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I Forge Iron

New to me Jet 6x48 belt sander


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Hello all,

My father recently bought me a used Jet 6x48 belt sander/disk combo and an old harbor freight drill press for my shop.  I have been blacksmithing for about 6 years,  but don't have too many power tools in the shop.  Up till now, I only had a 1x30 sander, small bench grinder. and a portable band saw with table.  I've never been a knife maker, but would like to try my luck.  Any advice for using a 6x48 sander for knife making?  I realize a 2x72 would be ideal, but how can I make the most of the 6x48 that I have?  Is anyone using a 6x48 to make knives??  Any advice from those with experience would be appreciated. 

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I don't have any experience with using a 6x48 for knifemaking/metal grinding, but I was at a knifemaking demo and the bladesmith used a powered disk sander to great effect in the finishing stages of grinding and polishing the blades. He glued an 1/8" thick rubber sheet to the bare metal disk with a strong spray adhesive and cut it round with the disk edge as a guide. Then used a weaker spray adhesive (temporary adhesive) to stick the sheets of silicon carbide sandpaper (Rhynowet?) to the rubber. Then he could stick a sheet of sandpaper on, trim it round, sand the blade, peel it off, stick the next grit on, trim it, sand, peel, etc. through the finer grits. In short order his blade was all but polished. He used the disk without a material rest. Also his sanding disk was 9" dia.

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