Tip #8
Belt Sander (continued)
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- Pg. 1-4, Pg. 5-8, Pg. 9-13

End Grain Sanding

When you saw cross-grain, the saw blade leaves the ends of your boards rough. This rough surface is unsightly and can often make for a weak or ill-fitting joint unless you “true-up” and smooth cross-cut end grain with a sander.

To sand the end grain of short workpieces, you can work with the belt sander in either the horizontal or vertical position, with the worktable parallel to the belt. To sand the end grain of long pieces, secure the belt sander in the vertical position. Use the worktable to support one end of the workpiece and a roller stand to support the other.

Figure 19-12. To sand end grain, use the worktable and the miter gauge to support the workpiece. This helps keep the end of the workpiece square to the belt.

Lock the miter gauge in the slot in the worktable by tightening the Allen screw in the miter gauge bar. The face of the miter gauge will provide another support surface and hold the workpiece square to the belt. With a square or drafting triangle, check that the surface of the worktable and the face of the miter gauge are 90° to the belt. Make adjustments, if necessary; then check that the worktable is no more than 1/16" above the surface of the belt.

Hold the workpiece firmly against the worktable and the miter gauge (Figure 19-12). Unlike surface sanding and edge sanding, do not move the stock back and forth. Instead, gently press the end of the stock against the moving belt. Be careful not to apply too much pressure or hold the stock against the belt for too long; the end grain may start to burn.

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