In need of a large disc sander but don't wanna pay $200 ++

I’m sure you could rig something up. My only concern would be the torque of the motor being designed for joint compound.

It may take some hunting but the old shopsmiths or even the knock offs can be found cheap on classified ads. I have personally paid 125 for a grey one and 300 for 2 greens. Missed more that one opportunity on them under 150 as well.

I love them for dedicated tools. They have an incredible variable speed power plant and make some of the best drill presses money can buy. They also are killer disc sanders. The one I use for disc sanding also has a bandsaw set up on it. I have cut the tubes down on that one making it a shortie which is a great mod to safe a little space if you don’t intended on issuing it as a lathe anymore.

-- Master fabricator, novice woodworker. https://www.etsy.com/shop/JFabrication

I’m sure you could rig something up. My only concern would be the torque of the motor being designed for joint compound.

It may take some hunting but the old shopsmiths or even the knock offs can be found cheap on classified ads. I have personally paid 125 for a grey one and 300 for 2 greens. Missed more that one opportunity on them under 150 as well.

I love them for dedicated tools. They have an incredible variable speed power plant and make some of the best drill presses money can buy. They also are killer disc sanders. The one I use for disc sanding also has a bandsaw set up on it. I have cut the tubes down on that one making it a shortie which is a great mod to safe a little space if you don’t intended on issuing it as a lathe anymore.

- Jfab

Couldn’t agree more on the choice for a Shopsmith. They offer various disc options, too.

-- Gene 'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

Sears used to sell a sanding disk that fit on the table saw arbor. It was just a steel plate with a 5/8” hole drilled in it. I don’t know why you couldn’t make one to fit your needs. It wouldn’t be variable speed, but then that’s never been an issue for me.

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/woodriver-10-table-saw-sanding-disc-mounting-plate

Also, do you have a lathe? There is a project around that shows a table mounted on the ways and a disc in the motor.

There was a table saw sanding disc on Amazon for $ 38. Made by CMT if I remember correctly.

Thank you guys for all the help. for now I found the cmt disk for the table saw and some adhesive backed disks and it only set me back about $40. It should be sufficient for my needs

Hope it works for you.

Thank you guys for all the help. for now I found the cmt disk for the table saw and some adhesive backed disks and it only set me back about $40. It should be sufficient for my needs

- ScG420

I have read a number of articles that recommend against ”tablesaw discs”... suggest you do some due diligence before your $40 purchase turns into a few hundred $’s dead TS.

Just passing on rumours I’ve heard/read.

I apologise for being a stick in the mud… nevertheless Welcome to LJ. The fact that you’ve already realised you need a large disc sander should ring bells that you are entering a not too cheap hobby/venture.

+1 for brtech’s lathe challenge.

-- If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD

What are the rumors?

Look for a belt sanding disc from Craftsman.. craigslist, marketplace..

What are the rumors?

- ibewjon

It has to do with the motor on Craftsman saws not being enclosed and sealed. Even without a sanding disk mine would suck itself full of dust and debris from time to time. I would have to take the ends off and clean it out. Just the nature of the beast. I lived with it for 20 plus years. My son has the saw now, same original motor and still running strong.

I tried using a table saw sanding disc once upon a time, it did not work out, as table saws have way too high rpms and the disc burned everything that touched it.

-- Bondo Gaposis

What are the rumors?

- ibewjon

Sorry ibewjon, but I stopped taking records of my reading sources many years ago.

For some stupid reason, I seldom see a manufacturer say “Buy our tablesaw discs as they will bugger up your saw.”

I tried them years ago, didn’t work too well for me or any serious woodie I’ve discussed it with… just spreading bullshit so that others may think twice.

-- If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD

I have a 12” disc from Shopsmith that fits a 1/2” motor shaft. I have it setup with a table for sanding. I’ve been using it for over 20 years. The motor I put on it was only 1/3 HP. The disc slows down if too much force is used against the sanding surface. A 12” disc requires at least 2 HP to work the best and 1725RPM is maximum. Look around for a Shopsmith sanding disc on Ebay or Craigs list.

I was wonderinhg what you all thought about this. I would like to have a disc sander that s at least 9 inches but they re all just ridiculously expensive. looked into making my own but cant find a good deal on a motor. It wouldn t save me much $. I noticed wen makes a handheld drywall sander that has a 9 inch disc i think and it s variable speed (around 1700 – 3400 rpm I believe). Would this work if it was somehow mounted to a bench top? Oh by the way it s around $65 which is so much more agreeable than $200

- ScG420

I have seen many instances on YouTube where people have made disc sanders from drills. I don’t know about a 9” sander though. That might be too much torque for a regular hand drill.

I’ve contemplated buying the cheapest belt driven drill press in Harbor Freight and just taking the motor from that and throwing the rest out.

-- Tony, SW Chicago Suburbs