Lathe-Driven Belt Sander

Why not put your lathe to use for other tasks? This belt sander clamps onto the bed of the lathe. The lower roller mounts directly to the lathe spindle for power. Sliding the tailstock with a live center up to the opposite end of the roller provides support as the roller spins. The ingenious part of the belt sander is the mechanism that provides tension and tracking for the belt. A pair of compression springs and a lever-operated cam assembly provide the proper amount of tension to keep the belt tight. And a studded knob at the top of the belt sander makes it a simple task to adjust the belt to keep it perfectly centered. At first it may appear to be a complicated project, but this plan breaks it down into manageable assemblies. It’s really pretty simple when you take it one step at a time.