Rockwell Belt Sander

[rcarmac]

Does anyone have one of these old Rockwell 1” Belt Sander/Grinder like this one

One of my idler wheels broke. From reading online, seems like a common problem with these machines, but it seems really hard to find replacement parts that doesn’t cost $40 per wheel. Trying to decide if it’s worth fixing.

wanted to see if anyone else is using this machine and if the hard to make any repairs or not.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Just a thought: Could you make a wheel on the lathe, using a piece of very dense, hard wood, or something like baltic birch plywood?

 

[junquecol]

Buy a pair of roller skates at yard sale / thrift store. You will wind up with not only a single idler, but seven spares. Just don't get sidewalk skates with steel wheels. Check over a OWWM's web site. I'm sure someone else has to fix this problem.

 

[bob vaughan]

Jim Liechty of Ft. Wayne IN was making those wheels and selling them on eBay.

That sander, the 31-351 (basic machine $151.00 in 1987) or the 31-352 (machine with motor $281.00 in 1987) were rather expensive and well made back in the day. Adjusted for inflation that $281.00 1987 dollars equals $636.81 in 2018 dollars. If the added expense of those wheels becomes unbearable, list that sander on craigslist. There are a lot of people out there that have had their Taiwan Tool sander experience and will be willing take a chance that very popular and sought after sander.​