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Picked this one out of the pile on a scrapyard run a couple years back and it set me back a whopping 18 bucks! It looks very much like the day I brought it home except for an updated cord, a sanding belt, and of course, that beautiful red skateboard wheel idler which works well enough but doesn’t match the rest of he machine too well. This is an earlier cast frame model and based on the information I can find, was likely built between 1941 and sometime in the min fifties. I like the styling and simplicity of this one and plan to give it new bearings and paint when time permits. It is reasonably functional in its current state of semi-repair and I have been giving it a little use of recent. I will need to figure a good way to add some dust collection when I get into this project as well. Mead built these little sanders for quite some time, first With cast frames, and later with the more modern steel frames seen in newer Deltas and such. I believe, like so many others, Mead was in business until 1987. Sadly, they are gone now. The catalog page I included dates to 1954.

My shop is a small,15x15 area. No windows. I did clean up, a lot, before the photos. Don’t know what else to say...it’s small.

Ran across this. I don't use a belt sander much but this seems like a real deal. Reviews on another forum seem positive https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007A9TD3E/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007A9TD3E&linkCode=as2&tag=bworkbench-20&linkId=ded9c5b75125d47a8e86b934df13b3b5&fbclid=IwAR2g9-n7uu6vmnZr9g_VeSqaDQu0dXRHYKqqjybgki4fdzyyeQ4WeR9WRE4 Aarg, just noticed it's for Prime members only.

Below is a picture of my sharpening rig made from an old belt sander. The motor went bad so I rigged it up to a used fan motor. I made a dozen tube pockets so each tool has its own. I put a piece of all thread on the bottom and a lock nut for adjustability. I used some metal conduit I had on hand that fit over the tool handles. I epoxied a wood dowel into the end of the conduit and a piece of 1/4" all thread into the dowel. The all thread is inserted in the holder and the tool can be easily sharpened with very accurate repeatability. The lock nut is adjusted away from the tool as needed to keep the preferred bevel angle. I also have my bowl sharpening jig mounted in front. I have to remove the other holder but have a stop on it so it can be easily returned to the same spot. I used a lettering system and each tool has it's own holder. The tools are just here for visual purposes. They are not stored with the holders. I posted this a few years ago on the old Wood forum but posted it here for those who didn't see it.

I was browsing an Meisel woodworking catalog and found a plan for holding a belt sander on its side and a small work table near the belt. This looks as handy as can be for some cases. I am just trying to figure out how to build it myself and hold the belt sander in place. I have an oooolllldddd Craftsman belt sander. It has the trigger on/off switch in the handle, a tracking knob on the left side. So, my thinking is that I will place it on the right side so I have full access to the tracking knob. I guess I can hold the tool with the handle and rest the belt drive housing in the cradle, then build a box to hold the work table so I had sometimes use it. Does anyone have a plan or have you used one? Do you like it or not? Just kicking around some ideas. Thanks for stopping and for your responses. Here is a link:http://meiselwoodhobby.com/Products/ViewProduct.aspx?id=15135

Stumbled upon this tonight...worth the look...once in a lifetime goldmine find for NIB vintage tools. https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/tls/d/vintage-craftsman-and-other/6655669969.html

I'm building a small couch tray table out of Red Oak. The top is 3/4" thick and measures 14 3/4" X 24 3/4". I made the top by gluing up 3 boards. The top is not dead flat. If I lay a straight edge across it I can see light in a few spots. I've been sanding to try and get the high spots down. I don't have a planer or wide sander. I loaned my belt sander and it hasn't been returned. I have a random orbit sander but don't think this will do it for me. There aren't any woodworking close by. I'm going to stain and use an oil based poly on it. I've used poly quite a bit and I'm wondering if the self leveling process will help make the top flat?

Okay Master of the great wood turner, lathe tool sharpening queries.... I have both a grinder and a table top belt sander. which do you think is better to use for a beginner and which grit for the sander and grind wheel. i was watching videos but they dont tell me. so i am looking to the masters for help.

Picked this up from another member over on the Canadian forum. It was in what can only be described as tough shape with no motor. It was completely encased in want looked to be a hard shell of bondo dust. At least thats what I assumed it to be given the seller said it came out of a body shop. But what the hay, I love a challenge. Fist step was to remove all the crud. Turns out it was fairly easy to scrape off. After complete disassembly I soaked all the painted parts in a strong hot bath of TSP which moved any remaining crud. Follwed this up with a two day soak in citric acid solution to remove all the rust as well as some of the paint.Removed the paint with paint remover. Discovered that a couple of the legs had been bent and twisted so I had to straighten them out. The belt cover was dinged and pushed in a bit. Some work on the dings and some bondo worked fixed that problem As usual the top cover had a groove worn it it from a poorly tracking belt. Some JB and bondo disguised this. Wire wheeled and buffed all the shiny parts. Painted it up. Made new decals and put it back together. Put on a 1 HP motor I had in my rathole, install a new motor starter and drive belt. The machine did try my paitence when I was tracking the new sanding belt. By the way this is best done with the side cover and top cover removed. Fortunately I had been warned about this in advance. Turned out good enough to earn a place next to the rest of my Delta stuff. I also discovered during the coarse of the rebuild that I was missing two parts, a front dust deflector that goes at the bottom of the belt and a small dust deflector that goes inside the dust chute. I made the deflector for the inside (sorry forgot to take picture) I was making the one for the bottom of the belt but gave it second thoughts. I ended up using the one in the picture below by the previous owner. It no doubt catches more dust as it strats just below the table. I know it cuts down on the belt lenght in the horizontal position but I don't that as a problem as I am likely to use it in the vertical position most often.

Had a few chisels that were a bit beat up. Seems all that work on the last tool chest wore a few out. Set up the center for sharpening. Belt sander clamped into the vise. Honing Guide set to the correct angles ( 2 were needed) Floor tile set out, full sheet of 150 grit clamped to it. 220 set aside, 1500/2000/2500 grits on standby Ok, one firmer chisel had some rust spots that had to go. Wire brush in the drill press took that off. Mortise Chisel needed a new edge ground first, had the rest set @ 30 degrees, and made a new edge. Set it up in the honing guide, gave it a spin on the belt-sander, cup of water handy. then off to the sandpapers. The rest of the items were a couple chisels, and a Stanley Cordovan 9-1/2 block plane. All of these edges needed to be @ 25Degrees. Shined up the backs while I was at it. First off, the chisels on the far left is a Greenlee 3/8" Gouge, out channel. Then the mortise chisel a firmer chisel and two paring chisels. Did I say the backs were done, too Almost mirror bright. Now, about that Block plane. It had seen a lot of use, working on the chest. Backed the iron out a bit, and ran the sole around on the 150 grit. Still a small hollow behind the mouth opening, but not too bad. Next, the iron got a GOOD clean up with the wire cup on the DP. Had some "patina" growing. Now back to shiny metal. Then the whole routine with the sander, and sandpaper. Put the cleaned up plane back together, and tried it out Took a couple tries to get the depth just right. Not see-through, but I didn't set it that close. Did back it off just a hair more. Been working on a spot to store the wee planes I'll just have to move a slider or two out of the way. Yep, tool chest now has a slider installed, with a second one coming later Yep, these only go half way across the length, have other plans for the left side of this chest This side of the divider will get a few things added to it. Just what? Stay tuned....

and very little got done. Brought two 1 x 10 pine boards to the shop, since they were stored against the wall of the house. Cut them to a length needed. Ripped one right down the middle. Ripped just over 5" out of the second board. Used a jointah plane to ease an edge or two And the chest now has a bottom. Screwed to the cleats along the outside edges. Center plank is just held by a pair of screws, one on each end. Had the box clamped to the bench for a little clean up Well I used this to clean up after a belt sander leveled things a bit. Then a block plane for some detail work.....Then set up a drill press with a special bit Cuts a tapered plug. Chunk of scrap wood is Black Walnut. I used a screwdriver tip to pop the plugs out.A littlte glue into the counter bore, and bang a plug home. Later, after the glue has set for awhile, a block plane to trim these down Lets see, seven to a corner, and there are four such corners,, might take a bit. BTW: Beltsander don't work very well trimming the plugs down. Gouges the wood, and burns the plug. Just about any sharp plane will do. Stay tuned....