Another Zimmermann
Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 7:28 pm
I don't know about the rest of you but I tend to have a long list of tools, both hand tools and powered tools, in my mind. It's a list that shifts around a fair bit depending upon what sort of work i have been tackling of late.
With the many months of working bubinga and shedua on the cabinet, and more work on teak wheelbarrow #4 coming up, I've come to be interested in getting a small sanding machine for curved parts. For the longest time I have been looking at oscillating spindle sanders, aka bobbin sanders, however in the past half I year I have become aware of a type of Zimmermann sanding machine for shaping and profiling curved parts - the 'PS' for Profile Sander. They made a few different models of it. The smallest is the PS-0, which mounts atop a table. Then there is the PS-R, which is the same machine on a cabinet with vacuum built in and with switchable oscillation of the belt.
With the door open, you can see how the belt is routed - note that it goes up and over and down the bar fitted vertically to the work table:
Here's a link to a video of that machine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ca5HuEp8b4#t=56.739737
The next largest machine in the PS lineup is the PS-S (Standard), which has all the appearance of a bandsaw:
Clogging of a sanding belt, by the way, is one of the reasons this sort of machine may be preferred to a bobbin sander. Having a much, much greater abrading length means the belt on the larger PS machine runs cooler and lasts much longer:
Notice that the dust cover for the machine internals is cast iron.
A video of the same machine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atYXYj5TMds
Here's a detail showing a selection of different profile bars - many of the machines i have seen for sale in Europe however do not come with the different bars:
Then there is the PS-1, which only routes the sanding belt from below, however the overhead arm can be swung back, so as to allow the sanding of inside curves:
At the top of the range is the PS-1/2, which is a heavier duty version of the PS-1:
Believe it or not, I have made arrangements to buy a very nice PS-1/2, and it doesn't even involve importing from Europe. I found one down in PA, and it was purchased new in 1977 or so by a pattern shop, used only on one job. And it is loaded with accessory bars, and many many spare belts:
The table has a perfect planed finish and next to no wear:
I am not exactly flush with cash at the moment, however this is the first one of these I had ever seen come up for sale, and the price was reasonable at $3000, especially considering it's mind condition and that it would cost me twice that to import one from Europe (which effectively means I would be unlikely to ever make such an acquisition). So, I felt I had to find a way to swing it or I would likely never get the chance again. The seller, who was retiring from the business, agreed to a payment plan, and I have sent him a deposit, and hope to have it paid off in 3~4 months.
With the many months of working bubinga and shedua on the cabinet, and more work on teak wheelbarrow #4 coming up, I've come to be interested in getting a small sanding machine for curved parts. For the longest time I have been looking at oscillating spindle sanders, aka bobbin sanders, however in the past half I year I have become aware of a type of Zimmermann sanding machine for shaping and profiling curved parts - the 'PS' for Profile Sander. They made a few different models of it. The smallest is the PS-0, which mounts atop a table. Then there is the PS-R, which is the same machine on a cabinet with vacuum built in and with switchable oscillation of the belt.
With the door open, you can see how the belt is routed - note that it goes up and over and down the bar fitted vertically to the work table:
Here's a link to a video of that machine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ca5HuEp8b4#t=56.739737
The next largest machine in the PS lineup is the PS-S (Standard), which has all the appearance of a bandsaw:
Clogging of a sanding belt, by the way, is one of the reasons this sort of machine may be preferred to a bobbin sander. Having a much, much greater abrading length means the belt on the larger PS machine runs cooler and lasts much longer:
Notice that the dust cover for the machine internals is cast iron.
A video of the same machine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atYXYj5TMds
Here's a detail showing a selection of different profile bars - many of the machines i have seen for sale in Europe however do not come with the different bars:
Then there is the PS-1, which only routes the sanding belt from below, however the overhead arm can be swung back, so as to allow the sanding of inside curves:
At the top of the range is the PS-1/2, which is a heavier duty version of the PS-1:
Believe it or not, I have made arrangements to buy a very nice PS-1/2, and it doesn't even involve importing from Europe. I found one down in PA, and it was purchased new in 1977 or so by a pattern shop, used only on one job. And it is loaded with accessory bars, and many many spare belts:
The table has a perfect planed finish and next to no wear:
I am not exactly flush with cash at the moment, however this is the first one of these I had ever seen come up for sale, and the price was reasonable at $3000, especially considering it's mind condition and that it would cost me twice that to import one from Europe (which effectively means I would be unlikely to ever make such an acquisition). So, I felt I had to find a way to swing it or I would likely never get the chance again. The seller, who was retiring from the business, agreed to a payment plan, and I have sent him a deposit, and hope to have it paid off in 3~4 months.