Strange question re: Oscillating Spindle Sander

[Jay Michaels]

I have this oscillating spindle sander and it's great:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...f_rd_i=desktop

It is branded as a "WEN", although through research before the purchase, it became clear that this spindle sander is essentially simply a re-branded version of the same foreign-built sander that is offered under many names, including ShopFox, Grizzly, Triton, Rockwell, and others.

Last week, I spun the nut off the top of the spindle bolt and as I did so, it slipped right off and bounced into a tiny crevice between a massive old shop bench and the wall. Suffice it to say, the nut will not be retrieved any time before I move out of the house.

I don't intend to lug the sander to the hardware store to match it up with a new nut, but I need to know the size of the nut or the spindle bolt so I can purchase a replacement nut. I'm away from the shop today and I'm hoping to stop at a hardware store later to grab the replacement.

Any chance anyone knows the size of this bolt or nut? I greatly appreciate any assistance that is offered!

[Grant Wilkinson]

I have a similar sander, branded Craftex (Busy Bee in Canada). The nut on mine is M8 - 1.25 Left hand thread.

[Mike Ontko]

...I spun the nut off the top of the spindle bolt and as I did so, it slipped right off and bounced into a tiny crevice between a massive old shop bench and the wall.

It never ceases to amaze me how often those little things that you drop end up finding their way into the hardest to reach places.

[Chris Padilla]

I suggest a magnet to retrieve it. Ought be doable. If a nut can fall into this spot, surely a magnet of similar size on a string can as well! I suggest a rare earth one.

Hmmmm, I wonder if the magnet or nut would cost more and how quickly to find either the nut or magnet. Good Luck either way.

[Myk Rian]

It never ceases to amaze me how often those little things that you drop end up finding their way into the hardest to reach places.

Murphy's law.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

It never ceases to amaze me how often those little things that you drop end up finding their way into the hardest to reach places.

.....and if it is something like your car sitting in the middle of the garage..it will find the exact center of the car........

Murphy's law.

Amen!

I suggest a magnet to retrieve it. Ought be doable. If a nut can fall into this spot, surely a magnet of similar size on a string can as well! I suggest a rare earth one.

Hmmmm, I wonder if the magnet or nut would cost more and how quickly to find either the nut or magnet. Good Luck either way.

I agree Chris. I'd try a magnet first.

[Grant Wilkinson]

If you can't get a magnet close enough, attach a piece of cheese cloth over the end of you shop vac nozzle and see it you can suck it up.

[Larry Browning]

I have a similar sander, branded Craftex (Busy Bee in Canada). The nut on mine is M8 - 1.25 Left hand thread.

I'm hoping to stop at a hardware store later to grab the replacement.

I hope it is a big hardware store, that sounds like it will be pretty hard to find.

[Bruce Page]

Every shop should have one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Master-Magneti...scoping+magnet

[Jay Michaels]

I have a similar sander, branded Craftex (Busy Bee in Canada). The nut on mine is M8 - 1.25 Left hand thread.

Fantastic - thank you.

Thank you all for the input - I appreciate it. Believe it or not, an Ace Hardware a few blocks from my office tells me on the phone that they do indeed have this nut - with the left hand thread - on the shelf for all of $.023

As much as I'd love to go digging behind the workbench, I'm more accepting of parting with a short walk and $0.23 versus the time (and likely frustration) it would take to fish this out, so off to Ace I go.

Thanks again - I really appreciate all the input.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jay,

I'm not surprised. I bought a cheap grinder from Woodcraft. It had a balance issue that turned out be due to the hole in a nut (holding one of the grinding wheels on the arbor) wasn't perpendicular to the surface of the nut. Thus when you tightened the nut, there was about 30-40% of the surface of the nut not making contact with the grinding wheel. It allowed the wheel to wobble and it made it out of balance. My local ACE hardware had a left-handed nut for the arbor shaft. The Woodcraft store where I bought it is 110 miles away. I really didn't want to return it!

[Jay Michaels]

Just closed the deal at a local ACE for a grand total of under $1. Money well spent.

[Chris Padilla]

Kudos to ACE Hardware!! Glad you got things fixed quickly AND cheaply!

[Paul Wunder]

Welllll........does the nut fit? Inquiring minds want to know

[Jay Michaels]

When I get home, I'll tell you!