Tip #8
Belt Sander (continued)
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Belt Sander Setup and Features

To set up your belt sander, follow the instructions in the Owners Manual that came with your machine.

As you work with the belt sander, you'll find that it has several special features:

The belt sander mounts on the Mark V or on a Shopsmith Power Stand and is operated in either a vertical or horizontal position (Figure 19-1a).

The worktable is 6" by 9". It can be tilted from “0” to 20° into the belt, or from “0” to 45° away from the belt. The Shopsmith Miter Gauge fits in the slot on the worktable and can be locked in place. Also, the worktable has two holes cast into the table slot, making it easy to attach extensions and special fixtures.

Figure 19-2. The Worktable can be installed in four different positions.

The worktable can be installed in four different positions on the hard side of the belt sander: parallel to the belt on either side of the machine or perpendicular to the belt in the center or at the back of the machine (Figure 19-2).

The working surface on the 'hard side' of the belt sander (the side with the backup plate) is 6" x 14" when the worktable is used as a backstop,or 6" x 16-1/2"without the worktable. On the 'soft side' (the side without the backup plate), the working surface is 3" x 16". (When working on the 'soft side', use only the 3" in the center of the belt to keep the belt tracking properly.)

Often, woodworkers use a combination of abrasive tools to smooth and shape a workpiece. When mounted on the belt sander auxiliary spindle, the drum sander will sand a tighter radius (1-1/4") than you can sand on the idler drum. You can also mount the drill chuck on the belt sander auxiliary spindle. The chuck will hold smaller drum sanders and flutter sheets.

Figure 19-3. Combination setups allow greater versatility. Shown is a belt sander, disc sander and drum sander combination. The dust collection system is connected to the belt sander and the MARK V lower guard.

When the Mark V is used to power the belt sander, you can mount the sanding disc on the Mark V's main spindle and use the two abrasive tools in combination. You can even use the dum sander (Figure 19-3). Warning: When tools are used in combination, never exceed the speed for the slowest tool. In this case that would be the disc sander.

When you are not using the auxiliary spindle, be sure to install the spindle cap. Insert the lip of the cap in the belt sander casting and give it a tap with a mallet to secure it. Later on, if you wish to use the auxiliary spindle, the cap can be removed with a pair of pliers; simply turn the cap and pull out at the same time.

The belt sander has a dust chute incorporated in its lower casting. This will direct waste material out of the machine and it will accept the hose from your dust collection system. Since most heavy-duty dust collection systems have fairly strong motors, it is good practice not to plug a dust collection system into the same circuit as the Mark V.

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