craftsman 2x42 belt sander problem

USMC_ROCKO

USMC_ROCKO

Well-Known Member
I use a craftsman 2x42 belt sander with Blaze grit sanding belts and ceramic platen. My problem with the sander is when I start my grind from my ricasso to the tip the grind starts high at ricasso and goes low at tip and I found out that my platen is angled by a hair and I am trying to fix it if anyone has ideas let me know. thanks guys.
 
I used to use a 90 degree square to set up mine, and had to put shims between the lower platen mounting arm and the frame to correct a canting problem.
Also...be very conscious of hand pressure while you grind, hand placement...hold technique...etc play a large part in it.
More than likely the problem is more you than the machine. I could be wrong...just sayin'.
 
Lagrange said:
I used to use a 90 degree square to set up mine, and had to put shims between the lower platen mounting arm and the frame to correct a canting problem.
Also...be very conscious of hand pressure while you grind, hand placement...hold technique...etc play a large part in it.
More than likely the problem is more you than the machine. I could be wrong...just sayin'.
Click to expand...

I agree with Lagrange. I also have the 2x42 and experienced that problem as well as others. Took me a while to fine tune my platen so it wasn't canted. I also removed the work rest and just forced myself to learn to grind freehanded. Like Lagrange said, hand pressure, from both hands, can make a difference. I'm still struggling to keep both sides of the blade consistent with each other.
 
Make sure you are holding your blade perpendicular to the belt. I'm talking about the horizontal orientation of the blade.

When I need to even up a grind, I will vary the angle of the blade by raising or lowering the handle end of the blade. To keep the bevel as lower on the ricasso side, you would need to lower the tang end of the blade.
 
Well I dont know if it makes a big deal that I use a 2x4 block with a 10 degree angle on it to give me a 20 deg grind, and my table if perfectly flat and level. I just dont know how I would shim it. Maybe with some thin washers?
 
I'm using the same grinder and took the tool rest of first-thing. I've been doing freehand grinds on it with only the addition of a glass platen.

If you are using a jig like that, then yeah, I'd try to shim it up on the blade-tip end and see if it helps any...
 
I use the same 2x42; put a ceramic platen on it and shimmed the same as Lagrange. I'm not certain the wheels are square on these machines.

But you might consider a bubble jig, as it squares to the belt itself, not to the bench ... if that makes sense. Worked for me!
 
I used washers betwwen the mount arm and the frame. This will force the platen to shift (top or bottom) the distance needed to straighten it. For finer tuning the correction you can purchase machinist shims through places like Mcmaster Carr.
 
So just to clarify the issue...

Is the top or bottom of the platen hitting the belt first? meaning there is a gap between part of the platen and the belt?

Or when looking from the front, does your platen just "look crooked"?
 
The problem I've had with mine ... and Rocko chime in if this is the same for you ...

the platen base is both canted and twisted. Canted meaning, looking at it from the front with the belt configured to run vertically, the platen face is rotated counterclockwise by a few degrees. This is fixed by shims or washers between the arm and the belt cover. Detaching the platen by the 2 bolts, and adding washers to the top bolt pushed the top of the platen further to the right, reversing the twist, but now the belt tracking must be adjusted so the edge of the belt is in line with the edge of the platen. No biggie.

Looking at the platen from the side, taking the plastic cover off of course, the platen face is adjustable to square to the belt so that there is uniform distance between the platen face and the belt. Simply loosen the bolts, slide the arms, and tighten. No biggie.

But now looking at the platen from the top, as it relates to the belt, mine is twisted so that the right edge of the platen is closer to the belt than the left. I tried fixing this in a vice by squaring the face to the arms using a right angle. Not certain that worked as hoped.

And at the end of it all the wheels seem larger diameter on one rim than they are on the other, so the belt drifts. It's like chasing a will-o-the-wisp, honestly.

So Rocko, try the first 3 steps and see if that helps. I'm going to repeat steps 1 through 3 myself, and maybe check to make sure the ceramic piece I added to my platen is square as well. Hope this gave you a better idea.
 
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