Craftsman 2 x 42 belt sander mod.

[rayban]

I was gifted a lifetime supply of 2 x 48 belts....about the same time another buddy upgraded to a 2 x 48 belt sander, so he didn't need his 2 x 42 Craftsman any longer... he keeps the motor and gives me everything else.

I literally just cut the housing in half just under the platen mount, mounted the top section with tension unit/tracking wheel intact to the tower, and this is what I end up with.
The motor is a Dayton 1/2 hp, 1750.....so not quite as fast as my 2 x 42 standing along side.

I ask my iron worker bud to bend a piece of angle iron for the tower, and he comes back with this....I guess he's used to building bridges.
I managed to wire it up without burning anything down.......and BANG!!!
It runs like a top!! I mean it hums!! Much quieter than the 2 x 42.

I'm not a knife maker, so won't be doing any serious steel grinding, but will suit my tinkering and leather work needs just fine.

If you see any glaring no-nos, please let me know...I engineered this myself, so I know there must be something not quite right.

I need to extend the platen out some, so a trip to my iron worker bud is in order again.......there goes another 12 pack.

Most important, it was fun bringing it all together....with help from some good BUDZ!!!

 

[R.C.Reichert]

It looks really neat. Should work well for you.

 

[John T Wylie Jr]

nicely done , add an arm for a work rest and you are in there. Very nice way to give an older machine new life. I dig it.

 

[DrThunder88]

Cool! Especially the part about the lifetime supply of 2x48s!

 

[Jason Fry]

Looks good to me, but if I was going to go to that much trouble, I'd have put a 3rd wheel on the frame he built and gone 2x72. On the other hand, I don't have a lifetime supply of 2x48's

 

[rayban]

Looks good to me, but if I was going to go to that much trouble, I'd have put a 3rd wheel on the frame he built and gone 2x72. On the other hand, I don't have a lifetime supply of 2x48's

I thought plenty about a 72"...but I'm just a humble tinkerer and leather worker from the land of the palm trees.....I couldn't come up with any good reasons to have a 72" belt sander......and like you say, there's that 30# box of 2 x 48's.