I Was Asking Baileigh About Technical Specifications For A Machine

[Cliff]

I wrote Baileigh an email asking about their 20" disc sander.

I wanted to know about TIR run out on the  disk , what class of bearings they have on the motor and a few other  very specific things.

 

I got the exact same response that I got from Laguna when I was asking about their sliding saw.

I got advertising material and nothing more.

They sent me catalogs and  a stupid hat with their company name splattered across it  - - - like I am going to  turn myself int some company's billboard - - They want that the fee is $5000 an hour even if I  don't go off my property.

I didn't want the catalogs or their swag I wanted technical information and I told them exactly what information I wanted.

 

 

This happened to me some years ago when I went looking at tablesaws to upgrade from my 30 year old Craftsman contractor.

I went to Laguna mostly because I'd read so many glowing reports on forums about their band saw  - and they have a  great paint job which helps.

I asked about bearings and other technical things which would have been in any tech manual and common knowledge to any tech department.

 The salesman deflected me over and over again until  the elephant in the room was stinking too much and finally when I asked him for a contact in Technical  he admitted that there was no technical  that the machines were made lock stock and barrel in the Czech Republic and that if he could   manage to find a manual the thing would be in Czech not English.

 

Contrast to the Felder sales guy who, when I asked my questions, sent me PDFs of machine shop specs and engineering specs and even took a micrometer into his machine tool and parts crib and measured things for me while on the phone.

 

You can guess whose equipment I bought.

 

So Baileigh just took themselves off the table for me.

 

Anybody want a Baileigh  feed cap?

 

On another note I wonder if I don't really need all the bells and whistles of a 20" sander.

I only want to kiss the disc to true up segments for segmented turnings. I already have a Baldor 1HP motor and a 5" cast iron sheave  which I can  drill and tap to accept any disc I care to mount. I can get wide-belts to cut up cheaper than I can get PSA discs.  Elmer's makes a cheap spray adhesive which is not permanent and allows repositioning for  abrasive disc adhesion.  I also possess the skills to produce a nice flat plywood table with a slot in it or any other furniture I want. And using the slot I can true any disc by simply mounting  a little cutter and running it across while spinning the disc.

 

I  keep telling myself that maybe I'll want to tilt the table, but will I, really?  But, I bet I can build that too.

 

 

 

 

I could also just buy the 3-phase reversible powermatic.   Unlike Baileigh they are a known quantity and I already trust their capability to make good equipment.

[lew]

I feel your pain about desiring technical specs.

 

On the 20" sander, from your explanation of what you want to do, sounds like overkill to me.

[Cliff]

I'm going to build one.

 

I also want to build a  drum sander.  I have to build a 50" drum sander for a one time use ( dining table)  I can just shorten that when I'm done with it.