rockspongetaco
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2021
Posts: 4
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Post by rockspongetaco on Dec 11, 2021 14:45:24 GMT -5
Hi- Looking for advice from those that use and love the Richardson's high speed sander. I recently acquired one amd have greatly enjoyed using it to with through the 5 gallon buckets of t-eggs I've got. Getting a great polish after a bit of practice!
I find that the base set up of a threaded nut holding on the paper disk leads to ripped paper more often than I'd like. So I want to covert the disk from current the rubber-ish backing disk with nut (like an angle grinder) to a hook and loop backing disk.
Here's the trouble I'm having. There are plenty of 7 inch hook and hoop backing disks out there. They use a female 5/8-11 thread as an attachment point. The motor shaft on the sander is 5/8 keyed shaft. I can't seem to find an adapter that goes from female 5/8 i.d. opening (attaches to motor shaft) to male 5/8-11 thread (attaches to hook loop backer).
I've been all over the web (Grainger, McMaster, Kingsley, Amazon, Graves, small shops, large shops, etc etc). Can't find such an adapter. Other sizes and step ups and step downs no problem.
Do any of you know of such an adapter, or if you have converted to hook and loop, did you accomplish this in a different way?
Thank you!
-Jon
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rewdownunder
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2012
Posts: 357
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Post by rewdownunder on Dec 12, 2021 18:18:47 GMT -5
I looked at this one time for a friend but without welding something up we could not find anything that would work. Things to consider are that hook & loop sandpaper is more expensive and 3600rpm is at the outer limits of what a 7" disk can hold on to. You do not want those disks flying around. Are you buying top quality 3M sand paper? My friend has had problems with cheaper sand paper but not with the good disks directly from Richardson's Ranch. I converted a 8' flat lap to hook & loop but never run it over 2500rpm. The only reason I did it because I had a source for free SC sanding disks from a contractor who switched equipment. I run wet 180, 360, 600 and 1200 for small agate half cuts. Works great and the price is right.
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Post by Rockoonz on Dec 13, 2021 0:31:05 GMT -5
I never got along with a HS sander, but the club shop had 3 of them when I was a shop host, so I had to learn to teach it. Unless you got really bad discs if they are scattering it's a technique issue. Kingsley was the clubs usual source, or Richardsons.
Only sand and polish flat saw cuts. Nubbins from the rock breaking at the end of the cut must be ground off on a wheeled grinder or burr on a dremel, something other than sandpaper. Grinding a light chamfer around sharp edges is also recomended.
The piece being sanded should not be flat on the sandpaper, but tipped slightly up at the end towards you.
Always pull the stone towards you, in a way that your contact surface is moving from center out on the disc, never towards the center.
Also if you sand in one direction with each grit, then turn 90 degrees for the next finer grit, the scratches from the previous grit will be obvious from the rock dust until they are sanded off, an easy way to tell when to move on to the next grit.
It's only for flats, not intended for shaping your material.
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rockspongetaco
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2021
Posts: 4
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Post by rockspongetaco on Dec 13, 2021 17:15:34 GMT -5
I appreciate the input! I'm definitely working on the right technique for getting a smooth finish.
I'm not really worried about the hook and loop disk going anywhere. The ones I see around are rated for 4500 rpm for the most part (for use on 7 inch angle grinders).
The reason I'm looking to modify is that the individual who I purchased the sander from (lightly used) had two others that he modified in this way amd it seems really convenient as well. According to him there is actually an actual lapidary product out there for this (the hook loop backing disk). I haven't been able to find it and he was being a bit cagey about where he got them as he apparently sells then as well, but didn't have any extra that day or for the foreseeable future.
-Jon
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stillrockinpdx
starting to shine!
Hey!! I got a Star! - Find me on Instagram under stillrockinpdx - I collect other things too.
Member since April 2017
Posts: 45
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Post by stillrockinpdx on Mar 22, 2022 3:45:11 GMT -5
I never got along with a HS sander, but the club shop had 3 of them when I was a shop host, so I had to learn to teach it. Unless you got really bad discs if they are scattering it's a technique issue. Kingsley was the clubs usual source, or Richardsons. Only sand and polish flat saw cuts. Nubbins from the rock breaking at the end of the cut must be ground off on a wheeled grinder or burr on a dremel, something other than sandpaper. Grinding a light chamfer around sharp edges is also recomended. The piece being sanded should not be flat on the sandpaper, but tipped slightly up at the end towards you. Always pull the stone towards you, in a way that your contact surface is moving from center out on the disc, never towards the center. Also if you sand in one direction with each grit, then turn 90 degrees for the next finer grit, the scratches from the previous grit will be obvious from the rock dust until they are sanded off, an easy way to tell when to move on to the next grit. It's only for flats, not intended for shaping your material. Thanks for the advice on using the HS as I’ve been having a couple issues on my results. Too often I’ll hear the “snick” as a bit of flat surface separates leaving a divot. I think I’m applying too much pressure to the sanding disc and heating my stone up to quickly.
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