HI,
I am considering the purchase of the Kate Wolf belt sander. I haven’t
been able to track down which models of Foredom flex shaft it fits
and wondered if anyone was using it. Is it worth the almost $200
price tag and is it inconvenient having it attach to your flex shaft?
I am not a production jeweler but do make enough jewelry to get tired
of filing and sanding.
Thanks
Barbara
Barbara,
I have had Kate’s belt sander for several years. I use three
different grits. It saves a tremendous amount of time and I recommend
it. Be careful as you are learning; it can quickly file down edges.
Kate Wolf is very approachable. You can call or email and describe
your possible uses and she will honestly answer your questions.
MA
Barbara If money is an issue, a 30" belt sander from Harbor Freight
works well. I buy a new one every year and half and it is less than
$50. I’ve used one constantly for 30 years. I also use a 3M grey
deburring wheel, fine grit on my buffing machine to do all my
sanding for me. Due to repetitive hand injuries, I can’t emery the
way I used to decades ago. Even emerying hard for a day will set me
back a week or more. The 3Mdeburring wheel makes emerying a snap to
do and the 30" belt sander does the job of filing quickly. It uses a
30" x 1" sanding belt. Just an option. Joy HI, I am considering the
purchase of the Kate Wolf belt sander. I haven’t been able to track
down which models of Foredom flex shaftit fits and wondered if
anyone was using it. Is it worth the almost $200 price tag and is it
inconvenient having it attach to your flex shaft? I am not a
production jeweler but do make enough jewelry to get tired offiling
and sanding. Thanks Barbara
I have two of the Wolf Belt Sanders. One is hooked up and in use all
the time (the other one is ‘just in case’). I had been hunting for
something like them for years but nothing was the right size or
price. These are perfect forme and I wholeheartedly endorse them. You
will find that Kate Wolf makes wonderful and innovative tools and is
an excellent teacher as well. (I am not affiliated - just a
satisfied customer) Susan
Hi Barbara,
I’ve got one too. It’ll hook up to a standard foredom flex-shaft
connector. As far as the flex-shaft is concerned, it’s just a funny
looking handpiece.
If you have a GRS rig, you really want to get the attachment that
lets it mount in the benchmate’s holder ring. Easily the best way to
hold the beast, and it swaps in and out in seconds.
I’ve got mine on a dedicated high-torque flex shaft, so I don’t plug
and unplug it very often. I had one of the old right-angle CC’s, and
stuck the sander on the high-torque/low speed side of it. Works
great. I once swapped it onto one of the other flex-shafts that was
reversible, so I could run it “backwards” which turned into
effectively forwards, as I was running it upside down too, to get
into the corner of an odd part. Quite a useful little thing.
FWIW,
Brian
I have had a Kate Wolf sander since I bought it at the Chicago SNAG
convention. I have a dedicated flex shaft for it because I use it
quite frequently and didn’t want to have to hook and unhook. I
bought a new flex shaft that had the reversible option and uses my
older flex shaft for the sander. It is worth every penny.
Susan Thornton
Thornton Metals Studio
The sander does need to be mounted on a bench. If you have the GRS
Bench Mate
system, Kate makes an adaptor that allows you to adjust the angle.
The sander is robustly made and works very well. It takes the same
shaft connection as most Foredom hanpieces.
Yes, I like mine.
The only problem is the lack of belt adjustment.
Seems a shame that it is not made with the GRS “benchmate” mounting
as an option, having to buy parts that I will never use seems rather
wasteful & an added expense.
MChapman
I love my Kate Wolf Belt sander and it does save a lot of time. I’m
not a production jeweler either, however, I use it enough that I have
an inexpensive flexshaft motor and foredom #30 that I dedicate to it.
It makes curves so easy and makes quick work of straight flat edges
as well.
Have a great week,
Lynn
The Kate Wolf sander is very good. Ask Kate about the hand pieces it
fits. I think it will go on a lot of them. I am using it on my
quick- change hand piece.
M’lou
Love my KW Belt Sander. I keep it attached to a dedicated flex shaft
machine, 'cause I use it so much and don’t want to be bothered
switching it out.
Linda Kaye-Moses
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep8140 Love the thing, although, I use
it very little these days after upgrading my Burr Kings to a Bader
III with various diameter contact wheels.
P@
My modifications to the Wolf Sander… sorry should have included
this with the previous email.
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep8141
P@
I do not use my Kate Wolf belt sander all that often, but when I
need it it is hanging on the end of my bench, and only takes seconds
to drop it into the GRS using the adaptor it came with, and to snap
the end of shaft of either one of my Foredom into it. It does not
require a handpiece, as the flex shaft snaps directly into it.
Like many of my tools, including the extra GRS accessories that are
not in use, it hangs on a piece of PVC screwed on the end of the
bench where Ican grab i without even looking.
As for lack of belt adjustment, mine has a third, center "wheel"
that adjusts the belt tension.
As with her other tools, it is a well thought out, well built, and
easy to use tool. I also own her drill press that fits the #30
Foredom handpiece, as well as her adjustable trimming table that
also fits the #30 handpiece and the GRS BenchMate system.
Hi!
I have a Kate Wolf belt sander and Love it! I highly recommend it…
Lesley
Thank you so much for all the responses to the Kate Wolf belt
sander. It can be difficult to decide on a tool that you haven’t seen
whether to invest in it or not. I appreciate the and
details that so many of you have given me about it. Barbara
The Kate Wolf sander is very good. Ask Kate about the hand pieces it fits. I think it will go on a lot of them. I am using it on my quick- change hand piece.
Oh, duh, I take any hand piece OFF to put on the sander!!
M’lou
It looks very cool. You would have to dedicate one shaft for it or
it would drive you nuts and it wouldn’t be used