Sanding Jig for Belt Sander

[dusty]

I have watched the latest email video tip about six times, trying to determine if Jim McCann has employed some sort of clamps to hold the miter gauge and sanding jig in place on the belt sander.

I see none and yet when he uses it, it seems to be solid. The miter bar does not slide nor does it tend to fall out of the miter slot.

Anyone got any ideas how this is done?

I viewed a number of previous tips looking for the info but was unsuccessful; however, I learned a lot. These tips are very informative but are absolutely useless unless you read them. I've got to spend more time reading them.

http://woodshoptips.com/tips/alltips.htm

http://www.woodshoptips.com/tips/041902/index.htm

[flashbacpt]

What he has done is locked the miter gauge at 90 degrees, attached the large wood fence with two bolts to the miter gauge, and then locked the miter gauge with the set screw, that should be on your miter gauge bar, into the miter track on the belt sander, just like you would do on the table saw.
You will find that on your miter gauge bar, towards the front of the bar, a small round metal disk along the bottom. This disk normally slides into the miter track on the table saw setup, and its primarily purpose is to prevent the miter gauge from falling off the table.

On the belt sander, just place the above round metal disk in front of the small belt sander table, and lock down your set screw. You will find that the miter gauge is now rock solid. I do hope that I have assisted you.

[dusty]

Thank you, flashbacpt:)

You are absolutely correct. I thought I had done that and it didn't work so I gave up. After your response, I tried again with my other miter gauge. It works great.

[alancooke]

Thanks for the question, Dusty.

I did not get the email about the tip, but your post allowed me to track it down on my own. I had been checking the web page where the first two are and wondering when the next one would come out.

Just wondering: if I decide to buy another belt sander, will this help or hurt the 'marketing test' since I'm obviously not in the 'control group' :cool: No sarcasm intended(o.k.: I'm lying!)

[dusty]

I have been through a range of emotions myself regarding this control group.

Frankly, I don't know how to tell if I'm in the control group or not and if I did, I don't know what difference it makes. I've spent nearly $2000 with SS so far this year. Control group or no control group, I've spent just about all I can afford to spend this year. I might be able to eak out enough for the mortising jig.

What I do know is that when someone is part of a statistical analysis, as a member of the "universe" being analyzed, they usually do NOT know. To know is to bias the results.

Weeks ago, I wasn't getting the weekly emails and that bothered me because I didn't know what sort of sales opportunities I might be missing. That turned out to be my fault because I had changed my email address and what I submitted to SS was incorrect - thus no email from SS.

Incidently, this jig works great. It's simple but very functional. :o I'm embarrassed that I've been a user for so long and never did use the miter gauge like this. The tips referenced above have exposed a bunch of GOOD ideas.

[Nick]

Folks, you are overthinking this marketing test thing way too much. All of you together are a very, very small subset of Shopsmtih owners/customers. We're e-mailing to thousands. When all is said and done, the test will have involved tens of thousands. The buying behavior of a few folks that hang out on the Forum is not going to have a huge effect one way or the other. If I were you, I'd buy what you need and don't buy what you don't need and let the marketing take care of itself. This company was smart enough to see the value of Hands On! magazine when I proposed the idea to them 29 years ago. If Hands Online! has similar worth, they'll know it.

With all good wishes,