Uses for 4x36 belt sander?

sdr

Joined
Sep 6, 2015
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Just picked up a used 4x36 belt/disc 2/3 HP sander today at the local auction house for 30 bucks. Seen some shop photos you guys post and noticed this type of sander. I'm assuming it has numerous uses. I was wondering what this machine is capable of. I used my 3x18 belt sander mounted in the vice to make my first 2 knives. Until I finish my 2x72 I was wondering if I should try this machine. I'm itching to make another. Is a 4x36 only used on certain things? All info greatly appreciated and thanks to all for your help.
 
I use mine daily, mine has a decent platen so I use it to clean up my blades after forging. It works alright. If it has a dust collection on it, make sure you clean it. It can be a fire hazard since the dust collection is usually in the bottom of them.
I'll also clean up knife blocks on it. Everything has a use if you want to find it. Not the most important tool but it has its uses. I can't say that you did wrong by getting it.
I'd imagine it would be pretty difficult to grind a blade on it, but stranger things have happened.
Keep after it.
 
I use one to flatten scale material. I will also use it to profile longer sections of finished handles, like the spine, since my little 1x30 belt grinder has a very short platen.
 
Oh forgot, the disk part is good for truing up stick ( like making the ends of a pair of scales the same)
 
I use it for everything right now...but I hate it for metal work. That's all I have currently, but it is no fun for metal work. Great with wood though
 
One of my first machines I used to grind blades was a 4 X 36 I believe I soon was looking for something better even though I didn't know what it was. Frank
 
A little trick that I learned here on blade forums. For getting things really flat it's difficult to hold, for example your scale material, perfectly flat on the abrasive from the get go. So to avoid this place the scale or whatever down on the belt and then turn it on and continue to hold an after turning it off that way you are flat at the beginning and flat at the end. I noticed that since doing this flattening on my granite surface plate goes much much quicker.
 
Great info guys, thanks. Is it possible to have a better platen on this machine?
 
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