Spindle Sander VS Small Wheels

carbonsteel928

carbonsteel928

Joined
Feb 15, 2010
Messages
696
After having some smaller wheels fail from heavy use and poor upkeep, I'm looking to weigh my options. Looking at the cost of replacing small wheels, a spindle sander seems like the lesser of two evils, but other than wood working and minor touch ups in a friend's shop, I have not used one much. Also is there another tool for tight radii that I may have overlooked? Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Spindle sanders are not only good for open curves but are great for sanding inside circular holes. An option to the spindle sander might be sanding drums that you can mount in a drill press. This is not an option for heavy-handed people. We all know the bearings in a drill press were not designed for side loads so go easy. Or you can mount them in a mill I suppose. I would replace the small wheels that failed and adjust your usage and maintenance. Small wheels should be run at no more than 50% of the motors RPM capacity. I'm no math whiz but because of their smaller diameters the wheels are moving very fast. You will burn them up if you run them at full speed.
 
I left the spindle sander behind several years back and went to a router with a slow down switch on it. Most of my bolsters are scalloped on the inside. This is a very inexpensive machine and table I bought at a Canadian Tire store here in Canada. Frank
 
Frank, you use a router table with what? what do you mount in the router to do the scalloping? Sanding drums?
 
Yes. You can get those sets of sanding drums almost anywhere that have the 1/4" shanks and four or five drum sizes. As well the bands are available at several knife supply stores. Perhaps you haven't seem that the router sits upside down under the table with the drum sitting through. I rough grind my bolsters with a 60 grit belt each separate and then together with pins in the holes. I then go to the router and use a course drum first and then a fin with them together. Once they are done , I separate them and do each just a quick go around to make sure the scallops are cut 90 degress to the bolster itself. DO NOT TRY without a slow down switch in use. The router minimum speed is still far to fast. Frank
 
Thanks, Mac. I went ahead and picked up an oscillating spindle sander from Grizzly at a great price.

Mr. Niro, I'll keep this in mind. I have a Bulldog Router Bench and quite a few routers left over from cabinet/ furniture making way back when. :)
 
I love my spindle sander. I made a batch of small psk/altoids knives, and it made real short work of the inside curves and finger grooves. 20 knives done in maybe that many minutes. I sometimes use the biggest drum and give the profile of the knife a nice and smooth horizontal finish. I've used it to scallop the spines of my tantos and kwaikens. I've sanded scale off flats and everything with that thing. I couldn't do without it.
 
Carbon steel928
Please, I may be older than you but probably not near as bright. Please call me Frank
 
I was only pleased with the spindle sander I bought for the first while. It had an articulating action that soon got sloppy and I would end up with the work being off the 90 degrees . Since I was worried they were all made the same way I went to the router. Frank
 
Frank Niro said:
Carbon steel928
Please, I may be older than you but probably not near as bright. Please call me Frank
Click to expand...

Yes sir, Frank it is.

On another note, I received my spindle sander today and pleased really pleased with it. Though it takes about 2x longer to "true" a finger groove, it leaves and incredible finish at virtually a perfect 90°. After doing 10 blades, on one sleeve it sure seems promising.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top