Radius sander

One of my many mis-purchases over the years was a useless potter's wheel which I have repurposed and now works like the old one on a bad day without shredding the tyre - watch the video to see what I mean... At least I won't be expending all of my dopamine substitute sanding backs now!

Bumping this with some still photos.


An overview of how the machine 'looks' - waiting for NVR switch which will be fitted to the front


"Rescued' parts from the shoddy potters wheel repurposed....

Nice!
I really want to make one of these as my shoulders are getting sore.

What speed is the motor you used and do you just use the large wheel to slow it down to a slow speed or some other method???
Thanks

Very Nice Pete... I would also be curious to hear the details of motor HP & Speed etc.

If you look at the second photo in closeup you can see its iconic Brooke Crompton motor, 1425 rpm. I turned the aluminium cone that formed a variable speed drive to about 2" and the 'wheel' is about 12"in dia. I've done no calculations but Ken will be able to tell you what the conversion is. The bearing supporting the lower end of the spindle is a 'coupling' style so itself aligns with the oil impregnated bronze bearing I press fitted it into the top of the 'cabinet'. This is a repurposed potter's wheel and I am sure there are better ways of doing this. The NVR switch arrived today but had no chance to fit.
I am going to work on the top so I can interchange dishes. Will keep y'all posted.

Beau.... I feel your pain. I didn't really have room for a potters wheel sized tool for this so this is how I do it. If you have a drill press this is an easy jig to make. First you need a hole in the center of your radius dish which I have from the construction of the dishes that I make. I found that it needs to be fitted with a metal bushing if your want to use it a lot. Just fabricate a wooden shelf to fit over the drilling base so that it fits snug. Install a 1/4 stud in the middle (or whatever fits your bushing installed into the dish). Get a rubber wheel thing to go into the drill press. Make the rubber meet the wood then I tap in a wooden shim between the sled and the drill press table to make the compression at the rubber wheel snug.
It is easy to switch different radius dishes this way also. And you can use the drill press to spin at whatever speed you want.

That is a great solution. May I use it for my building s tool please? PM me with you full name so I can credit you.

A lazy susan bearing might be useful somewhere in there too.

Go buy a good, used potter's wheel. They're a dime a dozen, especially around college towns. I've had mine for 48 years, first in service as it's intended purpose and now used as a radius dish. It takes up a scant 2 square feet of floor space, and by installing bat pins in the wheel head I can use any size or radius dish I want.

As always, green with envy... you cannot buy one for less than $600 used in the UK. Yard sales are rare and auctions in specialised locations. I got stung. I redeemed the pain a bit. It was bad buy that I have made good and occupies 20 square inches of space now at a standing height which is how I must work if I am not to seize up these days.

I've ordered a garage door lift (£45) to see if this has enough torque and rpm to make for a rim sander. Please don't tell me I'm a fool until I have tried it. Was inspired by this British Eccentric and his junk mail shredder. I know you have guys like this putting similar content up in the USA but non quite as nutty and maverick as Colin Furze I think

[video]https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp68_FLety0O-n9QU6phsgw[/video]