Service Pointers

Service Methods and Tips

SEPT/OCT 2004
Volume 47/Issue 5

IN THIS ISSUE
Project Articles
• Living Room Sofa Table
• Nob Hill Cable Car
• Two-Shelf Telephone Stand/Side Table

DEPARTMENTS
• Ask Smitty
• Owner’s Gallery
• Letters from Owners
• New Baby Workshop Calendar

Academy Notes
Hardwood Information You Should Know - Pt 2

Service Pointers
Disc Sander

Woodworking Technologies
Stepped Dowels

Safety
Safety Lessons I've Learned

What's New
Referral Rewards Program

EDUCATION
• Find A Shopsmith Woodworking Academy Near You
• National Woodworking Academy in Dayton, OH

ONLINE CATALOGS
• Online Accessory Catalog
• Request Printed Accessory Catalog
• Online Replacement Parts Catalog

MARK V INFORMATION
• Find A Shopsmith
MARK V Demo Near You
• Request MARK V Information Package

LINKS
• Links Worth Visiting
• Free Woodworking Tips

FEEDBACK
Contacting Shopsmith

Service Pointers
THE DISC SANDER
Printer friendly PDF copy of article (16K)

Whether you use your MARK V’s Disc Sander for precision finishing in joinery operations or for “hogging-off” excess stock after a project has been assembled, here are four important pointers that you’ll want to kept in mind:

1. Always work on the down-stroke side of the disc to prevent grabbing and throwing of the workpiece.

2. Always use the right grit of sandpaper for the job. No “hogging” with fine grit paper!

3. A clean sandpaper disc is less likely to burn than one that’s loaded-up with sawdust and pitch. Use a disc cleaner, frequently. In fact, clogged sandpaper can actually cause so much friction and heat build-up that you can actually damage the steel disc itself!

4. A second or third Disc is a good investment. Have one set-up with each grit of sandpaper so you can quickly switch from one grit to another without having to peel off one grit and affix another.

Problem	Possible Cause	Remedy
Work Burns	Feed pressure too great	Lighten-up on the feed pressure.
	Loaded sandpaper	Clean disc with cleaning stick, or replace sandpaper. Use coarse paper.
	RPM’s too high	Slow machine down when sanding hardwoods or end grain.
Disc loads-up quickly	Excessive RPM’s	Excessive RPM’s
	Pitch or moisture in wood	Use less pressure, or coarser paper. Slow down your speed.
	Surfaces to be sanded are covered with paint or glue.	Use coarse paper. Clean sandpaper frequently.
Workpiece lifts off table	Sanding on up-side of disc.	Always sand on down-side of rotating disc.
Work wedges between table and disc. Abrasive particles quickly rub from disc.	Table too far from the disc. Abrasive bond has lost its holding power due to improper storage.	Move table to within 1/8-inch of disc. Store disc sandpaper away from high heat (above 100-degrees F) and high humidity.