the variable speed drive that can give a 100% increase in speed and a 50% reduction. So my range would then be from 1464fps to 5856fps.

My grinder would be used mostly for wood rather than steel. This was my reasoning to go for the slower motor.
My plan is also to turn the square tubing guides 45deg this way they will be more rigid and by tightening on the corners and pushing the inner square tube into the corner of the outer one should help eliminate vibrations.

Beast, this is something I had not think of...will it make that much difference when trying to eliminate the vibrations?

**Gert Odendaal** · 10-10-2016, 17:38

Something I have been thinking of...why is it that from a forum with maybe more than THOUSAND MEMBERS , there are only currently five members building a knife belt sander...too few I think???

I hope our effort will get at least two hundred members started on their knife belt sander build.....

Come on members, here are enough examples you can choose to build from, Von Gruff, The Beast, Erebus , me and Andrew....make your pick...and get going...