Drum sander or belt sander?

[Carlos]

Yes, I know they are quite different, yet both are sanders and there are crossovers. We currently have a really crappy, nearly useless HF belt sander. Now, I'm embarassed to say...this is the only belt sander I've ever used. So I don't know how a good belt sander works. I've also never used a drum sander. We also have a 13" planer, so it seems like maybe the drum sander's jobs would be partly done with the planer. However the jointer is only 6", and if I understand it right, a drum sander than be used to flatten boards and glue-ups, up to double its width.

We probably can't afford both a good belt sander and a good drum sander. So I wonder which way to go. I suppose one option is a basic but good belt like the Hitachi, and a drum sander. Or just a great belt sander like the Jets in the $500 range.

Thoughts?

[MikeMcCoy]

There's about a dozen ways to answer that one but if I was told I could only keep one of the tools you mentioned, it would have to be the drum sander. I don't know what else you have to do your jointing but I find myself using the jointer less and less since getting back in to hand planes. Same thing can be said for the planer. I haven't tried to flatten boards with the drum sander but imagine the drum would cause you the same problems as trying to do it on a planer.

[LarryG]

Mike is right, a drum sander won't really flatten boards. Make them a uniform thickness, yes; flatten, no. They are especially useful for thin or delicate pieces (veneers, inlay strips, etc) that can't be dealt with handily, or at all, using any other tool.

In making your decision, consider how you will need to sand a workpiece. A drum sander takes the entire workpiece down to the same thickness, for its full length and width. A belt (or belt/disc) sander is more flexible, allowing you to take a little more off here, a little less there; or to do things like sand miters to finesse their angles.

[scmhogg]

Carlos,

I bought the Grizzly "Baby" Drum Sander last year. Since I make mostly small things, the 12" limit does not bother me. Otherwise I love the machine. Grit change is easy. Looks and works a lot like a planer. But, no tearout on figured wood and a lot less hand sanding. I use it with a shop vac and have virtually no dust.

I bought it on sale for $499.

http://grizzly.com/products/12-Baby-Drum-Sander/G0459

Steve

[Carlos]

Mike is right, a drum sander won't really flatten boards.

Maybe I understood this wrong, but... I thought a drum sander did not flatten the boards as they went through, allowing you to take off just the high spots. Is that incorrect?

Steve, have you tried running larger pieces by flipping them around?

[scmhogg]

Carlos,

The "Baby", all 160 lbs of it, does not have an open side. The drum is supported on both sides, much like a planer. 12" is the max.

A drum sander will "flatten" an uneven surface. But, it will not remove a bow or a cup. Unless, you use a sled with shims, like on a planer, to square up the board.

Steve

[Carlos]

So today I picked up a Jet/Performax 22-44. Beast of a machine.



Only ran a few things through it tonight, it was late and didn't have the DC ready to hook up. It does remove a cup from a board, but maybe not all drum sanders do. The rollers are very lightly sprung so a board with a cup can push them instead of being flattened like it would be in a planer. It will sand the edges of the board or the center of the board while leaving it in its natural shape, thus eventually making it flat. You have to start off with the drum touching only slightly and then go in small increments. Took a bunch of passes, but it did the job.

This monster sands FAST. I through a sheet of home-sawn veneer in it and reduced it by 20% in one pass. Oops. The 80-grit sheet that came with it really scuffs up the board. Feels like this could almost substitute for a planer (and they have grits down to 24).

[newbie2wood]

Wow. That is a nice machine. Big upgrade from a HF.
________
Laguna Heights Condominium Pattaya

[LCHIEN]

this is a fine machine to be sure but there's a world of diff between it and a belt sander, and there are many types of belt sanders even.

One is the combo disk/belt sander and commonly available as a 6" disk, 4x36 inch belt. This is a stationary tool and is great for flattening small surfaces, and putting rounded or beveled corners on stuff. they have tables to support work at specific angles so its easy to do failry precise work. Also great for simply breaking sharp edges and the rolled over end of the belt can do some nice inside curve work, too. I also have the benchtop 1" belt sanders and they can be real useful for cleaning up scrollwork and bandsaw work.
Neither, however can handle sheet goods like the drum sander you got.

You probably still need a good belt sander if you have any change left. Nice ones under a C-note.

[Carlos]

I spent a bit of time pondering this question and asked a lot of people. The guy at the store really helped me narrow down my needs by asking about specific upcoming projects, methods, etc. So when it comes down to it I use the belt to sand odd size things, flatten and square some things, to clean up a board end, and some occasional softening of a corner. Many of the things I've tried to do lately on the belt can be done by the drum. The ones that can't, can probably be done well with a small belt (but of better quality than the HF junker I have now), or maybe a 12" disk.