A Line in the Wood

If you thought belt sanders were just for sanding wood, you’d be wrong. Nope, in the spirit of American ingenuity and, well, competition, belt sanders can also be used to race against each other since they will move themselves forward if you lock their triggers. Rockler Woodworking and Hardware will host its eighth annual Belt Sander Race today with three divisions: stock, vintage and modified.

“People decorate them and put guidance systems on them so they don’t bounce around,” says store manager Rich Johnson, who first heard about belt sander races years ago in Boston. (The hobby claims fans and clubs nationwide.) “It’s a lot of fun.”

Rockler’s seventy-foot track consists of sheets of plywood connected and separated by two-by-fours. Winners (who get $50 gift cards!) are determined using an electronic eye like the ones Cub Scout troops use for their pinewood derbys.

Registration starts today at 9 a.m.; the race and a tool swap, with free hot dogs and sodas, go from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the store, 2553 South Colorado Boulevard. It’s $20 to enter; proceeds benefit Excelsior Youth Centers, a residential treatment program for girls ages eleven to eighteen with emotional and behavior problems. Spectating is free; for more information, call 303-782-0588.
Sat., May 2, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 2009