Drill Mandrel/Adaptor for 5/8"x11 threads?

Kerry Burton

Member
Messages
1,163
Location
Orem, Utah
I admit it - I can be a cheapskate sometimes. :rolleyes:

I was in Harbor Freight yesterday (AFTER any crowds that may have been there in the morning) and spotted this item:

A540_1321_HarborFreight_SandingPadKit.jpg


I don't have a sanding pad system yet, and I should probably just drop $22 on the [3" Artisan Sanding Disc Starter Kit from CSUSA] ... but I was just wondering if this could be made to work.

The HF sanding kit is obviously designed for use with an angle grinder. I almost picked up an angle grinder for $10 (50% off) but I've only borrowed one a couple of times in the past ... and I didn't think it would work real well as a bowl sander. (11,000 RPM!?! :eek:)

The main problem with the HF sanding pad is getting it chucked into a drill. Does anyone know if "they" make an adaptor for mounting 5/8" x 11tpi accessories on a drill?
 
I think Carol has the right idea, but it would need to be refined a little more.

First, you will need to use a "5/8" bolt, (just so the threads will match better) Just teasing a bit Carol.

If you use a bolt, make sure the threads are cut concentric with the outside diameter of the shank. If they are not concentric, the bolt may be straight and run true in the chuck but the threads will make the pad wobble bad enouth to make using it hard to tolerate. I would recommend using a grade 5 or grade 8 bolt just beacuse these are usually made to higher tolerances. Also, you should cut the threads close enough to the shank of the bolt to allow enough room to use a lock nut behind the pad hub, so it will stay tight without bottoming inside the pad.

Of course, if you don't have a drill chuck with 5/8" capacity, you will need to turn down the bolt shank to 1/2" or 3/8" to fit your drill chuck. This will require access to a metal lathe. If you don;t have one, maybe a friend does and will do the turning for you.Don't try to file or grind the reduction f the shank. It would not come out right and won't work. (DAMHIKT)

If you keep the sanding pad close to the chuck you should have a decent arbor to work with.

Hope this helps,

Aloha, Tony
 
Thanks Carol - you were only off by 50% (or 100%, depending on how you look at it ;)). As it turns out, the HF clerk I talked to suggested the same idea of cutting the head off of a bolt. I didn't have enough experience with bolt threading standards, so it was hard for me to believe that anyone would use 11 threads per inch for anything but a custom (angle-grinder-only?) application.

But sure enough! [THIS TABLE] declares it to be the standard (coarse) thread for 5/8" bolts. Learn somethin' every day!

I had to run an errand right after I saw your answer. While I was gone I thought about how I could prevent a bolt from bottoming out in the HF sanding pad. I came up with the same answer as ...


... Tony! Thanks for your response. I have a question ... suppose I did the following:
1) Cut the head off a 5/8" bolt

2) Mount the threaded part of the bolt shaft into a scroll chuck on my woodturning lathe

3) Mount a drill bit in a Jacobs chuck in the tailstock and (hopefully) make a
"clean" divot in the center of the smooth end of the bolt

4) Replace the drill bit in the tailstock with my regular live center, and crank it firmly into the end of the bolt​
At this point, could I not use a file to reliably turn the shaft down to the size needed for my hand drill? I guess the problem would be getting the shaft to a consistent diameter, eh? :huh:

Hmmm ... is it possible that there's a commercially available solution out there? I haven't done much searching yet; I'll keep looking.
 
Kerry,

I will not say you can't do that, but I will say it will be difficult and not promising. While you could hold the bolt fairly true in your wood turning chuck, holding it by the threaded part might be inaccurate. If you were to get a good center pilot hole in the end of the bolt shank, as you described, you could hold the bolt true while turning it down. The only thing would be that how are you going to hold whatever you are turning the bolt down with solidly enough to stay concentric to the center? See what I mean?

If you had one of the old Craftsman wood lathes with the compound tool holders that were an accessory way back when, you sure could accomplish what we have been discussing.

And, I am sure any number of us in the family with metal turning lathes could probably have made you an adaptor during the time we have been talking about it, LOL. If you were close enough, I would gladly do one for you. But shipping it to you from here would probably be rediculous. Sorry.

If we were talking about a non-ferous metal now, you could just turn it like you do wood, but with real light cuts. A small diameter can turn fairly fast and do well. But steel, well Sir, that requires a slow speed and a strong tool holder.

Check around, there must be someone in your area who would do the part for you. I looked in several of my tooling catalogs and while the arbor/manderel you need WAS available a time ago, I can not find the right size now.

Wish I could have been more helpful.

Aloha, Tony
 
Last edited:
Wish I could have been more helpful.

No worries! Just talking things through is plenty helpful. Thanks, Tony! :thumb:

========

EDIT: Hey! I found one! (I think.) See the next-to-last table on [THIS PAGE]. (Part number DCA-1/2-5816) That would do the trick, yes?

EDIT 2: Figures ... the part is $5.90 and the shipping would be $7.61. Sigh....
 
Last edited:
Sorry about reading the diameter incorrectly. :doh:

Now I'm thinking that for bowl sanding, this whole assembly could get to be quite heavy. Unless your bowls are appropriately large as well. Mine are much smaller. I'm thinking 1 or 2 inch pads. :)

I had collected some skate wheels and thought I would make my own. Then I got to thinking that simply picking up a ready made mandrel for each grit would be easier. I know that isn't the cheapest way, but I have a brother who spends more money being a Cheap Charley [his term, and he prides himself on it!] that if he had bought quality in the first place. And he can afford to way more than I can!

He has become my reality check when I am thinking I am saving money by doing it myself. And I love making up stuff to do it myself. So I have to restrain my urge and spend my limited funds more wisely - which ain't always cheap. :thumb:

The skate wheels? Steady-rest, of course. :D
 
Ah, Kerry, That one won't work. "More worse" (Hawaiian slang) than Carol's mistake in size, this one is wrong in the threads per inch. A 16 thread stud won't go into an 11 thread hole, except for maybe 1 turn, if that. Good idea though. That would have been the ticket if they made it in 11 threads. Drill chucks usually have unusual threads for proprietary reasons, I guess.

I might be in agreement with Carol on what she said. It just may be best for you to bite the bullet and buy one of the sanding tools like Woodcraft or Rockler sells. I don't have one, yet, but I think I will be getting one of the 2" ones as I only have a mini lathe and turn small stuff on it. Try checking Amazon too. There may be something they have at a better price.

(Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with any of the above except as a customer.)

Aloha, Tony
 
Carol, I have to agree with you in some way. It makes sense to buy something you need to do a job, rather than take valuable time to make one that might work as well. I am a machinist and just enjoy building things, that mostly the average person has no idea how to make, nor the machinery to make. For me it's the joy of producing something out of raw materials or out of something completely unassociated with the final product. I think I'm not alone on this. Saving money is secondary, and usually doesn't happen anyway.

In this case with Kerry's sanding tool desire, I think if it were me trying it, I would be able to make what I needed in short order. But someone who does not have the metal working tools/machines, it is going to be way more hassle than it is worth.

"Keep on, keeping on." (I don't know who said that)

Aloha, Tony
 
Gosh, I wish you lived next door, Tony.

I love making my own tools. Before I decided to un-retire and come to seminary I bought myself a combo mill/drill from Grizzly. I wanted to make custom metal parts for the jigs I keep dreaming up. What I needed to do was to learn how to use the thing!

Well, next May I graduate. My brother has been 'storing' my mill/drill. I don't think he has used it much. I also don't think he knows much more than I do! So my machine will be coming home, and I still need to learn how to use it.

Since you don't live next door, got a line on any primers for would-be machinists?
 
Sorry about reading the diameter incorrectly. :doh:

No problem. Looks like we're equally human! :thumb:


Ah, Kerry, That one won't work. "More worse" (Hawaiian slang) than Carol's mistake in size, this one is wrong in the threads per inch. A 16 thread stud won't go into an 11 thread hole, except for maybe 1 turn, if that.

Sigh ... it's a good thing the shipping cost was a deal breaker, eh? :doh:
 
Thanks for the "bump" Tony ... I totally missed M Toupin's post.:doh:

Thanks for the link, M! :thumb:

========

EDIT: Has anyone ordered from these guys before? If so, how did you do it? :huh: Do you really have to call or email for a quote? :(
 
Last edited:
Top