Potential Health Risk

Timbuck · Apr 6, 2013

I decided to try out another method of sanding the backs of headstocks..This is based on the "Luthiers friend" drum sander device that is used on a Pedestal Drill ..It's just an angle plate mounted on the spindle sander..The feed is applied by gently tapping the back of the Angle plate with a mallet

it works very well but I noticed a potential hazzard which also applies to the "Luthiers Friend"

as I fed the headstock into the drum I had a temptation to reach over to the back side of the drum to steady the headstock as it was fed through...I then realised that my fingers would be very close to the rear of the spinning drum..If they touched the drum...:uhoh:They could then get pulled into the device, resulting in some fingers that looked like an uncooked burger (That I'm not now allowed to Display)..So luthiers Beware

Gary Gill · Apr 6, 2013

Here is my version of that setup. The spring holds tension while the screw allows for fine adjustment. I two side tape nuts, saddles and such to a block that I push against the drum and then pull back. Same for peg head right against the fence.

rudy · Apr 6, 2013

I use basically the same setup on my vertical oscillating spindle sander, I don't use it for headstock rear faces though, that's relagated to the Safe-T-Planer. I use the spindle sander with the vertical fence for thickness sanding head plate veneers and body binding strips for the most part.

I have the "outfeed side" (that could grab and pull fingers in) covered with red magic marker. There's another large red arrow on top of the fence so no one around my shop can forget to feed stock only against the drum rotation. I grab any small pieces coming out the out feed side with pliers so there's no possibility of a fingertip being grabbed.

Good reminder here, though. Sanders are often not given the amount of respect they deserve as we don't think of them as being as dangerous as many of our other shop tools. You must give operations like this extreme care in use as they are being used in unconventional ways that manufacturers have not taken into account when guards and shields were developed for their machines.

Chris_H · Apr 7, 2013

To those who might not know better, beware setting up a fence with the spindle spinning into the gap, the workpiece should be fed AGAINST the direction of the abrasive sleeve. If it is set up so the piece can be sucked in, it just might be, and anything nearby as well. Likewise, beware that, theoretically, the piece could catch and be thrown outwards also, so standing to the side is not a bad idea.

Hamburger sometimes has bone chunks in it...

Little spindle sanders might just bind up, or not have the power to be violent, a bigger one can suck the workpiece at mach speed.

ThomD · Apr 7, 2013

Always observe the horse power of the tools you use. Maybe some day you will see the bad side of one of these tools, and when that happens it really does hit you like 3 hp, or whatever it is rated at. It can be quite shocking the first time you see it.

The first time I saw it was when I was drilling something on a 1/3rd hp drill press. I had a spade bit, the paddle on the end of a pencil thin shaft deal. I hadn't reduced the speed enough, and it started to whirl like a propeller. Within seconds the bit had had enough of that and it snapped off at the chuck and was thrown with great force across the room. All I had time to do was hit the shop floor. Up until that time it had always seemed like such a gentle tool.

ksquine · Apr 7, 2013

That is the coolest method for securing a vacuum hose EVER!!

Timbuck · Apr 7, 2013

ksquine said:
That is the coolest method for securing a vacuum hose EVER!!

I some times just put a rare earth magnet a couple of inches inside the tube ..That works as well

tobinsuke · Apr 7, 2013

Here's a link to a quick video on how I addressed the safety issue of a luthier's friend-like thickness sanding station.
I forgot to mention in the video that the extreme bow of the hacksaw blade is to allow for many adjustments of the fence before it becomes necessary to adjust the hold down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV-YiUrFxXs

Timbuck · Apr 8, 2013

Well Done!...It looks a lot safer now

Dominator · Apr 8, 2013

tobinsuke said:
Here's a link to a quick video on how I addressed the safety issue of a luthier's friend-like thickness sanding station.
I forgot to mention in the video that the extreme bow of the hacksaw blade is to allow for many adjustments of the fence before it becomes necessary to adjust the hold down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV-YiUrFxXs

Looks like a great modification.

Pete Howlett · Apr 8, 2013

Expect to get a polite cease and desist from the inventor of the Luthier's Friend. I suggest you do not use the name. It is trade marked.

Timbuck · Apr 10, 2013

Tobin ...Who it looks like He bought one

...Maybe He could do a review on it ?

tobinsuke · Apr 11, 2013

Timbuck said:
Tobin ...Who it looks like He bought one ...Maybe He could do a review on it ?

Is that the famous dry British humour?

Ha ha. I did purchase one a couple/few years ago and I use it a lot. It's definitely got some pros and cons for what I specifically use it for. Perhaps this weekend or shortly thereafter I'll post a thread to that effect. I don't know about trademark law, but I'm willing to guess that there is no harm in talking about a product that I have purchased?

dave g · Apr 12, 2013

Timbuck said:
... fingers would be very close to the rear of the spinning drum..If they touched the drum...:uhoh:They could then get pulled into the device...

The worst wood shop accident I ever witnessed was a similar thing - a vertical stationary sander on which some nitwit had not tightened the table securely in place. Some guy was sanding a little piece, holding it with the tips of his fingers (both hands) when the work got sucked in, pulling both hands in with it. There was blood up the wall & across the ceiling. Ugg... makes me woosey thinking about 40 years later.

Tarhead · Apr 12, 2013

Pete Howlett said:
Expect to get a polite cease and desist from the inventor of the Luthier's Friend. I suggest you do not use the name. It is trade marked.

You could call it a "Robo Sander".
http://www.woodworkingshop.com/search.aspx?q=robo+sander

tobinsuke · Apr 14, 2013

Timbuck said:
Tobin ...Who it looks like He bought one ...Maybe He could do a review on it ?

I just posted a new thread related to this one. It's a review of the Luthier's Friend thickness sanding station. In it I will discuss what I like about the product, what I don't like about it, and three truly easy modifications to remedy what I don't like about it.

One of the modifications is the safety hold down that I described earlier in this thread, but I am posting the review separately because it's a little broader than just the safety concern.

There's also a little tip about using it to taper small pieces of stock.

Potential Health Risk

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