Grizzly 1066 drum sander

[Paul B. Cresti]

Does anybody have this sander and if so does it work well enough?

[Chip Lindley]

Yes, I have a G1066, and it works *well enough*. I wrap both drums with the same grit, which gives twice the sanding in one pass. IMO, the use of two different grits together is a waste of time! 80 grit leaves a surface which can be touched up with a 100 grit ROS and be ready for staining. For sticklers, 80g can be followed with 120g for a glass smooth surface.

There's No Hurry in drum panel sanding! Light passes and Patience will give you smooth, flat panels! Much better than NO drum sander at all!!

[Tony Bilello]

Chip
I noticed that you put "well enough" in quotes. I am thinking about getting the Grizz 37" and was wondering if there is anything in particular I should know about Grizz Drum Sanders.

[Mike Heidrick]

I own the 1066Z. Works great. Look for them used as they go for at least half. I will use mine till the day a 37" widebelt graces my shop walls! There was a 1066Z in MO for $800 on CL.

I also do dual wraps of the same grit.

[Paul B. Cresti]

I got a line on a use 1066. Owner has not used it in years (it is 10 years old) He stated that the slack on the paper was an issue so it was never used or figured out how to solve it...has this plagued any of you? or is it something you learn how to work with it ?

[Richard Wolf]

I have the Shop Fox version. With hook and loop paper, the paper is suppose to float off the drum when it is running. Caution must be used so only a light pass is made. A small amount of slack in the paper ends up moving to the end of the drum. Rapping the drums with paper takes some care and practice but for small shop owners which can't justify the cost of a large belt sander, I think it is a wonderful investment and I would be lost without mine.
I like to make sure my table is set below the contact point, start the wood thru the sander and slowly raise the table until I just start to make contact. Each pass after that I raise the table about 1/6 of a turn.

Richard

[george wilson]

I had 2 drum sanders,one was a 24" Grizzly.The other was a 16" Bridgewood. They were so much trouble to change the paper on,that I ended up just leaving the same paper on the rollers.

The paper had to be taped on with strapping tape. The rollers could NEVER be adjusted to sand a piece of wood the same thickness on both sides.

Dust collection was miserable,even with a 20 HP collector at work.

I got rid of them,and have an 18"-36" Delta. MUCH BETTER. Paper is easy to change. Dust collection is perfect,and the bed is heavy cast iron,easily adjusted to the point where 10" wide wood is not even .001" off at either side. In fact,it doesn't even register on my dial caliper the difference.

The bed can easily be adjusted to allow sanding of 36" wide wood. You tilt the bed very slightly to allow the sanding to peter out in the center,so slightly that it isn't noticeable.

Now,I make guitars,and tend to do smaller work,but I love mine. I also like the hard surface sandpaper conveyor belt. It doesn't allow the wood to sink in like the soft rubber belts. Makes for accurate sanding. The drum had no padding,so,no rounded off edges on your wood.