Today's sanders are smooth operators.

TODAY'S SANDERS ARE SMOOTH OPERATORS

Whether it's an edge or the whole component, the finished product is only as good as its sanding job. With the wide array of sanding equipment available for any type of application, as well as abrasives to suit most any need, achieving a top-quality finish is easily accomplished. The following are some of the machines and supplies in the marketplace. For additional information, circle the corresponding number on the Reader's Service Card.

Abrasives

Norton Co. has introduced an anti-static abrasive belt for the furniture industry. DL Adalox H248 and H258 belts enable users to meet strict environmental regulations set by OSHA concerning airborne dust, the company says. Made of AO abrasive on paper backing with an all resin bond aluminum, they are available in Openkote and Closekote designs. 801 From C.W. Crossens, Micro Mesh is a cushioned abrasive which the company says is capable of giving very fine and controlled scratch patterns. The nine grits range from 1,500 to 12,000; the 1,500 is slightly courser than 600 sandpaper while the 12,000 reportedly will leave a scratch pattern undetactable by the human eye. It can be used on bare wood, wood finishes, solid surface materials, etc. 802

Hermes Abrasives offers a full line of abrasive products for the woodworking market including belts, sheets and discs suited to standard needs. 803

CAPCO Abrasives offers belts of all sizes, up to 52-in. wide in stock and ready to ship within 24 hours. The company supplies all grains and backings, including blue zirconia, and can custom fabricate belts to specifications. 804

A wide range of abrasive discs made of reddish brown garnet are available from Even Cut Abrasive Co. The hardness and toughness of the garnet is controlled by heat treating to a precise, high temperature. As the sharp edge of the garnet grain in worn away by friction and pressure build-up, the grains refracture and expose new cutting edges, prolonging disc life. An E weight backing is used on the discs. 805

From 3M, the 362RZ belt uses a sharp, durable P-graded AO mineral with the particle size tightly graded to help eliminate rejects due to coarse scratching. The backing is strengthened with polyester film to create a firm, defect-free platform for the mineral. The company says this backing offers higher quality and more consistent finishes. 806

Carborundum Abrasives says its Premier minimum dust products provide users with cleaner work surfaces, better finishes, less downtime and longer belt life. 807

SIASTAT coated abrasives are designed to reduce the amount of dust generated in a typical wood sanding operation. The belts work to inhibit dust particles from becoming electrically charged and clinging to the inside of the machine and belt, thus removable through an exhaust system. SIA America says the dust inhibiting properties of the belt do not diminish throughout the useful life of the belt. 808

Econ-Abrasives says it will manufacture abrasive belts in any size and grit per customer specifications. The 1991 catalog contains hundreds of abrasives and woodworking accessories offered by the company, including: Velcro backed discs, flapwheels, clamps, glues, cutting tools, etc. 809

Included in Klingspor Abrasives' catalog are: cloth and paper belts, sheets and rolls, pressure sensitive adhesive discs, abrasive flapwheels, bonded abrasives and sandflex blocks. 810

New, improved Ekamant anti-static coated abrasives in paper and cloth are available from Uneeda Enterprizes on all types of backings, including high flexible cloth materials. 811

Profile sanders

The Lineal/Profile Sander/Polisher from American Machine Corp. is designed for lineal components from 1/2 in. up to 12 in. wide, such as mouldings, millwork, cabinets and furniture parts. The sander can be used on hard and soft woods as well as composite boards, plastic and ground metal surfaces for the following types of sanding: bare wood, sealer, base coat, denibbing/polishing, wire brush distressing and special texturing. Almost any type of abrasive wheel or brush can be used. 812

From Tekmatex, Shimura profile sanders can change from one profile to another within 30 seconds. A preset profile can be instantly recalled and the sanding heads automatically reposition themselves, the company says. Both vertical and horizontal positions are shown on a liquid crystal display. Mouldings and panel edges can be sanded on the machine. 813

The Arminius SP-12 through-feed, single-sided profile sander from Stiles Machinery features an oscillating face sander and two profile belt sanding stations for profile or edge sanding, inclinable from -45 [degrees] to +90 [degrees], and two profile disc sanding stations. Line control can be managed by an IBM compatible computer. 814

Delle Vedove profile and edge sanding machines sand wood, veneered or MDF mouldings, moulded furniture components, tabletop or panel edges and raised panel cathedral doors. They sand unfinished, lacquered or polyester coated pieces. The machines are modular and can be equipped with various belt sanders, abrasive wheels and special units for handling intricate shapes. 815

The Voorwood A111 profile shaper/sander shapes and sands up to 8,000 linear feet of edge profiles per two-person shift. The precision cutting head and two matched Turbosand stations produce consistent edges on hard and soft woods and MDF, the company says, with quick setups making it cost effective for short runs. 816

QuickWood, now offers the SAMCO line of profile sanders. The line ranges from a manual abrasive wheel profile sanding machine, Profile V4, up to a feedthrough type sander, Profile V10. The larger machines can be used with abrasive belts as well as profile sanding wheels for intricate contours. 817

Available from E & R Supply, the new Reckmann Favorit-M profile sander allows for economic sanding of production runs, the company says. It features two sanding heads with the same sanding contour and an effective dust-extraction system. It vibrates both forward and backward, imitating hand sanding, and the sanding material must only be changed every 500m to 800m, the company says. Also, since the surface fibers are cut off, they do not raise when the workpiece is stained. 818

Belt sanders

The CT-1332S light duty wide belt sander available from Sunhill Machinery allows a 13-in. sanding width capacity in a single pass but workpieces may be reversed to create a conservative 24-in. sanding width capacity in just two passes. Options include: base stand with casters and side roller bed to supprt wider material. 819

Halsty wide belt sanders are available in 10 hp/1 ph, 15 hp/3 ph or 20 hp/3 ph models. The machines feature a built-in dust hood and 37-in. by 75-in. belt. A hand wheel raises or lowers the conveyor bed and a quick reading thickness opening scale is clearly visible and easily read to indicate accurate feed bed opening for quick setup. Color coded push-buttons and a load meter are standard. 820

The Cemco 3000 Series of wide belt sanders features: working widths from 25 to 52 in., bad belt compensating device, Cemco Lectric Eye tracking, infeed/outfeed spring loaded pinch rolls, a 103-in. abrasive belt and variable speed conveyor. Three different sanding heads are available in all of the company's wide belt sanders: a contact drum for calibration and intermediate finishing; a finish platen used with 180-600 grit abrasive belts; and a three-mode dual action head featuring both a contact drum and a finish platen. 821

From European Woodworking, the Heesemann automatic sanding machine, LSM 4, offers a wide range of applications to handle the most demanding tasks. It is engineered and constructed as a modular system with up to five cross and longitudinal sanding units in any combination and sequence. Machines can be configured to meet customer specifications. The LSM 4 can be equipped with CNC, vacuum bed, electronic control pressure beam, or the newly developed CSD system. 822

The SCMI CL Series sander is available as a two-head 37-in., 43-in. and 52-in. machine with the ability to sand both solid woods and veneers. Equipped with Star Delta reduced voltage starters and TEFC motors, each machine has a contact drum and polishing platen with a synchronized anti-dubbing device, variable feed speed and a pneumatic sectional pad. The machines are equipped with a power raise and lower table with automatic positioning via an auto set device. Both rigid and floating bed models are available. 823

The Technolegno automatic one-sided moulding and sanding machine distributed by Derda Inc. shapes and sands profiles in a single pass. The company says high accuracy is achieved by using retractable dogs in the feed chain to hold the workpiece securely as it passes through the shaper unit and along the feed table to profile sanding units. 824

Jet Equipment says all models of its wide belt sanders, except the 13-in. model, feature power conveyor tables. The sanders have an automatic tracking system on the sanding belt and conveyor belts, amp and load meters, handwheel thickness adjustment and quick reading thickness opening scale. The JWB-37PH features one 37-in. by 75-in. belt, single platen head, 20-hp main motor and variable feed speed of 20 to 79 fpm. 825

Available from Stefani Group America, Steemac Star Series are calibrating and lacquer/veneer sanding machines with a heightwise adjustable working table and one or two sanding belts. Specifications include working thickness range of 180mm max and 3mm min, working table height of 950mm and abrasive belt width and length of 1,120mm and 2,150mm respectively. Belt speed of the first unit is 17m/second, and the speed of the second is 14m/second. 826

The DA-3760 36-in. wide belt sander from Lobo Power Tools features: two 20-hp main motors, 2-hp feeding and computer-controlled automatic adjusting table. It has a 37-in. max width and 5-in. max thickness. 827

The Butfering-Electronic wide belt sander from Force Machinery has an electronically-controlled segmented pad unit for sanding of veneers and other materials. Features include: tolerance compensation up to 2mm; free, multi-track feeding; and additional equipment which can be used for sanding lacquer or foils. The segmented pad unit also is reportedly ideal for use on workpieces with irregular outlines, workpieces with details or cut outs, concave workpieces, or workpieces with lacquer or filler covering. 828

Jenkins, division of Kohler-General, offers a wide variety of Viet automatic wide belt sanders. Included are: Vietmac PL84-2 for veneer and solid lumber, Vietmac PL84 Kombi with capabilities of a two station machine and Hector, for high gloss finishing applications. 829

Linden International offers the Model 2075-C combination head sander. The company says it is a European designed machine made in the United States. 830

Powermatic recently introduced the 25-in. single-phase wide belt sander designed specifically for the small shop. The machine incorporates a combination sanding head that covers a wide range of applications with ease. A 10-hp American-made motor is utilized for the main drive; the motor is interfaced to a Soft Start electrical control unit to minimize the starting amperage. A lower side panel houses the control buttons and a pneumatic tracking system reportedly provides for long-term, trouble-free service. 831

From Progress Machine, Model PMC-132-6 flat bed belt sander features heavyduty welded construction with leveling bolts. It is powered by a 3-hp, 3-ph motor and has a belt speed of 3,800 sfpm. Features include a dust hood with 4-in. outlet and 6-in.-by-36-in. platen with workrest. 832

Edge sanders

All Whirlwind edge belt sanders now have an air stripper jet as standard equipment. The device delivers a constant blast of air to the sanding belt as it exits the dust chute. The blast of air will disrupt the normal flow of air generated by the belt and allow dust to collection systems to work much more efficiently, the company says. The device is also available as a retrofit for older models. 833

Fortis Machinery Corp. offers the new ES489 oscillating edge belt sander. It has a 6-by-124-in. sanding belt, 47-in. platen, platen tilt from 0 to 45 [degrees] and 3-hp motor. 834

The Fletcher FM-30 non-oscillating edge sander for large and small manufacturers has: a 5-hp, 1,800-rpm motor that is totally enclosed, manual starter with overload protection, graphite-covered 8-by-48-in. metal platen with adjustable takeup and dust hood. 835

According to Mini Max, Div. of SCMI, work that requires eight hours with a belt sander can be finished on an L55 stroke sander in 60 to 90 minutes. The bed on the L55 is stationary and the belt is drawn back and forth across the workpiece. The spring-loaded pad moves longitudinally with the belt on a pivot arm which allows the operator to stand or sit in one place. the bed is raised and lowered by an independent motor. 836

Mereen-Johnson Machine Co.'s Model 600 Series contouring machine for the kitchen cabinet industry shapes, profiles and sands cathedral-type panels and rails. An infeed measuring system automatically retrieves the proper computer program memory, which allows for feeding of random width boards and running of smaller lot sizes, the company says. 837

The R-700 Series of horizontal edge belt sanders from Ritter Manufacturing Inc. features: 4-by-132-in. belt size, double 4-by-49-in. steel platens, 1 1/2-hp single-phase motor, manual controls accessible from both sides, dust hoods with 4-in. end openings, pedestal base and two 12-by-65-in. bias tilting tables. 838

Model 200 and 205 are new introductions to Crouch Machinery's line of over 40 edge belt sanders. Designed for small manufacturing facilities, both feature a 50-in. platen length, cast-iron brackets, fabricated steel base, adjustable tables and a swing-away safety dust hood. The Model 200 also features tilting front and end tables and a form block holder. 839

Orbital sanders

The Caselli LEC-200 orbital sanding machine reportedly eliminates pump sanding and is constructed to sand straight, bent and shaped pieces with round or oval sections of variable thicknesses. Available from Macoser, the LEC-200's sanding action is carried out by means of two abrasive bands, opposite each other, which accomplish a sliding motion on the surface of the piece by revolving around the workpiece. Two automatic feed devices are also offered on the machine. 840

Dynabrade's air-powered Dynorbital random orbital sander combines an orbital and random action to produce swirl-free finishes on wood, metal, fiberglass, plastic and composites. The tool features a conveniently-located palm throttle and a weight-balanced back-up pad. The palm-style model is available in 3 1/2-in. diameter capacity and is designed for low vibration and quiet operation. 841

Sioux Tools offers the Model 690VV, a variable speed control, random orbital disc, air finishing sander equipped with a venturi-powered, self-contained vacuum system. The addition of the vacuum reduces airborne dust particles in the workplace, without the need for a separate, external vacuum. 842

Porter-Cable now offers a new dust removal system for use with models 7334, 7335 and 7336 random orbital sanders. The system consists of a dust hood, hose, sanding pads and Stikit discs. The dust collection hood is attached to the sander and the hose is hooked to the tool and any conventional shop vac. Dust is lifted through holes located in the special sanding pad and paper while additional dust is collected from around the edge of the dust collection hood. 843

The dust created by the MSf 636-1 electric random orbital sander is sucked up through holes located in the bottom of the sanding pad and around the outside edge of the pad. According to Fein Power Tools, this system reportedly removes 98% of the dust created during sanding. The sander weighs 3.7 lbs., operates at 7,500 RPM and uses velcro paper. The tool comes with a 6-in. pad and paper, and is also available in 5 in. sizes. 844

Drum and other types

Model DD-63 double pneumatic drum sander, from Sand-Rite is complete with a 6-in. diameter by 7-in. wide and 3-in. diameter by 7-in. wide pneumatic drums and a 3/4-hp single phase motor. When slightly inflated, the pneumatic drum causes the abrasive sleeve to conform to the contoured shape of the work. Inflation is regulated through an air valve mounted on the end of the drum. 845

The Super-Max 25x2 from Performax Products features dual sanding drums. The second drum is fully adjustable by a turn of the knobs to align both ends of the drum to the same height as indicated by the analog indicators. The machine can surface rough sawn stock as efficiently as most planers with coarse grit on both drums, the company says. 846

From Hansen & Hundebol, the Fladder 300/Gyro, the new generation of machines in the Fladder System, reportedly improves the white wood finish sanding and sealer/primer sanding of veneer, solid wood and MDF profiled panels. With this machine, the efficiency of Fladder sanding has been improved by 50%, the company says. 847

Timesavers offers knife planer sanders available in 37 in. and 52 in. widths. The company says this machine was designed for planing and sanding of 0 to 6 in. thick glued-up lumber, banded particleboard and core stock for the furniture, millwork and cabinet industries. Features include electronic abrasive belt tracking, low noise planing head, easy cutter head maintenance and automatic abrasive belt tensioning. 848

The Abrasive Engineering & Mfg. 600 Series knife planer/sander provides economical planing and wide-belt sanding in one compact unit, according to the company. The machine incorporates a number of features for ease, safety and accuracy of operation, the company says. Models are available in 37-in. and 52-in. belt widths. Options include two head top or bottom and add-ons for furniture, millwork and cabinet applications. 849

The Lockwood Power oscillating spindle sander leaves no sanding lines while edge or contour sanding, according to New Ground Marketing. Spindles are 6 in. long and 1/4 to 3 in. in diameter; eight spindles are available. The machine also features worm and gear drive, 5/8-hp motor, 1 1/2-in. stroke, 57 strokes per minute. 850

PHOTO : Sunhill Machinery's wide belt sander features a base stand with casters and side roller bed.

PHOTO : Premier minimum dust products from Carborundum are said to provide users with less downtime and longer belt life.

PHOTO : 3M says the backing on the 362RZ belt is strengthened with polyester film that offers higher quality and more consistent finishes.

PHOTO : A wide range of abrasive discs made of reddish brown garnet are available from Even Cut Abrasive Co. An E weight backing is used on the disks.

PHOTO : From E & R, the Reckmann Favorit-M vibrates forward and back, imitating hand sanding.

PHOTO : Timesaver's knife planer sanders are offered with electronic abrasive belt tracking.

PHOTO : Sioux Tools offers the Model 690VV, random orbital disc, air finishing sander equipped with a venturi-powered vacuum system.

PHOTO : Delle Vedove profile and edge sanding machines sand wood, veneered or MDF mouldings, moulded furniture components, panel edges and raised panel cathedral doors.

PHOTO : SCMI CL Series sander is equipped with two-heads to sand both solid woods and veneers.

PHOTO : Powermatic's single-phase wide belt sander features a 10-hp American-made motor.

PHOTO : From European Woodworking, the Heesemann LSM 4 can be equipped with CNC controls.

PHOTO : Porter-Cable offers a dust removal system for use with models 7334, 7335 and 7336. The system includes dust hood, hose, sanding pads and Stikit discs.