Electric sander for apartment?

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NeedItCheaper

Joined
Jun 17, 2012
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I'm getting tired of hand sharpening my spines. Basically every time I buy a Barkriver knife, which I know I'll buy more of. I have only a small apartment and don't know if it's even possible to find a belt-sander that doesn't dirty up the place easily. I have wide mat I can lay down and vacuum after each use, but I don't know what's a good practice if any. I'll be sanding 3V steel and need the ability to keep a 90 degree edge. I'm wondering if a simple Dremel and some vices will work?

What are your thoughts?
 
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I have my WorkSharp Ken Onion in a duffel bag with belts, an extension cord, and some other misc stuff. I have carried that rig all over and would set up on people's back porches or where ever I could find a place to sit/stand with a table and electricity.

I would expect you could set up something similar on your back patio, front stoop, or many other places. That would keep the metal dust out of your apartment and give you some air flow.

Brian.
 
Dremel could work. But it's taking a big chance. I would get a harbor freight and the angle guide. Do your reprofiling and then finish em up on a dmt or whatever your choice is.
 
The 1x30 Harbor Freight is plenty for most hobby needs, a Dremel is slower but more versatile, and can be mounted to base to maintain a consistent angle. The trick here is not the tool you are going to use, it's the setting. If you have access to the outside, rig a negative pressure system; this can be as simple as turning box on its side, cutting a hole out of the bottom, then putting a fan behind it pointing out a window. If you have a shop vac or household vacuum with a hose and enough amps to run both it and the sander, cut a hole in the side of a box or tote to hold the end of the hose right up to the work. Taking it all the way outside is the best option, but not always doable in rainy or arctic climates.

I wouldn't sand a lot of metal inside a home, especially anywhere food is prepped or stored. It's guaranteed that some of the dust will wander, it doesn't biodegrade, and could cause serious health issues for anybody who lives in the apartment after you if they are growing or have a nickel or chromium sensitivity.
 
The metal contamination issue is important.

Several years ago I was really into playing pool. I would spend several hours every weekend playing at a local pool hall during the day during "practice time". One day when I was there, I started playing with a guy 15 years older than me or so. He played pretty well, but it was easy to see that he had a pretty strong tremor. He told me he used to play a lot better when he could hold his hands steady.

Then he told me the story: For about 20 years he's been making custom knives in the shed behind his house. With no filtration at all. He's just been breathing it in all this time. He now has Parkinson's disease and he said that breathing metal dust, aluminum in particular, was known to cause this. He was still making custom knives for at least a few years after that. I saw him at several local shows with blades for sale; he did nice work despite the tremor.

All of this to say: You really don't want to breathe metal dust. At a minimum I would think you'd want a tight fitting mask like an N95; probably better. ...and you probably want to do it in a dedicated space, or outside. Which is why I suggested the small portable type thing that you could set up in a few minutes and tear back down when you were done.

Best of luck to you.

Brian.
 
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