Do I need a belt sander

or you could plane them. I just got back from Borders today after taking a loooong look at a very interesting book on planes; history, tuning; usage, all very well explained. Might go on my X-mas wish list...oh, hell, I already got my X-mas toys! I've got the nagging feeling I'm gonna be Neandering before too long. My resolve not to is slipping.

dave

P> So, I am getting better at gluing up boards but still have some that don't

How far out are they? Hand held belt sanders scare me. One wrong move and . . . . .

Ed

Better to figure out why your cuts are out. Adjusting your saw/fence could help, as could planing.

If you offer a detailed f'rinstance you'll get better advice...

djb

Actually no. They aren't that hard to master. Just keep things moving and steady. It really ain't no big thing.

UA100, belt sanderer...

I trued and tuned and futzed and fiddled, and my POS saw isn't going to get any better than this. To do a multi-board glue-up, I have to doctor up the pieces.

I originally used my combination 36" belt/6" disc sander for this sort of stuff. With the fence removed, it's possible to sand long boards. The problem is keeping it perfectly even, since you can't get the whole thing onto the belt at once. There are bigger sanders, but they're expensive.

I get *much* better results now that I'm a burgeoning Neander. A few quick swipes with a plane, and I get perfect edges every time. I'm cheating and using a jointing fence to reduce my chances of screwing it up.

The thing about planes is that you really can't just go out and buy one and use it. You have to sharpen it, tune it up, and then there's the question of outfitting your workbench for that sort of work. It's a slippery slope, but I don't regret any of it.

Plane them.

Belt sanders have a terrifying appetite for digging divots by accident (never let them tilt, so they become a drum sander). Although they would do the job, I'd hazard that it's easier to learn to plane than to learn to belt sand.

Why don't your boards align ? Does the thickness vary, or is it just an alignment problem ? Some careful biscuit jointing can make alignment less troublesome.

-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

IMO, no. I've got a belt-sander...it would be one of my last choices for jointing. If that's your only option...I'd take it over a ROS.

Do you have a router? A router, a flush-trimming bit and a straight-edge will give you a much 'straighter' edge than a sander.

After than...I'd pick a jointer-plane and do it by hand.

Unless you buy a plane from Steve Knight ;)

Belt sanders are aggressive and do a good job. Buy a biscuit (plate) jointer.

He's not talking about jointing.

First, I hope you are not talking about your edge to edge fit before the glue-up because, if you are, that is another matter. I am operating from the assumption that you mean an uneven surface on the glued panel.

Belt sanders are a complete waste of time and money. I have had one for 15 years and have barely 15 minutes worth of benefit from it. You would be far better of going to a garage sale and picking up a Stanley #5 jack plane (or a #4 would be good) and learning how to tune and use it. I know I am going to get strong reactions to the contrary, but that is my story and I am sticking to it!

All this talk of planing makes my arms hurt. Scrapers, too. All that is great for little stuff, but get into big things, and production work, and give me a belt or ROS any time.

-- Jim in NC

Is the joint slipping during glueup? Clamp small pieces of scrap across the glueline, and you won't have to flatten it.

Cover the scrap cauls with masking tape for easy unsticking from the dried panel.

Howard Ruttan schreef

• + + Belt sanders are a nice idea, and can be useful for some jobs, such as truing up books PvR

Try semi-clamping down cross pieces (2 X 4s maybe) on top and bottom of your glued boards to keep them flat, but take them off before the glue hardens so they don't get stuck to your project.

Michael

I never implied they were hard. Just useless.