What machine/tool/process would anyone recommended to sand rebar into smooth bars?

[Cwconlon]

I use rebar in most of my builds. It is very cheap but it has a rustic look. An expensive upgrade is smooth aluminum or steel spindles. I have a large 89” edge sander but holding rebar to it would put my fingers in some danger. I’m sure there is a great technique or a machine that will solve this for me. Doing so would lower my material cost quite a bit. Any advice is welcome. Thanks!

[KyleD]

It would not take much length of this rebar grinding you want to do to make a trip to your local steel shop for a length of cold rolled round bar the more economical source. If you want to use your sander a ceramic  36 grit belt would last much longer than the aluminum oxide (AO) normally used for wood. You can probably buy around three AO belts for the price of one ceramic but the ceramic will still out-cut and outlast the AO.
 
 If you are thinking short lengths and convenience you can safely sand the rebar on your sander. Chuck a piece of the rebar into a drill. You may have to shape the end with a grinder until it fits. Take a scrap block of 2 by 4 and cut a V notch into it and use this to push the rebar into the belt sander while rotating the rebar with the drill. If you cut the V notch a little off center you can use the block on both edges so you are not always sanding on the same spot of the belt.

[Cooler]

If the rebar is sufficiently straight you could put it on a lathe and use a grinder mounted on a tool holder. 

We have one in our shop at work. 

I doubt that it is going to be logical to grind rebar.  I assume you are choosing rebar for the low cost of steel. Smoothing the rebar surface is going to be too much work and too much iron oxide dust to be worthwhile.

Keep in mind that breathing that dust is not wise:  https://www.diversitech.ca/industrial-so...-deburring

[Roly]

I get the feeling it is a spammer. Just sounds odd to have a 89" edge sander that you would use to grind rebar.   Roly

[TDKPE]

I get the feeling it is a spammer. Just sounds odd to have a 89" edge sander that you would use to grind rebar.   Roly

My first impression, too, but a lot of detail was included which is unusual with spammers posting place holders.  

[stav]

Make a jig to hold the bar while you run it against the sander.

[AHill]

I use rebar in most of my builds. It is very cheap but it has a rustic look. An expensive upgrade is smooth aluminum or steel spindles. I have a large 89” edge sander but holding rebar to it would put my fingers in some danger. I’m sure there is a great technique or a machine that will solve this for me. Doing so would lower my material cost quite a bit. Any advice is welcome. Thanks!

Belt sander with 40 grit paper.

[Cabinet Monkey]

I cannot imagine a scenario in which the sandpaper and your time needed to “sand down” rebar to smooth will be more economical than buying smooth bar.

And, that’s before you factor in wear and tear and depreciation on your sander.  

Then there’s the dust that will be created from this questionable endeavor. How you gonna handle all that ? 


If this is a business , the customer is paying the material anyway.  If it’s a charity, change your design. If it’s a hobby, just pay the freight.  

Or change your design.

[Wild Turkey]

Cold rolled steel, as opposed to "hot rolled" doesn't have the mill scale that has to be ground off for a good finish.

It's price from a steel supplier should be reasonable but you may have to buy a 20' stick.  

That's what I would do instead of risking sanding my knuckles and fingertips!

[Willyou]

There is such a thing as "smooth rebar". It is used in concrete work mainly as "dowels" to allow movement in adjoining slabs. I have no idea if it is the same steel or cost as cold rolled bars or not.