Well, for a long time I've been one to declare that the only thing a handheld belt sander was good for, was to ruin a fine piece of wood! I've hated those things for a long time. I did however make an arrow dowel-er from one once, but that's about it. Everytime I get one of those things out, and try to use it, there goes a big trench down a costly piece of wood because I tilted it wrong or something got between the belt and the wood....etc., etc., etc!

But today I figured out something a handheld belt sander was good for. A redneck thickness sander! LOL!
I mounted it to a small platform and not only can I thickness my bow lams and dulcimer tops, backs, and sides with it, I can also sand my risers to shape on the end roller.
With the 36 grit sanding belts it sure makes quick work of even the red oak I was playing around with.
Later, I'm gonna rout me a 1/4" wide slot in an arch in the top, and use a carriage bolt through the guage block and the table, with a wing nut on top, so I can have infinite adjustment for thicknessing. Right now I just have a large wood screw in each end. I barely loosen the screw closest to the belt, and remove the back one, and swing the tail end over 1/4" and then re-tighten.......which I found amounts to about .010" in thickness. But that's as close as I can go by relocating the wood screw with wallowing out the holes by getting them too close. Other then that, it works great!

Here's a few photos:

LOL, looks like something I would build.. Hey if it works then great..

Hey Bobby, How did you mount your sander down?

I want to know that too

I like it....

Needs duct tape to be redneck..

The side of the sander that is facing down, is purt near flat. It has a triangle shaped cover for the belt that makes an approx. 5" per side triangle. It is held on with three screws with threads similar to a wood screw that are about 1/2" long. I just drilled matching holes in the 3/4" plywood, and run 3 wood screws 1-1/4" long and the same diameter, right through the holes of the plywood, and through the cover, and tightened them up.I had to shim the one hole to make it square with the little table I made for it, with a simple flat washer. Also, the cover was vented, so i drilled a couple 1-1/4" holes in the plywood base to help it get some air.

My only complaint, is my vacuum don't pick up like it should. I'm gonna have to cipher a remedy for that. Maybe I'll find some use for duct tape!

Well that is cool a homemade belt sander. God I love this site. I seen something similar on another sight, they just used the sanding part for the motor was dead. So they were about to mount the just that to the table and put a new motor under it. But I like yours no need to buy a new motor.
Thanks for the Ideal,