Frequently Asked Questions
How do I Cut Gratings... ?
How do I operate the Micro-Precision Thickness Sander?
How do I Cut Gratings ?
Fine gratings for ship hatches (or for any other purpose) can be
fabricated with the Preac system to any scale with a minimum of difficulty.
The first step is to bring the wood selected to the proper
thickness on the Preac Thickness Sander depending on
the scale requirements. It would be best to sand the wood to a thickness of
.001" or .002" thinner than the thickness of the blade being used. Blades are available in a variety of thickness
to meet nearly any requirement.
After the required thickness is attained, the wood should then
be ripped to the proper width on the table saw, then cut to the required length. The
length should be no longer than the longest side of the hatch so that there is enough wood
to hold onto when cutting the last few notches.
When the strips are ready the next step is to cut the notches to
half the depth of the width of the wood strips. The blade elevating screw will
be helpful in this step of the operation. Begin cutting the notches about 1/8"
from the end of the strip using the miter gauge set 90 degrees to the blade to guide and
support the wood while using the fence as a stop. Cut the first notch in all of the
strips (notches may be cut several strips at a time). The next step is to move the
fence to the right, twice the thickness of the material (if the openings are to be
square). The fine
adjusting screw for the fence is necessary for this step of the operation. This
is accomplished by using a spacer of two pieces of the strips that are being cut and
placing them between the adjusting screw and the fence and lightly tightening the screw
against the material that is placed against the fence. The next step is to remove
the material carefully so as not to move the screw and loosen the fence and slide it over
to the adjusting screw and retighten the fence. The strips of wood are now ready for
the next set of notches.
This procedure is repeated until there are enough notches to
obtain the size hatch required. The strips can be cut to size and framed. The
finished hatch can then be sanded on both sides to obtain a flat surface to the required
thickness. Dense woods with fine grain (boxwood, apple, Swiss pear) work best.
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1. Plug the sander into any 3 prong 115v AC outlet.
The switch is
located on the power cord so that the sander can be placed in a convenient location.
2. The adjusting screw is not secured to the base to allow for easier
shipping. When setting up the sander the front of the machine must overhang the
workbench so that the adjusting screw can be inserted in the threaded hole from below.
3. To raise or lower the sanding table, unlock the two red knobs holding
the locking plates to the side of the table. The table may then be raised or lowered
by turning the adjusting screw under the base. Retighten the locking screws when the
desired thickness is reached.
4. To adjust the thickness, bring the table and work up to the sanding
sleeve. Take a trial cut by slowly and evenly feeding the wood thru the sander from
the front of the machine. Check the thickness of the wood and raise the table as
necessary to obtain the desired thickness. Raise the table only a fraction of a turn
at a time. Do not try to remove to much material in one pass. Do not force the
wood. One complete revolution of the screw will raise the table .050 in.
When
feeding wood through the sander, do not let go of the wood until you can reach around back
of the machine and pull it through the remainder of the way. DO NOT FEED WOOD IN
THROUGH THE REAR OF THE MACHINE.
5. After taking a test cut, check the wood for parallelism from side to
side. If an adjustment is necessary, loosen the 2 cap screws on the hinge bar and
adjust them on the side necessary. Adjust a little at a time until the cut is
parallel. Do not over-tighten the screws.
6. To change sanding sleeves, unplug the machine from the outlet and
remove the cover. Loosen the 1/2-20 Left Hand Nut on the shaft with a the wrench
provided by holding the pulley and belt. You will have to remove the belt guard to
gain access to the pulley and belt by removing the socket screw that holds the belt guard
in place. Remove 2 1/4-20 socket cap screws that secure the right side of the
support plate and remove the plate. Slide off the sanding sleeve and replace.
Replace the side plate and retighten the Left Hand Nut until the sleeve is secure.
Do not over tighten. Replace all guards.
8. The belt should not be too tight.
Tighten only enough to prevent
the belt from slipping when sanding. Do not let the belt guard contact the belt.
9. Never operate the machine without the guards in place.
Always
wear safety goggles and dust mask when operating the sander.
10.. Clear sawdust from around the motor area frequently while the motor is
stopped. Use a vacuum attachment when sanding to avoid excessive build-up of
sawdust. The vacuum hose plugs into the top of the sanding guard.
11. The motor is thermally protected and will automatically turn itself
off if it should overheat. Turn the switch off and wait for the internal
thermocouple to reset before trying to reuse the sander.
12. Use a cleaning stick to prolong the life of the sanding sleeve.
To use, remove the cover and lightly press against the sleeve while going back and forth
while the drum is turning.
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