Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Belt Sanders are Good

You may not see this on the news any time soon, but there are times when proper use of a belt sander can definitely bail you out and even cut costs. Just another public service message. Not one the ad council is likely to publish. They are too busy telling you things that are of dubious validity or so obvious that even I already know them. The one that informs us, the dumbed down, obese public, that taking the stairs provides more exercise than taking an elevator. I never knew.

One thing about belt sanders; it pays to know what you are doing because you can seriously gouge the item being sanded if you aren't used to the thing. They are a little like those circular floor waxers, carpet cleaner machines. They'll run across the room on you if you aren't used to them.

Another hint for the well-to-do home owner, and the decorators they hire: If you have outdoor teak furniture made, don't let them get by with spraying a coat of varnish and leaving it at that. The sun will make most of it disappear in six months. I think it should be treated the way you'd do it on a boat.

Strange days are at hand. I'd say time will tell if these things are as bizarre as they seem but so far I notice that most people can't follow the cause and effect of things. That makes the population an easy mark. Too bad most of us are familiar with the phenomena known as solar and lunar eclipse, or they'd be doing that old trick of making us think it was a crisis and that lawyers on public pay make the sun and moon come back. It would no doubt include sacrifice and duty of some kind on our part.

6 comments:

  1. My uncles have been known to wear sanding belts as hats . . . a sort of crown for the everyday man. That is probably not one of the "proper" uses, though.

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  2. So you mean I should try to get my "return the sun" tax back???

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  3. I've always had a good relationship with belt sanders. Planers, however, are my enemy....

    Any outdoor wood needs lots of protection, unless it's on a tree. My current choice, considering my budget, is plastic outdoor furniture, maybe with some "teak" wood-grain contact paper on it to add a touch of "class."

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  4. I'll be using one of those belt sanders on a rental hardwood floor to get permanant marker out of the urethane. Then I have to sand to the end line of each board and refinish to make it look natural. Pain in the ass.

    Love those damn things but they will take the hide off of you if you aren't too careful.

    BObby

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  5. Intelli--I like the way your uncles think. Must be an interesting family.
    Bobby--I guess you are able to stop short of having to use one of those big drum sanders. They do seem most effective on people. One or twice skinned was enough to teach me.
    Fin-sorry, I don't think they are going to refund, they just call it "intangibles tax" now.
    Scrib--does this mean you won't hire me to restore your outdoor chaise lounge?

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  6. JohnOjuan -- Depends on how well you can put down wood-grain contact paper! That stuff needs attention too, as anyone who has a 50s-era station wagon (or any cheap IKEA furniture) knows....

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Can't make comments any easier, I don't think. People are having trouble--google tries to kidnap them. I'll loosen up one more thing and let's see. Please give it a try

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Ballistic Mountain, CA, United States
Like spring on a summer's day

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