manual ROS #1: shop made sander

While at a contractor’s lot clearance sale-yes contractors, like woodworkers occasionally get to much stuff
and need to clean house, I noticed some free tools in a bin, asking I was told they quit working and would
cost too much to repair. I grabbed a Husqvarna 450 Rancher chain saw and a Bosch ROS to add to my
other goodies and headed home. On taking the ROS apart, I found that it was indeed wore past the
point of repair, but the hook & loop pad with its bearing were still in good shape. So I gathered the
disassembled pad, a 1/2” X 1-1/2” by 13 TPI flat head socket head cap screw, a bushing from my what
not drawer that was 1/2” diameter and a black knob thread 1/2” 13 TPI on the inside.

I put the flat head bolt through the bottom of the inner bearing race

then I put the bushing and the knob on the other side and tightened them. The flat head bolt gave
clearance between the mounting part and the pad and using an allen wrench it was easy to tighten the
knob to the small part. I then attached the hook and loop pad and added a sanding disc from by stock.

The bearing allows the pad to rotate freely and the knob is large enough to be comfortable. I now have
a free manual ROS that works good sanding flat areas on lathe work as well as any flat surface I need to
sand. The sanding discs are standard 5 hole and readily available in many grits and easy to swap.
The Husky chain saw needed a jug and piston which I got wholesale for $60 and it is putting out nice
long noodles from pine trees.

-- As ever, Gus-the 80 yr young apprentice carpenter