# Stroke Sander



## Kevin

Does anyone have any extensive experience with them? I know their limitations and forte's and for my application it seems like a good fit, but I would really like to hear from anyone who has actually used one extensively.


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## Brink

I saw this somewhere.

http://woodbarter.com/threads/anyone-have-experience-with-a-stroke-sander.7535/

Reactions: Funny 7


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## TimR

That's just meanness...well played, but definitely meanness.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Kevin

I don't see the humor. I'm still hoping to find a member that has experimce with one. I havn't given up. Is that funny?


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## Brink

Yeah guys this isn't funny. 

Once again @Kevin asks a legit question with no help. 

I got your back, young fella.

Reactions: +Karma 1


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## Kevin

Brink is that one that you use at work? Gimme the rundown man.


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## Brink

I,lifted that off the 'net.

Normally, I don't sand


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## woodtickgreg

That looks like a very cool shop made sander.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Kevin

Brink said:


> Normally, I don't sand



"Brink" and "normal" should never be used in the same paragraph much less the same sentence.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Brink

Brink was never in the sentence.

Reactions: Like 1


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## DKMD

Brink said:


> Brink was never in the sentence.



We need a touché button...

Reactions: Agree 2 | Informative 1


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## barry richardson

Have you given up on the wide belt sander pursuit Kevin? I've never used a stroke sander, they look pretty cool though, especially if you're sanding curves. I saw somewhere where a guy made one out of a treadmill, brilliant. But as far as sanding a board, as pictured, a wide belt sander will beat that all to hell and have about the same footprint, although more $$ I imagine...

Reactions: Agree 1


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## sprucegum

I have a shop built one and use it all the time. I will post some pictures sometime today. I had really never considered one until I bought a pallet of stuff at a auction a few years ago. The pallet had a couple of decent wood vices on it that I was after and a bunch of other stuff. Among the other stuff was a old stroke sander drive pulley so after a little research I put one together . It will sand pieces up to 5' long and I would guess I could do around 4' wide. If I ever have a bigger shop I will stretch it out to 8 or 10 feet long. Although I have not tried it I have read that it is pretty simple to make a platen for sanding difficult profiles like crown molding. It is really great for things like table tops and drawer fronts. Belts can be bought in any length that you need, I order mine from industrial abrasives, they are relatively inexpensive and last a long time. They make a butt load of dust really fast so dust collection of some sort is a must, the one in the picture that the monkey posted appears to be lacking in that respect.

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## Kevin

Brink said:


> Brink was never in the sentence.



So when "Brink" referred to himself as "I" he was not referring to Brink?


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## Kevin

barry richardson said:


> Have you given up on the wide belt sander pursuit Kevin? I've never used a stroke sander, they look pretty cool though, especially if you're sanding curves. I saw somewhere where a guy made one out of a treadmill, brilliant. But as far as sanding a board, as pictured, a wide belt sander will beat that all to hell and have about the same footprint, although more $$ I imagine...



I haven't given up on the Wide Belt, it's just that I have allotted myself a certain amount of money for another significant shop update and a nice double head wide belt takes the lion's share of it. I was considering used but I don't really want used on a wide belt because the parts are so expensive and you never know how bad it's going t get into you for parts getting it reliable. A new machine like I really want will set me back $20K and although I am going to be doing some production work starting next year I cannot justify that. I can get into the Grizzly twin head 37" for under $13K delivered but that's a lot of coin still.

Soooooo since I have read enough cult-like adherents of the stroke sander over the years I'm trying to find out if it can be a better option since they can be bought used for peanuts. If my production project works out I will be able to justify a monster bells and whistles wide belt, having used the stroke as a stepping stone. Still pondering it though. Going to try and find a local shop that has one and rent it for some more cabinet doors I have to build. I'd take a few other projects as well to get a feel of the versatility.


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## Kevin

DKMD said:


> We need a touché button...

Reactions: Thank You! 2


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## Kevin

Dave thanks for chiming in can't wait to see it. More importantly how much longer does it take than something similar on a wide belt? Even if you've never used a wide belt you can figure a standard exterior door lets say, will take 2 minutes per side on a wb and on a double drum be done in one pass per side needing only light ROS work maybe. How long do you think on a stroke? Can't you change belts pretty fast on one?


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## Kevin

sprucegum said:


> the ... monkey .... appears to be lacking ... respect.



Yes I couldn't have said it better thank you for your support. And oh BTW way Doc you are not my friend any more for giving support to a damned monkey and neither are you Tony and Henry for dog piling on me with the Doc.

Doc are you aware that Brink is a direct descendant of the head Flying Monkey that tried to kill Dorothy and Toto?

Reactions: Funny 1


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## sprucegum

Kevin said:


> Dave thanks for chiming in can't wait to see it. More importantly how much longer does it take than something similar on a wide belt? Even if you've never used a wide belt you can figure a standard exterior door lets say, will take 2 minutes per side on a wb and on a double drum be done in one pass per side needing only light ROS work maybe. How long do you think on a stroke? Can't you change belts pretty fast on one?



Having never used a wide belt sander that is a tough question. My sander is not long enough for a house door but if it was I would guess 10mins/ side. I don't change belts a lot as I use it mostly for the first sanding then switch to my palm sander or belt sander. I think 5 mins would be about what it would take me but a real store bought one might be a lot faster.

I am reasonably sure that I will never own a WB sander unless I find one at a super bargain. I expect that they both have their finer points, I have a way to sand the dovetails on drawer sides with mine and it is fast real fast. I had a failed drawer in the scrap bin so I took some pictures of how I do it by modifying my wooden table.

There are plenty of plans online for building one. Most of them use a fixed position belt and the table can be raised and lowered. My auction bought drive pulley has a means to raise and lower it so that is how mine works. The Idler pulley for the other end was made from shop grade laminated birch plywood and was turned on my lathe. I just imbedded some sealed bearings in the wood and it turns on a fixed shaft. Most people seem to think they need a 2 hp or larger motor mine runs just fine on and old 1 hp salvaged from a junk table saw (fast motor required pulley change to slow it down.

I have less than $100 in purchased material for mine and it works great even if it does look like a monkey built it.

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## Kevin

Dave that's slicker than eel gizzards. I won't be building one due to time, and the fact that used ones can be found cheap. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go the stroke route versus widebelt. Although there is a double head 37" SCMI for $8500 on CL locally and I might offer him $6500. If he takes it I would probably pull the trigger on it. I have enough DC CFM for anything. Thanks for the info really useful stuff. Love the drawer trick.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## sprucegum

Kevin said:


> Dave that's slicker than eel gizzards. I won't be building one due to time, and the fact that used ones can be found cheap. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go the stroke route versus widebelt. Although there is a double head 37" SCMI for $8500 on CL locally and I might offer him $6500. If he takes it I would probably pull the trigger on it. I have enough DC CFM for anything. Thanks for the info really useful stuff. Love the drawer trick.



My thoughts are that if you have room in the shop for both that you probably would find use for both machines especially if you buy a used stroke as a lead up to the WB. The jobs that they will do certainty overlap and each has it's strong points.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## sprucegum

Hope that monkey don't go stealing my pictures.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## DavidDobbs

@Kevin to bad your not closer. I know of 2 -2 year old wide belt Shop Fox Sanders. They use their tool for 2 years and replace them. Very well taken care of. Just out of my price range.


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## sprucegum

DavidDobbs said:


> @Kevin to bad your not closer. I know of 2 -2 year old wide belt Shop Fox Sanders. They use their tool for 2 years and replace them. Very well taken care of. Just out of my price range.


Don't seem like trucking would be too outrageous on a item like that if you can make the rite connections.


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## Kevin

DavidDobbs said:


> @Kevin to bad your not closer. I know of 2 -2 year old wide belt Shop Fox Sanders. They use their tool for 2 years and replace them. Very well taken care of. Just out of my price range.



For the right price on a good sander a road trip would be in order it's only 9 hours drive. Can you give me some particulars?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Brink

Kevin said:


> So when "Brink" referred to himself as "I" he was not referring to Brink?



Brink and normal were never used. I and normally were used. 
Henry, help me out here, kevin is confused, again.



sprucegum said:


> Hope that monkey don't go stealing my pictures.



Never trust a stoopid monkey, I won't.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Kevin

Brink said:


> Never trust a stoopid monkey, I won't.



See Dave you can't trust him. He's pretty sly. Instead of saying _"I won't (steal your pictures)" _followed by the caveat _"(but)Never trust a stoopid monkey"_ he put's the caveat first and then says he won't steal your pictures. Can't trust no lying monkey.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Brink

I never said I won't steal pics.
I'm leaving that door open.


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## Mike1950

try search tempest http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/tls/5037502225.html
http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/tls/5037502225.html
http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/hvo/5066460160.html

seems to be lots of them around- I used Houston 400 miles and found a bunch- I know I should have used dallas- closer to you but I track things down for son and I know his zip


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## Kevin

Yep I been using tempest for years. Gonna try to exhaust any possibility of wide belts first.


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## DavidDobbs

What I know is 2 years old 10 hp 1phase
It is in their shop. They are a Shop Fox dealer. They use all equipment for 2 yrs
Then sell it. I thought she sad 36" but I was thinking it would be 37".
I can give you their number.
They have 2 for sale I believe she said $8500.00 each. I was there 1st of the week picking up band blades and looking at drum Sanders. She told me about it I didn't go look at it. I have no room for a machine that size..... Lol or $'s
But I would be more than happy to go back and look it over. I have been in their shop during work hours and everything is kept very nice.
They are a small custom cabinet shop.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Kevin

DavidDobbs said:


> What I know is 2 years old 10 hp 1phase
> It is in their shop. They are a Shop Fox dealer. They use all equipment for 2 yrs
> Then sell it. I thought she sad 36" but I was thinking it would be 37".
> I can give you their number.
> They have 2 for sale I believe she said $8500.00 each. I was there 1st of the week picking up band blades and looking at drum Sanders. She told me about it I didn't go look at it. I have no room for a machine that size..... Lol or $'s
> But I would be more than happy to go back and look it over. I have been in their shop during work hours and everything is kept very nice.
> They are a small custom cabinet shop.



That's not a great price IMO only $2000 less than a new one. 

http://www.amazon.com/W1737-37-Inch-Single-Wide-belt-Sander/dp/B001R23T8A

I would only offer $5500 for it because it's just a single head but they probably wouldn't bite.


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## sprucegum

Just searched ebay for stroke sanders, the prices seem all over the place but a lot of them are asking for offers. The one I like the best is only $1500 but it is in NY.


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## DavidDobbs

@Kevin I thought she said they listed way more than that. I was thinking in the low teens. Ya if it is.only $2000 I wouldn't even look.


I saw saw your link after I typed this.
They are to high. Then


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## Jerry B

just saw this post ........
I used a stroke sander extensively for years at my last cabinet shop
we used to press our own veneer panels, and used the sander to clean up the panels
plus sanding doors, and almost all flat stock in general
Was a great tool, you just need to get the hang of the pressure applied, and moving the table in unison, so not to sand "grooves" into your parts
Doesn't take long to get into a rhythm, and when you do, you'll come to love the ease of use, and how quickly you can get a job done

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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