Drum Sander Questions

[LarryG]

A couple of Qs for those of you who own drum sanders, especially Performax models, as I'm getting close to taking the plunge:

1. What grits do you find most useful; i.e., what will I want to have on hand, as a minimum, to get started?

2. Do you have and/or recommend the optional infeed/outfeed extension tables?

Thanks very much!

[MBG]

I have the small 10/20. I've only had it for about 6-months. I have read that 150 grit is what most recommend to use. To my surprise, most run a ROS with finer grit quickly over the boards after the drum sander. You do need in/out support. I adapted a double roller drill press support from Woodcraft to support my work - works great.


Mike

[MikeMcCoy]

16/32 here Larry - I did the multiple bit thing when I first got it but now I run either 100 or 120. I work a lot of cherry and was getting a fair amount of burning with the higher grits. ROS needs to be run for the finish anyway.

[Tom Miller]

I've got the 10/20, and would recommend 80, 120, 180 for starters. I happen to have coarser and finer than those, too, but don't tend to use them much.

The 80 grit will help you get through planer tearout, as well as erasing bandsaw blade marks, within a few passes. Then, progress to the 120 and 180. If the stock is pretty decent to begin with, maybe you'll start at the 120 or the 180.

I also have, and use, 220 grit. But the jury is out on the usefulness of that, as I still tend to hit the parts with the 220 ROS afterwards. Perhaps the ROS work goes faster because I go up to 220 on the DS.

I don't have any experience with the optional in/outfeed tables, but I made an infeed table for mine. And now, I wouldn't use the sander without it. The rollers on either side of the drum are nothing like those on a planer; they provide very minimal force. You will get some major snipe if you're not careful. I usually set up temporary outfeed support on a workbench, etc.

Also, I recommend buying non-precut rolls of abrasives at Klingspor -- way more for your money compared to the precut Performax-branded stuff. And if you toast your feed belt, Klingspor's got you covered for way less $$, too.
Regards,
Tom

[Tundra_Man]

I've got the Performax 10-20.

I'm lazy and don't like changing the paper, so I keep mine loaded with 80 grit and do all my finer sanding later with the ROS. I just use the Performax to remove band saw marks and smooth other extremely rough surfaces.

I don't have the in-out feed tables. Most of my work is on pieces less than four feet long, so using my hands for support is easy enough.

[Ken Massingale]

I'll echo what most have said already. I use 80-100 to remove bandsaw marks and other heavy marks. The ROS is needed anyway after the DS.
Tom nailed it suggesting Klingspor, it's a lot cheaper and the Performax paper says Klingspor on the back. Get the rolls not the precut.

[Brian G]

About a year ago I did a quick price comparison of sources of sandpaper rolls for drum sanders.

Summary in this post

Those were 2006 prices, but it looks like little has changed. The post references www.supergrit.com as the source from which I bought rolls by the yard. I don't know how long a "wrap" lasts under normal use; I'm just about finished with a mobile cart for my drum sander. I've had the thing for almost a year, and I have not used it yet!

I like that Supergrit sells by the yard. I couldn't justify having multiple grits of $80 rolls sitting around taking up space.

[RodKirby]

I found this stabilizer made a difference.

As you use the sander (I think), you'll find the very small amount of flex irritating.

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=27513

[drumpriest]

I run stuff through my 16-32 a few times per setting, which will help reduce the affect of that small amount of flex.

I run 80 grit most of the time, use it mostly to remove bandsaw marks on veneer, and make them 1/16" for marquetry. I've also used it for some panel glue ups.

I think in infeed and outfeed would be helpful if you are mostly using it to flatten panel glue-ups.