Sanding Shoe For Flattening Panels?

LeftyTom

Tom
Corporate Member
Have anyone tried a belt sander with a sanding shoe for flattening glued-up panels? I have 4 panels that need a tad of flattening, 1/100 to 7/100. My belt sander is a Craftsman 3"x 18", which is 20 years old, so I suspect a sanding shoe is not available. So I may be adding a new belt sander, if the sanding shoe is useful.
 
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Graywolf

Board of Directors, President
Richard
Staff member
Corporate Member
I’d use a hand plane and a card scraper, the belt sander... it can be done... but it will take longer then you think, and could net you undesirable results. Another way would be if someone had a drum sander with the capacity to run your panels through would let you come and visit. Just my two cents.
 

Jim M.

Woody
Corporate Member
I haven't tried one but would be interested to hear feedback from someone who has. I too have had a belt sander go awry and eat a project. Found this on the web for what its it's worth.

 

LeftyTom

Tom
Corporate Member
Thanks for the replies, all. I know a couple of drum sanders within a reasonable distance, but I am thinking of doing it myself.

I have a plane body which I have been tuning up, but it may need a new iron. The body is about 13" long, and I have made some progress on flattening the sole. This is my largest plane.
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chris_goris

Chris
Senior User
How many panels Tom? I have a stroke sander here at the shop that will take no time at all and give a professional grade finish. LMK if youd like to bring them by one day, im over on high rock
 

walnutjerry

Jerry
Senior User
Have anyone tried a belt sander with a sanding shoe for flattening glued-up panels? I have 4 panels that need a tad of flattening, less than 1/8". My belt sander is a Craftsman 3"x 18", which is 20 years old, so I suspect a sanding shoe is not available. So I may be adding a new belt sander, if the sanding shoe is useful.
11/8 is a lot to sand away-----sanders work in thousandths not sixteenths. I think a drum sander or wide belt sander would be better option than what you are considering. How wide are the panels? possible to skin through a planer then sand.
 

Graywolf

Board of Directors, President
Richard
Staff member
Corporate Member
That iron would work, it just needs sharpening.
 

KenOfCary

Ken
Staff member
Corporate Member
I have a good Stanley #7 and a #8 you could borrow if you were closer. They are both tuned pretty well. Might need a little touch-up on the blade.

They were made for this kind of thing.
 

LeftyTom

Tom
Corporate Member
11/8 is a lot to sand away-----sanders work in thousandths not sixteenths. I think a drum sander or wide belt sander would be better option than what you are considering. How wide are the panels? possible to skin through a planer then sand.
The panels are 22"x28", so my lunchbox planer is not useful for anything over 12".
 
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LeftyTom

Tom
Corporate Member
How many panels Tom? I have a stroke sander here at the shop that will take no time at all and give a professional grade finish. LMK if youd like to bring them by one day, im over on high rock
Thanks for your kind offer, Chris, though I may be unable to drop by during the week.
 

TENdriver

New User
TENdriver
Thanks for the replies, all. I know a couple of drum sanders within a reasonable distance, but I am thinking of doing it myself.

I have a plane body which I have been tuning up, but it may need a new iron. The body is about 13" long, and I have made some progress on flattening the sole. This is my largest plane.View attachment 190887View attachment 190888View attachment 190887View attachment 190888View attachment 190889

Tom,

This probably would be better discussed in a separate thread, and without knowing your specific level of hand plane experience, but my first reaction to this post is to ask if you’re open to getting together with a NCWW that could help you with using your plane?

I have a nearly identical plane, and for a variety of small reasons, mine wouldn’t be the plane I would recommend to a first time user.
 

LeftyTom

Tom
Corporate Member
Tom,

This probably would be better discussed in a separate thread, and without knowing your specific level of hand plane experience, but my first reaction to this post is to ask if you’re open to getting together with a NCWW that could help you with using your plane?

I have a nearly identical plane, and for a variety of small reasons, mine wouldn’t be the plane I would recommend to a first time user.
I was pondering buying a smoothing plane, but my experience does not justify one from Lee Valley.
 

TENdriver

New User
TENdriver
I was pondering buying a smoothing plane, but my experience does not justify one from Lee Valley.

Tom,

I have some very strong opinions on hand tool use.

Without belaboring all of that, a nice quality vintage jack plane is an excellent place to start. I would absolutely recommend trying one under the tutelage of someone who is reasonably familiar with hand tools. They are really simple to use and incredibly versatile.

More importantly, I find that any time I’m using them, they almost inexplicably put a smile on my face.

I only wish I had started with them when I was much younger.
 

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