> Dave has already mentioned the disk from Sears. Think of a 10 inch saw
> blade with no teeth, and a circular sheet of sandpaper glued to the side
> of it. Very simple and effective. I'm using a ShopSmith, which uses a
> mehcanical variable speed device to allow a single motor unit to power
> several different tools. With this it is very easy to turn the RPMs down
> for good sanding. My sanding disk is an aluminum plate which mounts
> directly on the motor when I remove the arbor for the saw blade. It works
> the same.

> The speed I use for the sanding disk is in the range of speeds used for
> drilling, which suggests that a flat sanding disk might be chucked into a
> drill press. A wedge shaped jig could be secured to the drill press table,
> or that table could be tilted. The end of the strip to be scarfed would be
> aligned on the table or jig, and the feed mechanism of the drill press
> could be used to lower the sanding disk. The strip would sit still and the
> sanding wheel would grind off the end of the strip, giving a long tapering
> edge.

> Or, if you have a way of mounting your RO sander, you could use that (a
> little more slowly). a solid backing plate for the sandpaer would be
> desirable.

> A jig to hold a belt sander would be nice, too.

> I'm considering a jig that owuld let me use a thickness planer, but I am
> not sure if I could go all the way through a 1/4 inch strip on one pass.
> Might need two jigs -- which would be nothing more than angles cut from
> 2x4 stock. Secure the strip to the jig and pass it through the planer with
> the cutters set about 3 1/2 inches above the table. The rest of the strir
> goe through with no problem, but the end held on the jig is planed to form
> an angled end, taking off aobut 1/8 th inch, maximum from the end of the
> strip. Pop that strip on a jig that is 1/8th inch thicker than the first,
> and the planer finishes making the cut for the scarf.

> Hope this helps.

> Paul G. Jacobson

> PGJ

Thanks Paul, You've given me a numer of ideas ... the only scarfing jig i"ve tried to make was with a router, and it was a little too unwieldly to do a number of strips if I make a stripper from less than full lenth lumber. John