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I admit to being easily pleased by simple ideas. I recently sold a large old wide belt sander that I'd had for nearly 20 years. It had miserable door latches. My new sander works great, but the door latches are just plain stupid. A friend mentioned just using a magnet instead of the latch. I first placed the magnet near the latch and the door was nearly impossible to open, but I moved it to where it is in the photo and it holds just right. Works great and I'm sure would be great on a lot of metal doors. Not a new idea, but new to me.

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“ The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away” Pablo Picasso

Bob, what kind of sander did you get?


Pat

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Pat

I used a magnet to do the opposite. When the lifting spring gave out on the door of the washer/dryer I placed a magnet on the bottom of the dryer to hold the top loading washer door open (when loading clothes) until I could get a new spring. It worked so well I didn't bother to replace the spring!

I love insetting those round rare earth magnets into wooden jigs and such. An appropriately sized Forstner bit set at the right depth on the drill press, a little CA glue, and Bob's your uncle. Very handy.

One thing to watch out for: Wear and tear. Those little magnets are not invulnerable. They can chip if they get dinged.

Yes, they are very handy! You do have to watch out for them inadvertently picking up stuff. Many times I thought that I had lost some screws or Allen wrenches, but they were stuck to a magnet somewhere.

Pat

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Pat

Pat- After a lot of dithering, I bought a Shop Fox 20". I had a 24" Sunhill for at least 20 years and a 24" Kuster before that. The Shop Fox has shorter belts, 48" as opposed to 75" on the previous machines, but that has not been a problem. Belt wear is still acceptable. I've used it extensively since I got it in November and it's doing well. I like it.--Bob

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“ The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away” Pablo Picasso

Hi Bob,

I have the Grizzly 18" which has the same stupid door latches-I will have to try the magnets great idea!

I used the tape magnets on my grizzly

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it