Sanding woes...

I have 3 electric portable sanders that I  have not used for a while.  I don't like sanding.

A Black & Decker Professional 1/4 sheet sander, my first one and quite the story behind :-)

A Dewalt 5 inch Random Orbit Sander and a small Porter Cable 14 in belt sander, for which, finding belts is a problem that seems to be getting worse.  I bought it to replaced my old bulky Craftsman 3X21 belt sander.

My first two choices

As I went to start sanding my cleats parts, I did not wanted to use my belt sander, too aggressive, I'll used the 1/4 sheet palm sander.  Years ago I modified it by sticking a PS adhesive hook & loop pad, instead of using the clips in order to used my then new favorite sandpaper, SIA.  Yes, that blocked off the holes in the pad, but who care, still works, just no dust collection thru it. 

That poor pad has been thru a lot and is now so worn 

that paper barely stick as it start getting used.

Managed to sand one cleat before calling it quit.  No problems, let see if I can revive the Dewalt.

Last time I used it, years ago, I dropped it on the cement floor and it went dead, go figured :-)

I checked to make sure nothing was mechanically jammed, IE I can move the pad.  Plug it in and it worked, cool. Put a disk on and start sanding.  After a few minutes it started throwing off the paper and the platen was sticking out on the side Huh??

What is wrong with that picture??

Wow, only one screw left to hold on the platen to the mechanism.  Where did they go?? They had to go around the fan and into the small dust collection bag, but do not see damages or hit on the impeller??

Of course, the stupid thing is using Metric fasteners.

The odds of me finding replacement at home is...

Nope, I checked

It also used another fun European fastener for these small metric bastard screw,

a Posidrive, NOT a Phillips. Luckily I have the right tool.

The missing screws did left behind evidences of their departure

I am much limited in my Metric abilities to size the fastener,

but definitively metric and guessing M4

This is where I stopped last nite and did managed to get some of my sanding done, Jean also came with a small detail sander, a B&D sanding mouse.

Cute little sander, with three gel pads where your hand fits, hummm

Turns out, they pretty well had too, it really vibrate your hands off, had to take a few breaks, my hands were getting numbed

Day two, I resolved to fix my sanders.

What do you think the odds are of finding the right metric fastener in a Metric country like Canada?  Pretty small actually, all the fasteners are still Imperial with the added confusion of American big box stores (Home Depot, Lowes) Bringing in unsuspectedly Square drive fasteners in a predominantly Robertson country Grrrr... End of Mini rant, we now return to sanding.

 Could not locate sanding pad replacements, in my usual stores, where I bought my last one, years ago...

In the very limited assortment of Metric fasteners, found a small bag of four M4 7mm fasteners, Stainless steel, but too long for about $5, then later found similar screws but not stainless and right length, only $0.15.  Only small thing is that the head is a hex nut, not Posidrive.

Back home, tried the screws in their holes, work great, except... the two missing screws did some damages to the threads, not much purchase for them.  

Screws fit correctly... in one holes only.  

The other two don't have much threads left to grab.

The screw fit inside hole, but no room left for a socket around it.

Hum, I did bought some thread lock in case, but not enough threads, need to re tap the holes, which means removing offset bearing first.

Would you know it, it is retained by one fastener, a splined hex key...^%$# Metric of course, which I don't have...

Fine I'll used the belt sander

Put a belt on, turn it on... it quickly threw out the belt on the side before I could say What the....

Tracking cannot be that way off??  Surprise, the rear driving roller is falling apart.  Its rubber sleeve actually...

The driving roller, rubber sleeve is cracked and falling apart.

Rubber do not like the cold.

Could I find a replacement part?? Will check later...

I have one last trick up my sleeve.  Now that my French door has been installed, I can see the tablesaw out feed table, and get to my blade's drawer.  I have a metal 10 in sanding disk to put on my tablesaw.

Woah, it's been over a year I have been able to see that drawer, 

looks like some critters moved in

Have sanding disk and replacement paper disk,

all set...

The fun continues.  The wrench I used on my Unisaw arbor does not fit the nut on the small bench top saw.  Close but no cigar for my 7/8 wrench.  Don't tell me i'ts %$#@ metric??

The 7/8 wrench from my Unisaw does not quite fit the arbor of her saw.

My wrench is a tad too small, but close.  Metric??

She has no idea where the wrench went, but I did remember I still have my wrenches for my old Craftsman Radial Arm Saw.  

A pair of them. One too big, the other too small, sigh...

Did I mentioned I hate sanding? 

So the plan is now, to used the 1/4 sheet sanders as it was meant to be used, using the paper clips, remove the power cord on the Dewalt before scraping it.  Replace the cracking power cord on the 1/4 in sander with it and see if I can get replacement parts from Porter Cable.

Finally, I will replaced most of them by a stationary disk and belt sander. 

That would teach them to behave :-)

Old adapter pad peeled off, some damages,

 but I don't think it would affect much.

We shall see

I quit at this point, having failed to obtain flight clearances from the tower across the street to give a few flying lessons to some deserving objects.  Rats! :-)

And the story behind my B&D palm sander?

Back in the early 90s, I went to Keflavik, a large NATO ASW base, with a CP 140 Aurora.

It was a few months before Christmas, so everyone was looking forward to go shopping duty free in the large US Navy PX.  Thing is, we were getting in late, and many on board were worry we wont make it before closing time.  Our Aircraft Captain told us, not to worry, he will get us down in time.

Ever see planes coming to land and making a battle break maneuver first?  Routine with Fighters aircraft, although practiced with transport and patrol planes, not done too often with them, stressing for the airframe :-)

Going on a detachment, we have the full compliment of flying crew plus a small detachment of technician's plus spares on board, but not enough seats for every one.  So we simply strap ourselves to the floor at designated stations.  perfectly OK.  I was strapped to the floor by the window on the wing side, great view of the outdoors :-)  I did not had my headset plugged in so I missed the notification from pilot to crew, hang on, I will be doing a battle break.

Had no clue of what was about to unfold, saw the horizon turned 90 degrees in a tight turn, lined up with the runway, straighten up and short tactical landing.  Awesome, except, having no clue, I honestly thought we were going to crash, not something I was used to, but then after it went back horizontal and landed I felt better.  Later the pilot apologized to me, they should had checked on me.  Its OK, it was fun ( yeah right).  Anyway, we did landed in time and made it to the PX, and that is where I bought it for a good price and quite the experience behind it. 

Then there was that time in 1978 when I went to Bagotville with an Argus (ASW patrol plane) from Greenwood to be a target bomber for the CF101 Voodoo (interceptors). Our Aircraft Captain said, hang on I used to fly them Voodoo, I know their tactics.  Holy s....:-)

Funny thing, years later, I ran into that pilot, he is a Rotarian in my club :-)

Bob, sipping a cold one, reminiscing and wondering if I was to start a bun fire in the snow, if my sanders would burn???