disk sander

J. Neilson

J. Neilson

Joined
Feb 6, 2001
Messages
3,621
Since I finally have the big workshop I've always wanted, I have room for tools I didn't before. Now I really want to know what most of my fellow kniofemakers are using thier disk sanders for. I had a 5" disc awhile ago that I didn't use very much. Did I miss out on something. Should I tell my wife I need a new tool(never a bad thing)?

J.

www.mountainhollow.net
mountainhollow@emcs.net
 
I use a 9" disk. I dont grind bevels with it, but find it invaluable for flattening up the tang, after tapering on a belt grinder, finishing the flats on the knife, etc.
 
dovetailing bolsters, making matched bolsters, surfacing handle slabs, matching the angle on the handle slabs to the bolsters especially with tapered full tang knives. Quickly removing excess handle material after the glue dries. I think all these things relate to a full tang Loveless style knife. Oh also grinding that all important 7 1/2 degree angle for the liner-lock. I think the ultimate disk grinder would be a variable speed, Rob Frink disk, fully adjustable table with a foot operated on/off switch and uses standard size sand paper that can be cut down to size and spray glued on with 3m spray.
 
I'm with Bruce on his idea of the ultimate disc sander. Rob's disc is great but it's definitely a do it yourself project to get it set up. I've got mine hooked up to an old 1/4 horse motor I found in the trash. I ran a belt from the motor to a 6 inch pulley to slow it down and have it mounted horizontally on my bench. I mainly use it for flattening folder blades and handle slabs and have had very good luck with it. I love the fact that it takes standard 9" sandpaper mounted with spray adhesive. I use this machine constantly.

My other smaller disc sander is permanently setup with a table for grinding the angled tang on my folders.
 
if you have a drum switch on your motor they also work well for
doing flats on your knife.I watched Rw Wilson do it while at his shop
works slick.:)
 
i recived my disc grinder from rob frink around the first of of the month. i bought a motor and switch etc,from surplus center and had them send it to rob. he tuned it up with one of his 9" disc's. at first it did not seem to be for me, but then i put a 70 durometer hard contact pad on it. now it becomes more valuble every day. trueing up grinds,flats, and more.
 
Until recently, I used a 8" disk for everything, including grinding blade bevels. I now have a belt sander for the rough grinding, but end up using the disk for finishing the blade past 220. Mine was a re-conditioned 1/3 HP furnace motor older than me. The aluminum disk came from the House of tools for less than $20, and I use disk cement to attach the paper. They are great to have, and don't have to be expensive, although I suppose buying the best you can afford in the tool department is never a bad idea! One bonus in using a disk is the grind lines don't all go one way, so they sem to offer a better finish in the finer grits.
 
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