Scroll saw sanding belts.

[hawkeye10]

I ordered a few this mourning did I waste my money? I guess I will see if they will work. I was wondering if any of y'all have tried them?

[WayneMahler]

I do most of my sanding by hand on the more delicate pieces. I use a ros for the larger more stable pieces.

I would think a link to the belts you are referring to would be helpful . Please post your results after testing.

[dgman]

I have never used them. With proper blade choice, saw speed, feed rate and good cutting techniques, you shouldn't need them.

[Scrappile]

I've seen them for sale, (least I think it is the ones you refer to), but have never tried them.  I am very anxious to read your review of them.

[hawkeye10]

I have never used them. With proper blade choice, saw speed, feed rate and good cutting techniques, you shouldn't need them.

Dan what you posted is the problem and I know it but I am learning and it will take time before I get that good. Until then I will have to do the sanding.    The brand of belts are Olson just Google it and you will see several venders selling them.

[Scrolling Steve]

Please let us know how they work out !

[heppnerguy]

The "fuzzier can be a problem for strollers and can make that part of the finishing a real pain, but a necessary thing t do for a nice piece in the end a lot of people tackle this in a lot of different ways. Some may use the scroll sanders you are asking about. Some may use their orbital sanders while others burn them off with small torches. Still other use a stiff brush or a careful and tedious hand sanding. I too am interested is hearing how these scroll sander might work for you

 

 

Dick

heppnerguy

[heppnerguy]

The "fuzzier can be a problem for strollers and can make that part of the finishing a real pain, but a necessary thing t do for a nice piece in the end a lot of people tackle this in a lot of different ways. Some may use the scroll sanders you are asking about. Some may use their orbital sanders while others burn them off with small torches. Still other use a stiff brush or a careful and tedious hand sanding. I too am interested is hearing how these scroll sander might work for you

 

 

Dick

heppnerguy

[Dave Monk]

I usually use my orbital on both sides and finish with a mop sander. dave

[ike]

I use a mouse, it does a good job. as for the sanding belts for the scroll saw . I bought some years back I couldn't get the knack of using them with out damaging my Fret work , With a good blade all I get is the fuzzies and I take care of them by hand . They are not worth the moneys spent is my opinion .

IKE

[Frank Pellow]

I've found them to not be very durable and to not really do a good job.  I'm much happier using a set of fine files, a set of rifflers, and some foam-backed sandpaper cut into strips.

[oldhudson]

I gave them a try a couple of times but I think hand sanding and files are the way to go.

[hawkeye10]

I am not trying to sand the fuzzy's isn't what I am concerned with. I am sanding where I didn't cut straight or didn't get a smooth cut. Most of you guys have been cutting so long you forgot about doing this.   I found a guy on You Tube that showed how to make a scroll saw sanding belt. I made one and it works great. I wasted my money buying the Olson belts. Steve Good also had a video but when I made it I wasn't very happy. Here is a link to the video of the one I liked.

 

[MrsN]

I have a bunch of the sanding belts. I liked the way they worked. Like someone said earlier, as you get better you need them less. Keep practicing and you will  join us in the former users club. 

[CharleyL]

I had bought a few packages when I first saw them at a show years ago. Last year I decided to use them on my DeWalt 788 and discovered that the sanding surface faced the front of the saw and rubbed the blade opening in the table. Since they didn't work on my DeWalt, I put them on my Delta Q3, which has a table insert. I made an insert with a slot from side to side instead of the usual front to back and it worked fine with these sanders.

 

My point is, if you want to use these, make certain which way they face when you clamp them into your saw. If the sanding media is on one side then you can use it on a 788 with the front to back blade slot. If the sanding media faces you when clamped in the blade clamps, it may not fit the blade hole in the table. If your saw has a table insert, like a band saw has, you can make an insert with the slot cross wise instead of front to back and then use them.  They may make these for the DeWalt and similar saws now. I don't know. I'm just relating my experience. I never tried to buy any more. In use, the ones that I had bought worked OK once I figured out a way to use them, but in my opinion, they were not worth buying more of them because they didn't work that good to make me want more of them, even if they faced sideways so I could use them in my DeWalt.. 

 

Charley

Edited September 15, 2016 by CharleyL

[Debi Shipman]

I thought about getting some because sanding is not my favorite thing to do.  I guess I was taught to sand everything even if it looks like it doesn't need it.

[don in brooklin on]

I use the ones that look more like files. 

 

There are times with an Intarsia fit you need just a little coaxing and this works.

[Lucky2]

Personally, I think you wasted your money. All you need to use to make your own sander strips, is cloth backed sandpaper in whatever grit you choose. I've never used them, just the thought of them catching an edge on a piece of fretwork is enough to keep me away from them. Plus, I've never needed them, my inside cuts are always clean enough that they don't need sanding.

Len

[amazingkevin]

I ordered a few this mourning did I waste my money? I guess I will see if they will work. I was wondering if any of y'all have tried them?

I use detail files for truing up some things.?I the beginning i thought i needed them but proper blade choices solved that

[Phantom Scroller]

To much hassle for me, sanding nails files for me cheap and you can cut them to size. I have a orbital oscillator sander and a full size hand belt sander turned upside down in a wooden fixture. Roly 

[Jim McDonald]

Used them on an OLD single speed Delta and tried them later on the DeWalt, but the problems are illustrated above. 

 

I just buy emery boards at Walmart, trim them and you have both a coarse and fine surface.

[hawkeye10]

Used them on an OLD single speed Delta and tried them later on the DeWalt, but the problems are illustrated above. 

 

I just buy emery boards at Walmart, trim them and you have both a coarse and fine surface.

The one I made per the video I posted works really good on outside edges. I also make some using popsicle sticks and spray glue. There is a lot of ways to skin a cat.

 

PS - The ones I make with popsicle sticks I only hand sand with them.

Edited September 16, 2016 by hawkeye10

[CharleyL]

My most often used form of sanding media for scroll sawing is "fingernail file boards". I buy 4-6 bundles of them at a time at the local drug store. If doing very small areas, I cut the ends of them down narrower at the ends with a pair of scissors. Every one of these sanding sticks comes with two grades of sanding grit, a coarse (about like 150) on one side and a fine (about like 220) on the other side, so you can choose the side that works best for what you are doing. I never use them in a machine. They are for hand sanding only, but I'm usually just trying to remove the fuzzies (tiny splinters) on the cut edges and sanding the edge lightly at a 45 degree angle takes them off with just a couple of strokes. Sometimes just sliding the sanding board sideways along the edge takes the fuzzies off quickly. The saw cuts themselves never need sanding or shaping, if you can steer the saw well when cutting the pattern and you use the right blade. Only experience and the right blade choice can achieve this and reduce your sanding requirements to just dealing with the fuzzies.

 

Charley