Comments---AWAITING MODERATION??? WHAT?

    

HUH????? I am SO sorry to everyone who commented and got the notice that your comment was awaiting moderation. I HAVE NEVER set my blog for moderation- NEVER- and since about half the comments got through, it is not consistent. I don't use the word verification either.
   A huge THANK YOU to Debora for calling this nightmare to my attention. Turns out this actually goes back to February! I would never ignore anyone, your comments are SO appreciated, it is a thrill to read them :) To have this happen is unbelievable........ So sad....I feel sick......I had no idea....
   I clicked on "comments" to check my settings, and just for the heck of it I clicked on "awaiting moderation" .....and....there they all were...... I am SOOO sorry, I so highly value each and every one of my followers and treasure your comments.  Google sure screwed this up for me......
   Thank you all for following my blog and for taking the time to comment, I will check that moderation link daily even though I do not have the moderation or verification enabled. What is the point of having settings if it does whatever it wants to anyway........

***UPDATE***

I have just read 45 comments spanning several months that I never knew I had... I am overwhelmed by all of these kind words... THANK YOU SO MUCH :)

 

Shop-made belt sander

I've built another tool. This is just a small one, a belt sander using a drill as the motor. I saw the plans in one of my "The Scale Cabinetmaker" magazines. I would have to say that these instructions were probably the most challenging to decipher (meaning it wasn't written too well in my opinion.) But having a knowledge of building tools I was able to overcome the deficiencies...and I have drills coming out of my ears :) 

This beautiful old craftsman was rescued from the trash. 

I bought the drill stand some 25+ years ago when I had the idea to make a lathe using a drill as the motor. I never got around to it, and luckily I knew where I put the stand.

I did not have to make the top hood/shield because it came with the drill stand, what luck! Oh, and the little table is from one of my bench grinders, I made a jig for sharpening, so this tool rest was up for grabs.

Here is a closer view:

This is a really cool little machine because of the tracking and tensioning systems. 

This is the belt tracking system. It consists of a bolt with flats ground on the end, and that fits into a larger sleeve. There is a pivot pin soldered in the middle. To track the belt, you just loosen the lower screw and then move the top screw in or out depending on which way the belt wants to wander. HA! It really works :)

The spring is the tensioning system. The rod is threaded with a wing nut and you tighten it for more tension on the belt. The little table "borrowed" from my grinder is fully adjustable.

I was very lucky to acquire a full set of Scale Cabinetmaker magazines in pristine condition, and I don't dare dog-ear the pages. I put bookmarks of everything I'm interested in and make copies in a binder, take it down into the shop and have a "book" of projects I want to do.

I know some of you have expressed that when I talk about tools your eyes glaze over, but this is an important part of me and my miniature business, being able to fill a need. Necessity is the mother of invention as they say. Some plans are my own, others are not. I love building tools and jigs.