Tablesaw mounted disc sander?

[TDKPE]

Got any pics or advice?

I've been wanting to do this myself.

My Dad or Granddad did this on what's now my lathe at least 50 years ago, which is when I started using it.  It's just a pipe flange and piece of schedule 40 pipe, stuck into the banjo.  It could use a better table, but to be honest, with a little shimming of the flange to get it square, there's really not much more that could be done. 

The disc is an original Delta sanding disc, which in turn is an aluminium casting bolted to their standard small faceplate. 

What I like about it is that I can run it at any speed I want, and with the motor and control rework I did some years ago, on the lowest belt speed I can slow it to a crawl with the VFD for sanding certain plastics, like polypropylene cutting boards, which tend to melt rather than sand if the blade or grit speed is too high (high density polyethylene, or HDPE, sands more like wood, though).

I have dust collection behind the lathe, which can be brought right to the disc, but when I took those pics, the extension was removed for spindle sanding on a long piece, down at the tailstock end.  It's just a  6" round duct to my cyclone, but it pulls so much air from just below the table that virtually nothing escapes.

   

   

[Cooler]

I have one of these.  Sears used to sell them and they sold the sanding discs too.  The motor on my Contractors II does not have a lot of torque and you can bog it down a bit.  

I used it to true up miters.  I later bought a Lion Miter trimmer which works better.  

Alternatively, rig a stand and table to hold your random oscillating sander.  It would take one afternoon and would be pretty easy and cheap to produce.  Large hose clamps will hold the ROS in a cradle.

[DogwoodTales]

If side pressure on the arbor from a sanding dic is a concern then the same would apply for using the ts for cove cutting.
I've wondered about the rpm issue though. Seems to me that at 3000 rpm one wouldn't need lower grit paper.

[GeorgeV]

I watched some videos on youtube and saw them using their tablesaw as a disc sander.  Looks like you take off the blade and replace it with this 10" (?) plate.

I looked them up--looks like several different companies make these.  Can anyone recommend one over the other?  Do they attach with hook&loop (velcro)?

Where is the best place to get the replacement discs (the sandpaper)?

Colin

I mounted my 10" sanding disk on my lathe and made a table that fits in my tool rest. The paper is cut from full sheets and put on with removable adhesive.