Replace Blade with Pulley??

[BizCoach]

Just got a copy of ShopNotes Vol 15 # 86 with an article about how to make a thickness sander that is powered by your table saw. The base is made to fit in the mitre slot and the sanding disk is run by power from a belt that runs from a pulley they say to put on your saw arbor instead of the blade. The belt comes up through the blade slot.

Would this work with a BT3100? Any thoughts?

[gmack5]

Not on MY Saw you don't!

I reviewed the Article.

In my opinion it IS doable, but the BT3X00 Table Saw RPM is about 20 - 30% faster than a "normal" Table Saw.

That would be one screaming Thicknessing Sander!

The dynamic balance would be very critical, to say the least.

You'd be better off to put the unit on a stand and hang a motor underneath the table on a hinged plate arrangement.

[tfischer]

I reviewed the Article.

In my opinion it IS doable, but the BT3X00 Table Saw RPM is about 20 - 30% faster than a "normal" Table Saw.

That would be one screaming Thicknessing Sander!

Well I'm a bit-tweaker, not a gear-grinder, but couldn't you compensate for this with the appropriate pully ratios?

-Tim

[meika123]

I'm no engineer, but I'd say probably a 3 to 1 pulley arrangement would do the trick. But, as George said, not on my saw.

Dave in NC

[Tom Miller]

I'm not sure the BT3 was designed for the upward pressure on the arbor that it would take to tension the belt sufficiently.

(Seems to be a common thread surfacing....)

Regards,
Tom

[maxparot]

I'm not sure the BT3 was designed for the upward pressure on the arbor that it would take to tension the belt sufficiently.

(Seems to be a common thread surfacing....)

Regards,
Tom

Not only would the stress on the arbor be a factor but unlike contractor saws our beloved BT3x00 has belts that are not so easy to replace and not designed for more stress than spining a dado blade.