Print PDF
Favorite
Email
Step 8What About the Bottom?
The bottom of the sander sports a polished steel or stainless steel plate that is known as the platen. The platen is a flat surface that backs-up the sanding belt and without a firm or semi-firm platen, the belt can't create a flat surface. In this case the platen is backed-up by a cork backer, which is common. Below the cork is a waffle-like casting, which makes sense. Had this been a solid surface it would have been difficult for Makita to grind it flat due to warping caused by the heat of grinding. By making this waffle-like they can easily grind it flat, and the cork will smooth out the surface of the platen. Nice work Makita.
The thought occurred to me that perhaps this should get some paste wax or some other type of lube; but that thought quickly passed when I thought it completely through. Any lubrication on the platen would quickly transfer to the abrasive belt, and in turn to the rubber-coated drive roller; causing slippage, or loss of power to the abrasive belt. This wouldn't be a good thing, but perhaps this is something I should suggest to my opponents? :-)
When I posted the information above on my build-blog I went into a bunch of detail about the stainless steel platen on the bottom of the sander. This was what magicians call misdirection. It's why they use pretty assistants!
That information in that post was true, but during the actual race I didn't use the stock platen. Nope, I was aware that an upgrade existed that would make the belt slip like Vaseline on a door knob, and that is the Porter-Cable 48119 Graphite Impregnated Sanding Shoe. Though this part wasn't made for my sander, it took almost no modification. I did have to trip 1/8" off with a pair of scissors, but that was it. I believe that this single upgrade gave me an advantage over most sander in the field, and now I share it with you.
Use this little secret only for good, Grasshopper.
Time to move on.
The thought occurred to me that perhaps this should get some paste wax or some other type of lube; but that thought quickly passed when I thought it completely through. Any lubrication on the platen would quickly transfer to the abrasive belt, and in turn to the rubber-coated drive roller; causing slippage, or loss of power to the abrasive belt. This wouldn't be a good thing, but perhaps this is something I should suggest to my opponents? :-)
When I posted the information above on my build-blog I went into a bunch of detail about the stainless steel platen on the bottom of the sander. This was what magicians call misdirection. It's why they use pretty assistants!
That information in that post was true, but during the actual race I didn't use the stock platen. Nope, I was aware that an upgrade existed that would make the belt slip like Vaseline on a door knob, and that is the Porter-Cable 48119 Graphite Impregnated Sanding Shoe. Though this part wasn't made for my sander, it took almost no modification. I did have to trip 1/8" off with a pair of scissors, but that was it. I believe that this single upgrade gave me an advantage over most sander in the field, and now I share it with you.
Use this little secret only for good, Grasshopper.
Time to move on.
| « Previous Step | Download PDFView All Steps | Next Step » |
 |
Add Comment
|
