Comments on: Turn Your Table Saw Into A Disk Sander http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/ All tools. All the time. Your source for news, information, and reviews of hand tools, power tools, and tools of all kinds. Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:17:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Kurt http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/#comment-128453 Kurt Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:37:01 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/#comment-128453 Sounds like the answer to my question is that the sideways pressure isn't anything to worry about. Sounds like the answer to my question is that the sideways pressure isn’t anything to worry about.

]]> By: Mel http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/#comment-125869 Mel Thu, 04 Oct 2007 23:50:59 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/#comment-125869 I've had one quite similar to this for 12 yrs. or so. Works great, you shouldn't use that much pressure anyway - as TL says, a 10 in disk sander can remove a LOT of material quickly. Using the same miter gauge for cutting and sanding is good, too. I’ve had one quite similar to this for 12 yrs. or so. Works great, you shouldn’t use that much pressure anyway - as TL says, a 10 in disk sander
can remove a LOT of material quickly. Using the same miter gauge for cutting and sanding is good, too.

]]> By: TL http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/#comment-125832 TL Thu, 04 Oct 2007 20:56:38 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/#comment-125832 I was taught to do this in shop class 20 years ago and have never had a trouble with blade alignment. The blade will flex long before you can do any bearing damage. Also if you are using it correctly, there shouldn't be that much pressure on the side of the blade. Press too hard and you will burn the wood. A disk sander can remove a LOT of material very quickly. Just use a slight, even pressure and let the sandpaper do it's work. I was taught to do this in shop class 20 years ago and have never had a trouble with blade alignment. The blade will flex long before you can do any bearing damage. Also if you are using it correctly, there shouldn’t be that much pressure on the side of the blade. Press too hard and you will burn the wood. A disk sander can remove a LOT of material very quickly. Just use a slight, even pressure and let the sandpaper do it’s work.

]]> By: Benjamen Johnson http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/#comment-125500 Benjamen Johnson Wed, 03 Oct 2007 17:58:32 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/#comment-125500 I first saw something like this a few years ago in a book called Table Saw Techniques by Roger W. Cliffe, but I had never seen anything for sale until I found this. Mr Cliffe mentions nothing about the problem of putting sideways pressure on the saw arbor. More commonly done, cutting coves on a table saw involves running a board along an angled fence into the saw blade to create a hollow. This must put some sideways pressure on the arbor also, but I've never seen any problems with that mentioned either. I suspect that if you really need to use a disk sander everyday, you should probably buy one, but for people who may need one every once in a while, it probably works OK. I would definitely check my saw alignment after using it though. Then again maybe this is why CMT sells this as a balancing blade first, or they just got their marketing copy reversed -- Sand with it first, then use it to check alignment. I first saw something like this a few years ago in a book called Table Saw Techniques by Roger W. Cliffe, but I had never seen anything for sale until I found this. Mr Cliffe mentions nothing about the problem of putting sideways pressure on the saw arbor.
More commonly done, cutting coves on a table saw involves running a board along an angled fence into the saw blade to create a hollow. This must put some sideways pressure on the arbor also, but I’ve never seen any problems with that mentioned either.
I suspect that if you really need to use a disk sander everyday, you should probably buy one, but for people who may need one every once in a while, it probably works OK. I would definitely check my saw alignment after using it though.
Then again maybe this is why CMT sells this as a balancing blade first, or they just got their marketing copy reversed — Sand with it first, then use it to check alignment.

]]> By: cpw http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/#comment-125492 cpw Wed, 03 Oct 2007 17:17:37 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/#comment-125492 I'd be interested in more comments on these sideways pressure comments. i mean, I've been in lots of situations where something I'm cutting like 3/4" ply puts sideways pressure on the blade (mainly because I shouldn't be using the table saw to cut such a big piece). But it does not seem to throw my blade out of alingment...and I suspect a disk sander does not really get that much stress from pushing on it with whatever wood you're sanding. It's not usually about pressure. I’d be interested in more comments on these sideways pressure comments. i mean, I’ve been in lots of situations where something I’m cutting like 3/4″ ply puts sideways pressure on the blade (mainly because I shouldn’t be using the table saw to cut such a big piece). But it does not seem to throw my blade out of alingment…and I suspect a disk sander does not really get that much stress from pushing on it with whatever wood you’re sanding. It’s not usually about pressure.

]]> By: Jake http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/#comment-125484 Jake Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:20:25 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/#comment-125484 I was thinking the same thing. Are arbors & bearings designed to have that sort of constant sideways pressure put on them? No, probably not. Then again, doesn't really matter for that cheap worksite saw. I was thinking the same thing. Are arbors & bearings designed to have that sort of constant sideways pressure put on them? No, probably not. Then again, doesn’t really matter for that cheap worksite saw.

]]> By: Kurt http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/#comment-125476 Kurt Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:11:47 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/03/turn-your-table-saw-into-a-disk-sander/#comment-125476 Possibly a silly question: Wouldn't putting side pressure on your saw blade put it out of true? I know some people (I'm not one of them) that spend a great deal of time making sure that everything has fault tolerances into the billionth of an inch (I usually round to the nearest eighth :) ) and it seems pushing on the side of a saw blade will likely knock it out of alignment a bit. Or is that crazy talk? Possibly a silly question: Wouldn’t putting side pressure on your saw blade put it out of true? I know some people (I’m not one of them) that spend a great deal of time making sure that everything has fault tolerances into the billionth of an inch (I usually round to the nearest eighth :) ) and it seems pushing on the side of a saw blade will likely knock it out of alignment a bit.

Or is that crazy talk?

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