Need help finding.....

Re: Need help finding.....

William Duffield

Anneal the end, cut off the bit and cut threads in the shaft with a die?

Re: Need help finding.....

David Smith

I'm not sure that there would be enough of the shank to carry the treads all the way around as the hex shank is 1/4" and the threaded portion needs to be 1/4" as well. I suppose its worth a try though, but I was hoping for a off the shelf item. Thank you for the suggestion.

Re: Need help finding.....

David Smith

I found this in the UK, he sells his sanding pads with the hex shank and quick release bit which is exactly what I was wanting to do, though I would rather convert the pads I have than have to buy new pads from across the pond.

http://www.hopewoodturning.co.uk/sanding_arbours_17.html

Here is a replacement shaft  *LINK*


https://www.dowl-it.com/hex-shank-arbors-1119

Thank you!!

David Smith

Thank you very much for the link, that is exactly what I was looking for!

Ooops

David Smith

Just tried to order them and either they are out of stock or its no longer available, but this is exactly what I need. I'll call them on Monday but was wondering if anyone else knows of another source just in case.

Re: Ooops

Jorge

I got some from Woodcraft last year

Re: Need help finding.....

Don Stephan

David

I use an interface pad between the mandrel and the sandpaper disc, one pad for each grit. This allows me to keep the mandrel in the drill chuck, and I pull off the interface pad/disc to change grits.

Re: Need help finding.....

Stuart Johnson

Buy cheap HF set of screwdriver tips and epoxy the tip in the hole rather than screwing it in.

Re: Need help finding.....

David Smith

I was doing that too but found that the velcro on the back of the interface pad didn't last long, it either lost its ability to stay attached or the velcro just simply started tearing away from the foam pad. And as expensive as interface pads are I figured it would be cheaper to change the arbor and just swap out pads. I guess I should ask if there is a source for reasonably priced interface pads.

Re: Need help finding.....

Paul Grenier

Check out Wood Turners Wonders for his set up. I plan to purchase the whole system as soon as I'm done with my current supply of 2" and 3" sanding disc's. Many of my sanding stuff is starting to fail after putting on and taking off many, many times. I like Ken's system with a velcro pad for each grit and you just twist off the whole sanding head and twist on the next head with the next grit. The velcro backing pad and the foam should last a whole lot longer than the conventional set up. I've tried some of Ken's new sanding medium and really like it and it's about 1/3 the cost of Abranet which is what I primarily use now.

Re: Need help finding.....

David Smith

I bought his system last year. The interface pads didn't last very long even with light use. The twist lock is nice and works well but there are times I need to run my power sander in reverse and with these they just twist right off of the mandrel.

Re: Need help finding.....

john lucas

I also run my drill in reverse for sanding certain areas. I also found out that all velcro wears out eventually. Like you I went to the sanding disc for each grit. I bought my interface pads from Vince. I am still using a standard drill for all my sanding an it has a keyless chuck. It's very fast to change from one grit to the next. If you can find the Hex shank pieces it would be pretty simply to have someone with a metal lathe turn the coved area for the locking mechanism. Heck you could probably do it on a wood lathe with a round file if you have a way to chuck them into some jaws so the area you need to cove was sticking out.

Re: Need help finding.....

Bill Blasic

I know that this is not going to help David but 12 or so years ago (not sure exactly how long ago) I bought a 3" Skilton Mandrel from Steve Worcester (Turning Wood). I was so happy with it, plus the fact that when I find something I like it disappears, I purchased 5 or 6 more. I am still using the first one, it is beat up a little but it is still going strong!

Re: Need help finding.....

Barry L Elder

Not knowing where you live or how the economy is, I would suggest looking for a successful hardware business that caters to the construction industry. However, using incorrect terms like tread instead of thread will mislead many people who could be of assistance to you.

Re: Need help finding.....

Don Stephan

David

Should have included that when I remove an interface pad from the mandrel I first work my thumbnails between the two pieces of velcro, so that I am pulling off the interface pad by its velcro and not by the middle of the foam pad. I've had very good pad life, although of course they do eventually fail. But the pads are much less expensive than mandrels.

Re: Need help finding.....

David Smith

John, can you tell me what drill or power sander you use? I'm just using a $20 Black and Decker drill which has a keyless chuck but unlike my cordless Dewalt the B&D required two hands and isn't as easy to use. The Dewalt requires only one hand and takes a split second but I don't use that for sanding.

Re: Need help finding.....

Barry Irby

I have torn some of my foam pads. I forget the brand, but it is white soft foam. When they start to tear, I soak the area on both sides with CA glue (thin I think) and press them together. I try to realign them to get an exact fit and then just set them aside for a day or two until the glue cures. They have held up for years.

Re: Need help finding.....

David Smith

Thank you Bill, its nice to know there are things still built to last. With the $24 price tag though it almost seems more economical to order the ones from the UK but quality and longevity would be an unknown. Glad to hear that the 3" Skilton Mandrel is working out for you and I did bookmark their web page for them.

Re: Need help finding.....

David Smith

Thanks for the tip, I'll have to try that as it sounds like it will help prolong the life of the pads.

Re: Need help finding.....

David Smith

There is a nationally known fastner and hardware store in town that I could try, hadn't thought about that.

Thank you

David Smith

Thank you for all the responses, suggestions and tips. Once I get back on my feet I'm going to go sit in the shop for a while and stare at my sanding supplies and just see what would make the most sense for me. I do find switching interface pads easy but was frustrated with how short lived the ones I bought were and thought maybe changing mandrels would be a better idea. You guys have giving me a lot to think about and I'm sure that in no time I'll have a solution to my needs. Thanks again.

Re: Need help finding.....

David Smith

Sometimes the simplest solution can me the most elusive. Thank you for the suggestion.

What drill?

David Smith

What drill do you use John? The keyless chuck on my inexpensive Black and Decker isn't easy to use. Thanks.