# Wood working engineer types **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 2, 2016, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wood-working-engineer-types/750943 "2016-04-02T17:36:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wood-working-engineer-types/750943/1 "2016-04-02T17:36:02Z")
I am working on an adaptor for my 6" belt sander that will turn it into a precision thickness sander. Everything seems to be working pretty well except for the feed speed which I am doing by hand. I am thinking because it is allready on a slope I could use a gravity feed as not much pressure is required to feed it through. My question is I need the slickest surfaces possible to allow these items to slide. My material will be sitting on a 36" metal sled that weighs about 1# and the feed platform is on about a 20 degree angle. What material for slick surfaces should I be looking at? ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wood-working-engineer-types/750943/2 "2016-04-02T17:39:11Z")
Teflon all the way. They make them already from Burmeister I think they are called slick strips or something. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wood-working-engineer-types/750943/3 "2016-04-02T18:03:14Z")
HDPE. High Density Polyethylene. Low coefficient of friction, easily available, easy to machine and quite resistant to wear and chemicals. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wood-working-engineer-types/750943/4 "2016-04-02T19:47:06Z")
Yep. HDPE is the stuff. You can buy it from plastics stockists, but an alternative, and good source is plastic chopping boards. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wood-working-engineer-types/750943/5 "2016-04-02T19:57:28Z")
HDPE is very good. Another choice is this [GPO-3](https://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=17913&step=4&showunits=inches&id=1264&top_cat=181) stuff which is used as sliding surface material in a variety of woodworking tools such as this [Incra table saw sled](http://www.rockler.com/incra-miter-express-miter-sled). ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wood-working-engineer-types/750943/6 "2016-04-02T19:58:01Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Yep. HDPE is the stuff. You can buy it from plastics stockists, but an alternative, and good source is plastic chopping boards. I actually have a dealer just about a mile from my house. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wood-working-engineer-types/750943/7 "2016-04-02T20:29:33Z")
I was going to suggest UHMW plastic (ultra high molecular weight polyethelene, aka UHMWPE). It’s actually rather close to HDPE - a bit tougher and somewhat harder to cut and shape (but still fairly easy). Teflon is very low friction, but is both expensive and easily damaged - probably not tough enough for this application. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wood-working-engineer-types/750943/8 "2016-04-02T20:35:02Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > HDPE is very good. Another choice is this [GPO-3](https://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=17913&step=4&showunits=inches&id=1264&top_cat=181) stuff which is used as sliding surface material in a variety of woodworking tools such as this [Incra table saw sled](http://www.rockler.com/incra-miter-express-miter-sled). Had to step away before. The reason to use the GPO-3 is that it’s much more dimensionally stable than HDPE or UHMW, and machines better as well. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wood-working-engineer-types/750943/9 "2016-04-02T22:15:04Z")
I did something really dumb, I was blaming an inconsistent feed on the little dips I was getting. It was actually my exit table was too short and it was high centering , I have nothing to hold it down on the exit side of the sanding drum. I still like the idea of a gravity feed though. Once the material went high center it would make a little dip and then start a slight taper in thickness all the way to the end, only a few thousands but still too much. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wood-working-engineer-types/750943/10 "2016-04-04T17:26:07Z")
[McMaster Carr](http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/122/3656/=11u5s8g) has UHMWPE with sticky back. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wood-working-engineer-types/750943/11 "2016-04-04T18:23:46Z")
> [@Paintcharge](#): > > [McMaster Carr](http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/122/3656/=11u5s8g) has UHMWPE with sticky back. They are a great company to work with, I often get my orders the same day I place them.