Rwady to buy a drum sander, any suggestions?

[smorris]

I got a nice bonus check and LOML says for me to buy myself something out of it since it is for my hard work this year. So, I decided I need a drum sander. I'm looking at the Jet benchtop 10-22 or the Grizzly G0459 12" baby drum sander.

I'm not locked in by price too much but more a matter of room to put it in the shop so was looking at the smaller ones. I expect to use it for sanding resaws for veneer and don't expect I'll need more than 10" but the ability of the Jet to run the other side through for larger items might be handy.

Any comments on those or other units would be appreciated to help me make up my mind. I see WC is having a 10% sale on the Jet this weekend so I'm leaning that way at the moment.

Rwady...sheesh. First day with the new hands and I just can't seem to make them type.

[Tom Miller]

Rwady? Rwally?!

I've been tickled pink with my 10-20 ever since I got it a few years back. I see I posted a mini review a while ago. (That post contains a stealth price gloat, which is more than offset by a major badge of shame. To wit: the bird's eye panels I spoke of in that post of Jan, 2005, are the panels in the cabinet I just posted in Finished Projects in Jan, 2009!)

Just last weekend, for the first time, I made use of the open-endedness by sanding a couple 17" x 19" cherry table tops. Worked like a charm.

I find changing paper is quick and easy, and don't bother using the tool to do it.

I did make a mobile cart for the unit because IT IS HEAVY.




Regards,
Tom

[drumpriest]

I have the 16-32, same reason, space. It really isn't much more room than the 12" because the motor and all doesn't get too much smaller. The 22" was a much larger jump in size. The big difference between the griz and jet is the open end design of the jet in theory means you can sand things wider than the sander. I've found that you can, but you don't get perfect results without a lot of fine tuning. But still, better than not having that capacity, I suppose.

All in all my planer takes up just as much room as my DS, and I use them just about the same amount. I resaw my own veneer as well, and the DS is invaluable for doing this. And for making thin strip stock. The capacity really hits home when flattening panel glue ups.

[Uncle Cracker]

I got a good deal on a lightly-used 16/32 (had to wait for the right opportunity). It has good casters on the cart, and gets outta my way when not in use, but it flat does some work when I need it. Much better than a new 10/20 IMHO.