[Hack]

Ok, my error on the pics that time.:withstupi

[CarveOne]

Hi Hack,

It's good to see that you are back at work on this project.

It looks like you are doing your drive mechanism kinda similar to the Dewalt planer I have. It has four threaded vertical corner posts, but it uses sprockets on the posts that are driven by a single chain (#35?) that wraps around the four posts and the crank handle shaft. The sprockets are screwed onto the posts like nuts would be and they all screw up and down together to lift and lower the cutting head assembly.

Do your own thing though. I'm wanting to see it in action. If you want to see the Dewalt drive system just out of curiosity I'll take the top off and post a couple of photographs. Those ACME sprockets would be something of a challenge to make at home unless starting with a big nut and weld a sprocket disk onto the nut.

CarveOne

[Hack]

Carveone,

That is exactly what I am doing with the up and down for this unit. I figured that was the easiest way to get alot of adjustability in the table to make sure it is level in all directions with the drum when I am done.

I may end up putting some hdpe "guides" between the table and the legs of the sander. There is about 5/8" gap in there and the only thing that would be stopping any sise to side movement would be the screws. While there should not be any side to side movement, and the screws are going to be beefy (3/4" diam) it still worries me a bit. I have some 3/4" hdpe laying around that I have used for fixtures so all I would need to do is make it.

We'll see what this brings about, maybe it wont be needed.

[CarveOne]

Carveone,

That is exactly what I am doing with the up and down for this unit. I figured that was the easiest way to get alot of adjustability in the table to make sure it is level in all directions with the drum when I am done.

I may end up putting some hdpe "guides" between the table and the legs of the sander. There is about 5/8" gap in there and the only thing that would be stopping any sise to side movement would be the screws. While there should not be any side to side movement, and the screws are going to be beefy (3/4" diam) it still worries me a bit. I have some 3/4" hdpe laying around that I have used for fixtures so all I would need to do is make it.

We'll see what this brings about, maybe it wont be needed.

Well then, proceed on sir. I have a yearning for learning.

Btw, that face sander thing I built has come in handy quite often lately for things that don't fit on my belt/disk sander. Glad now that I tossed it together while waiting for pinion drives to arrive for my CNC router build. I came across another free motor (1/3hp) last week for a future project.

CarveOne

[Hack]

Well its has been a while since I have made any updates. Been having to wait on a buddy of mine to do some lathe work for me. It stinks not having one. I wouldn't use it much, but waiting on others is a real pain sometimes. Perhaps the financial advisor would let me buy one.......

Anyways, I was able to get the 4 screws for the height adjustment turned by the aforementioned friend of mine. Price was right, just had to wait, and wait, and wait.... This will allow me to finish up the raising and lowering of the table.

I still need to have someone machine the rod I have picked out for the drum and coveryers. I was going to make a set of jaws for my mill with a v-groove cut in them and roughh them out on the mill. Then I could finish the turn on the grinder with a bit of fixturing, but that is a lot of work and time. Might just have to do it. Or buy a lathe....Uh honey can I?

Attached are some pics of the screws. I hope to get them installed this weekend and give some more pictures.

Dan

[Hack]

Well I was able to get the screws installed today. Just a bit of final alignment will be done. I have taken this thing apart and put it together so many times now, that I will wait until the end to align things perfectly. The way it is constructed, the framework must be disassembled to allow the table to be taken in / out of the unit. I sure am glad that the extrusion is quick to assemble.

This week I will try to get the timeing belt ordered to connect the 4 screws and also a handle to crank them all. I noticed today that I am going to have some interference with the pillowblocks that I had bought for the drum. I will have to figure that out before doing the drum.

Speaking of the drum, I went with MDF for right now. I figure I will try it and see. I have all the disc routed out and ready to glue / epoxy to the shaft, just have to get some machine work done to the shaft.

I will keep everyone posted of future progress.

Dan

[CarveOne]

Hack,

If I can help with machining that rod send me a PM and we'll discuss the details. I have a 12x36 lathe with 1-1/2" spindle bore. I want to see this thing of yours finished. It's looking really good so far.

I know of a fully restored Logan 10x24 belt drive lathe that is for sale. It has a new chuck and backplate on it. It has a 7/8" spindle bore I think. It's in northeastern NC. Local pick up only. The owner is not able to crate it for shipment.

CarveOne

[Hack]

I appreciate offer of the lathe service. Ya never know.

I ordered the belt for the height adjustment along with a handle to crank everything. I also ordered a couple of pulleys to attach to the motor and the shaft of the drum. Figured I might as well since I was already ordering.

Hopefully this weekend will allow me to finish the height adjustment and make that portion operational, then I have to design something to get around the issues of the pillowblocks for the drum interfering with the belt. Should be a good weekend.

Dan

[CarveOne]

I appreciate offer of the lathe service. Ya never know.

I ordered the belt for the height adjustment along with a handle to crank everything. I also ordered a couple of pulleys to attach to the motor and the shaft of the drum. Figured I might as well since I was already ordering.

Hopefully this weekend will allow me to finish the height adjustment and make that portion operational, then I have to design something to get around the issues of the pillowblocks for the drum interfering with the belt. Should be a good weekend.

Dan

Good deal. Looking forward to some photos.

CarveOne

[Hack]

UPS has "rescheduled" my shipment of the belt and pulleys until Monday. Something about inclement weather. I didn't see a problem going to work with the 9" of snow the other night...... Not much gonna happen this weekend without parts. That and I was reminded that tomorrow was that little holiday called Valentines Day. "Don't be spending all day out in the shop!" She has spoken. Perhaps in a few days I'll get back out there.

This evening is the Annual Daddy - Daughter Dance at my daughters (6 years old) school, so obviously that take priority over shop time today. For things like that, shop time can wait.


Dan

[CarveOne]

UPS has "rescheduled" my shipment of the belt and pulleys until Monday. Something about inclement weather. I didn't see a problem going to work with the 9" of snow the other night...... Not much gonna happen this weekend without parts. That and I was reminded that tomorrow was that little holiday called Valentines Day. "Don't be spending all day out in the shop!" She has spoken. Perhaps in a few days I'll get back out there.

This evening is the Annual Daddy - Daughter Dance at my daughters (6 years old) school, so obviously that take priority over shop time today. For things like that, shop time can wait.


Dan

This is a case of personal priorities outweigh an on-time delivery anyway. Wives and daughters are always first. I only had 1-1/2" of snow this morning and it should be gone by late afternoon.

CarveOne

[Hack]

Was able to work on the sander the past couple of weekends but have not made much progress. The hight adjustment is really giving me fits. I got all of the screws with the pulleys installed, each on working wonderfully smooth individually, then I put on the timing belt, tensioned it and everything is very tight. To the point that I cannot turn the screws. I loosen the belt up a bit and the screws turn better, but then the teeth jump in the pulley. Tighten it up so that the belt doesn't slip, to tight to work.

Obviously a couple of things are going on here. First, I should have went with bigger diameter pulleys to allow more teeth of the belt to come in contact with the pulley at one time. Secondly, the bronze bushings are not suitable for handling the side loads that are being applied to them as the belt is tensioned. It just causes them to bind and thus not work.

I don't really have room for the bigger pulleys, so I am gonna do some research on chains and sprockets, see if I can find something to work well. That is the way my planer is and I should have copied that instead of trying the belt. I will also look into a bearing that will fit and handle the side loads.

Oh well, any time in the shop is a good time : )

[CarveOne]

Was able to work on the sander the past couple of weekends but have not made much progress. The hight adjustment is really giving me fits. I got all of the screws with the pulleys installed, each on working wonderfully smooth individually, then I put on the timing belt, tensioned it and everything is very tight. To the point that I cannot turn the screws. I loosen the belt up a bit and the screws turn better, but then the teeth jump in the pulley. Tighten it up so that the belt doesn't slip, to tight to work.

Obviously a couple of things are going on here. First, I should have went with bigger diameter pulleys to allow more teeth of the belt to come in contact with the pulley at one time. Secondly, the bronze bushings are not suitable for handling the side loads that are being applied to them as the belt is tensioned. It just causes them to bind and thus not work.

I don't really have room for the bigger pulleys, so I am gonna do some research on chains and sprockets, see if I can find something to work well. That is the way my planer is and I should have copied that instead of trying the belt. I will also look into a bearing that will fit and handle the side loads.

Oh well, any time in the shop is a good time : )

Check to see if the teeth are bottoming out in the pulley grooves when belt tension is applied. If they are, it would do as you describe. You would feel the shaft bump as each tooth hits bottom in the corresponding groove.

The easy solution is to turn down the teeth just enough to not bottom out, and full engagement of the teeth and groves will allow the gears to run smoothly.

The other possibility is that the gear teeth do not have the same profile as the pulley and are therefore not compatible.

CarveOne

[Hack]

Well I took the time this weekend to order some bearings to replace the brass bushings that I had holding the top and bottom of the screw height adjusters. Even if that was not the problem, it should make things smooth when I do get it resolved. I also took the time to verify that the pitch of the belt is the same as the pullies and they are. I will wait to get the bearings installed before I decide to switch over to a chain and sprocket set up.

If the bearings alone do not resove the issue, perhaps the next step is just to go with bigger pullies. Should provide more teeth engagement.

I did notice another bit of problem. When I took the screws out of the blocks, I could tell that one of them was wedged a bit into the angle iron that attaches them to the table. I am wondering if there is not enough thread engagement here. It is only 1/4" thick angle with 3/4-10 threaded rod. Not much thread inside the tapped holes of the angle iron. Oh well something to look at after the bearings arive.

Mainly, we got some 40+ degree weather here in Michigan today and couldn't waste it. Shop was quite nice today!

Dan

[CarveOne]

Well I took the time this weekend to order some bearings to replace the brass bushings that I had holding the top and bottom of the screw height adjusters. Even if that was not the problem, it should make things smooth when I do get it resolved. I also took the time to verify that the pitch of the belt is the same as the pullies and they are. I will wait to get the bearings installed before I decide to switch over to a chain and sprocket set up.

If the bearings alone do not resove the issue, perhaps the next step is just to go with bigger pullies. Should provide more teeth engagement.

I did notice another bit of problem. When I took the screws out of the blocks, I could tell that one of them was wedged a bit into the angle iron that attaches them to the table. I am wondering if there is not enough thread engagement here. It is only 1/4" thick angle with 3/4-10 threaded rod. Not much thread inside the tapped holes of the angle iron. Oh well something to look at after the bearings arive.

Mainly, we got some 40+ degree weather here in Michigan today and couldn't waste it. Shop was quite nice today!

Dan

I keep checking each day for updates. Could you improve the angle's threads by welding or bolting on a thicker piece of metal with the proper size hole in it, then thread the hole?

It was 65F and sunny in the late afternoon here. The coming week will be warmer with no overnight freezing. Gotta love it. I don't like 40F and below work shop temps.

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

Adding more threads to the angle can be as easy as assembling the threaded shaft through the angle, screwing a nut against the angle, then tack welding the nut to the angle in three places - if the angle is steel.

CarveOne

[Hack]

Glad to know you are so interested in this build. I apologize for taking so long.

Adding a nut to each threaded rod would not be an issue if needed. I wont hesitate to do it if needed.

Dan

[CarveOne]

Glad to know you are so interested in this build. I apologize for taking so long.

Adding a nut to each threaded rod would not be an issue if needed. I wont hesitate to do it if needed.

Dan

Never know when I will need a thickness planer DIY project to work on. I'm deep into troubleshooting my CNC router problems right now, but I'm watching.

CarveOne

[bgolash]

Hi All
Just saw this thread. I built a sander in 1995. I hope you find
my link interesting. http://www.woodsolutions.com/planer-sander.htm

[CarveOne]

Hi All
Just saw this thread. I built a sander in 1995. I hope you find
my link interesting. http://www.woodsolutions.com/planer-sander.htm

That's an impressive DIY machine design.

CarveOne