Shopsmith Strip Sander

paul heller · Post by **paul heller** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 10:31 pm

Does anyone have one of these? If so, what do you use it for? I was thinking of picking one up in the latest tool sale from Shopsmith.

How about the chisel sharpenint attachment? Has anyone used it with the strip sander to sharpen their lathe chisels?

Thanks for your thoughts!

Paul

reible · Post by **reible** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 11:57 pm

I have one and love it. I hate sanding so anything that makes that go faster and easier is a winner in my book.

I got the chisel sharpening attachment last winter. It works really well as far as I'm concerned. I do all of my sharpening using sandpaper anyway so I'm sold on that as the best method for me. (I use glass plates and stick-on sandpaper for my hand work.)

Now I have just the basic lathe tools so I can't speak as to how it works on all the various tools that are out there... maybe some one can comment on that??

One issue I can see some people having is that the sharpening attachment mounts on the the shopsmith "quill side"... the same side that your lathe work would be mounted and You would not want to be taking the workpieces on and off everytime the chisel needs a touch up... I don't have this problem because I have two shopsmiths... I would be interested in how others deal with this???

I can see getting a second one some time in the future... I've aleady spent all my tool budget for the year so I'm not sure when that will happen. For me it seems everytime I want to use it is configured the wrong way and while it is not a big deal to change it over it does slow you down.

Ed

paul heller · Post by **paul heller** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:02 am

Thanks, Ed. I agree a person would not want to take the workpiece off of the lathe and put it back on. That leaves a bit too much room for a problem to creep up if the workpiece is not exactly alinged as it previously was once it is remounted.

I guess they key is to sharpen up before starting the lathe work and hope you don't need further sharpenign mid way. That should be ok for the type of lathe work I will be doing.

Paul

woodnyou · Post by **woodnyou** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:58 pm

I have had a Strip Sander for many years. I could not do without it. I use it almost every week. It is great for any convex or straight edge. It really works well on Band Saw marks. I have purchased the sharpening attachment, but have not used it yet. I actually have two Strip Sanders and plan to use one just for the sharpening attachment. For the price, you really can't go wrong.

Enjoy,

Spike13 · Post by **Spike13** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:16 am

Hi Ed and Others,
Regarding the Shopsmith sharpening fixture, you can put the sharpening disc on the opposite end of the headstock and make up a dadoed board to accept the fixture. Make sure that the board extends 1/4"-1/2" past your stationary table mounted on the left hand side of the MKV. This way, you will not have to worry about getting a l'il bit to close. Use MDO or MDF board. Clamp the board to the stationary table and you are set-up all the time while you are turning. You will set up the fixture on the opposite side of operations of the MKV. The other recommendation is to take off the disc when you are NOT using the fixture for safety purposes.

Helpful HINT: When doing turning, mark your project on the end with alignment to the set screw on the drive center or 4-way chuck when and if you may want to remove it so it goes back on the lathe the same way as before.

NOTE Shopsmith owners: You have a shaft on both ends of the headstock and can use it for more than attaching you SPT's to the headstock. You have to remember you will be working on the opposite operating side when you do this. Rotation is still the same as when you are working on the front side. REMEMBER you have reach across the headstock to turn it off!

reible · Post by **reible** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:07 am

Hi Spike13,

The discussion was about the 555812 strip sander chisel sharpening attachment which does have to be mounted quill side.

The 555204 Sharpening guide can be used on either side of the machine and in fact I prefer to use it mounted to a piece of plywood attached to an extension table opposite the quill side. I now have mothball this in favor of the attachment for the strip sander. One reason for this is the easy of belt changes from as large as 50 to as fine as 600 (from shopsmith) and even finer plus all the way to leather if you want to (leevalley.com).

BTW both of these items are on sale (lathe turning sale) and at 30% off it is a very good deal at that.

Ed

johnnyr · Post by **johnnyr** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 4:24 pm

I have owned almost everything Shopsmith for 12 years including the stripsander which much to my shame to admit, I have never used:eek: . I have the belt sander and the disc sander mounted on a power station with the old 500 sawtable mounted off the disc side of the rig. For most sanding chores it covers the job and for sharpening I have a Delta wet/dry sharpening system so the strip sander sits there looking pretty and waiting for a purpose.

My dad bought all of the Shopsmith tools in the 70s and gave them to me in 94...I'm still opening "new" packages he bought and when he passed away 2 years ago I inherited all of his other stand alone machines, power tools, hand tools etc. Now I am building a larger shop to hold the spoils of 2 tool junkies!

hops · Post by **hops** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:19 am

One of the biggest things that I like about it - variable speed! I used to own a little Dremel strip sander. You turn it on and it starts buzzing; if you didn't like the speed, too bad. With the SS, you just dial it up or down, just like anything else SS related. Also, the belt tracking actually works. This is a little thing, I guess, but I've used several strip sanders and none of them really seemed to track the belt properly and the adjustment didn't really do anything to correct it sufficiently.

my $.02 worth.

bkhop