Building a Plywood Belt Sander Tool Sharpening Jig and Tool Rest

A simple jig made from scrap wood allows you to turn your old shop sander into a tool sharpener.

I always thought my benchtop belt sander would make a decent sharpening station, but I could never find a blade-holding jig designed for it. So, I made one from scrap. It’s simply a plywood base with a framework that fits over the tool. I made a tool-rest by ripping a piece of 2 x 4 at a 25-degree angle to match my chisel and plane iron bevels. To use the jig, I hold my blades bevel down on the rest and against a registration block, then I slide the blade gently onto the spinning belt. The sander puts a fresh edge on my blades in short order.