Hey there, DIY enthusiasts! Have you ever found yourself with an old hard disk drive (HDD) and wondered what to do with it? Well, a clever individual has come up with a fantastic idea to repurpose an old HDD into a variable speed disc sander. This project is not only a great way to recycle old tech but also to create a useful tool for various DIY tasks.

Here's a quick rundown of the project:

➀ The project starts with an old HDD, such as the WD Caviar Blue WD1600AAJS, which is a 2009 model offering 160GB of storage.

➁ You'll need a few additional components, including a 30A Drone ESC, a servo tester, a 12V socket, and some sandpaper.

➂ The HDD is disassembled, and the ESC is soldered to the drive power pads. The cables are then threaded to the front of the disc sander project.

➃ The 12V power socket and variable speed potentiometer circuit are wired up as shown in the video.

➄ For a clean build, the metal lid is repurposed to expose only the spinning disc, which helps secure the power socket and variable speed knob.

➅ Finally, the abrasive material is mounted to the spinning disc surface using glue and a rough piece of what looks like aluminum oxide paper.

Some viewers suggested adding a Velcro surface to the HDD disc for easier sandpaper renewal or switching grades.

While this upcycled HDD disc sanding tool may not be a direct competitor to commercial devices, it could be quite useful for smaller scale tasks like sharpening nail scissors or reshaping small wooden spatulas.