Belt sander for cylinder head planing?

[ebinmaine 62,959]

2 minutes ago, CCW said:

Here's a thought that might enjoy an experiment.  Take a random orbital sander and glue a flat steel or aluminum plate to it big enough to hold a full sheet of sandpaper of your chosen grit.  Clamp sander in place and bring the head down on it.  There are random orbital sanders that allow you to select the operating speed.  Not being at home I cannot take a look at my RO sander to brainstorm any further.

 

 

@Oldskool was brainstorming up a similar idea line.   

 

I have great concerns that I would be killing the sander because of the extra weight but I hadn't even thought to use aluminum instead of steel.

 

[CCW 1,201]

15 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

I have great concerns that I would be killing the sander

 

 

Killing the sander might be the investment needed to mechanize the process. 

[ebinmaine 62,959]

Just now, CCW said:

 

Killing the sander might be the investment needed to mechanize the process. 

I'd had that thought too. 

 

A $40 sander that I can get two or four or five heads done. I'm still money way WAY ahead compared to a machine shop.

[CCW 1,201]

@ebinmaine The aluminum plate would need to be thick enough to avoid flexing.  You could also get creative by building a table that would have some bearings on it to support the plate. 

[formariz 11,849]

How badly warped are your heads. Sounds like you are going through a lot o extra work to flatten even quite a few heads the end result really being unknown . They are relatively quick to do the traditional way without any drama.  I have flattened bottom of metal planes that have taken a few hours . I think all you really need is some patience . 

[ebinmaine 62,959]

3 minutes ago, formariz said:

I think all you really need is .... 

 NOT to have fibromyalgia.  

 

As stated earlier we've done a few heads the manual way already.

Yes it's possible.

Yes it's time consuming.

No I can't do it all at once because my body just will not let me do it anymore.

 

Even the least warped heads that I've done took 20 or 40 minutes and I have to do those in two or three sessions or more.

 

What I'm trying to do is find a way to mechanize the process at least part way down and then finish it up manually as we've always done.

 

 

I have one head in particular off of a 16 horse that is pretty badly warped.

That one will be a candidate for a compression increase anyway so I want to be able to take 30 or 40 thousandths.  

 

 

If there's just no way under the sun to get this done other than spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on machinery then I'll just keep sending them to Mr pull start as offered above.

 

The money I would spend on the shipping is WELL worth the value of me not being in multi-joint pain for several days after a repeated motion activity like this.

 

[Pullstart 59,549]

We got millin’ stuff…

[formariz 11,849]

@ebinmaineI can understand the physical limitations or difficulties. I go through them all the time. While at it I use home remedies that not only dull the pain ,loosen the joints, but at the same time enhance creativity. Well proven. 
 

[ebinmaine 62,959]

On 12/30/2022 at 6:04 PM, formariz said:

@ebinmaineI can understand the physical limitations or difficulties. I go through them all the time. While at it I use home remedies that not only dull the pain ,loosen the joints, but at the same time enhance creativity. Well proven. 
 

 

I know what the glass full is for. 

I use different substances with the same effect.   

 

I figure the big stick is for beatin' cranky body parts into submission.  

😜

 

 

Edited January 4, 2023 by ebinmaine

[CCW 1,201]

Sure wish I was still teaching in the my last metal shop.  The surface mill dill an amazing job.

[formariz 11,849]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

I figure the big stick is for beatin' cranky body parts into submission

No, it’s for the wife to beat me out of my stupor during one of the most creative sessions. 

[Sailman 1,125]

I'm with the idea of the random orbital sander. I have a long throw 6 inch makita that would be better than the 5 inch palm models. Its heavy duty, slower rpm's (variable) and you doing bunches of heads wouldn't even phase this thing. Its over $300 but Harbor Freight has one for $100. Design a good clamping arrangement, steel or aluminum plate with hook and loop attached and I bet it would do the job just fine.

[ebinmaine 62,959]

7 minutes ago, Sailman said:

long throw

Now there's a tool I hadn't heard of...

Neat idea... 

[Sailman 1,125]

I guess technically its a random orbital polisher. I use it for rubbing compound on fiberglass boats. They are slower than a sander and very heavy duty. Here is the HF one https://www.harborfreight.com/75-amp-6-in-long-throw-random-orbit-da-polisher-56367.html

The makita I have costs about $350 now! Had mine for years.

Edited January 12, 2023 by Sailman

[ebinmaine 62,959]

5 minutes ago, Sailman said:

I guess technically its a random orbital polisher. I use it for rubbing compound on fiberglass boats. They are slower than a sander and very heavy duty. Here is the HF one https://www.harborfreight.com/75-amp-6-in-long-throw-random-orbit-da-polisher-56367.html

The makita I have costs about $350 now! Had mine for years.

 

This is interesting..... 

[CCW 1,201]

@ebinmaine What did you finally decide on?  Interested to know where you went or are going with this project.

 

[ebinmaine 62,959]

23 minutes ago, CCW said:

@ebinmaine What did you finally decide on?  Interested to know where you went or are going with this project.

 

 

I haven't made a purchase yet but I also haven't dropped the thought process.

 

Here's where I'm at at this point... 

 

The heads I have here that need the most work and/or I need the fastest are going to be sent out.

 

My other half and I have talked it over a couple times and we both think that a larger more stable belt sander / grinder would be a useful tool for metalworking and woodworking, given the right grit for the situation of course.

 

The reason we haven't made a purchase yet is that she and I have agreed that it's probably not the kind of chores or tasks that are $200 or $300 sander would be capable of doing long-term.

 

I'm quite confident that IIFF the right tool was used by the right person and very carefully... it would be a successful venture.  

[CCW 1,201]

@ebinmaine Your thought process makes sense.  Perhaps you have or someone could send you a head that is too far gone to fix (cracked) that you could practice on. 

[ebinmaine 62,959]

11 minutes ago, CCW said:

@ebinmaine Your thought process makes sense.  Perhaps you have or someone could send you a head that is too far gone to fix (cracked) that you could practice on. 

 

I don't have one here but the cylinder heads on a big block Kohler Single Cylinder can be shaved quite a bit before the error in process has gone too far.

 

[RandyLittrell 3,827]

We used to use these 8" gear drive DA's to knock down large areas of auto body filler back in the day. I don't think many use them anymore. I think this may accomplish what you are wanting to do. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Ingersoll-Rand-328B-Geared-Orbital-Sander/dp/B0002SRNOQ/ref=asc_df_B0002SRNOQ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309802506143&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3278014689495181576&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9023400&hvtargid=pla-499732087437&region_id=972485&th=1

 

 

 

 

Randy