Panel sanding

[Tom Hammond]

Well... it's happened. I've started doing enough work with panels wider than 12" that I have begun considering a panel sander. Any suggestions on inexpensive 24" sanders? Need to make this happen, because the hand sanding just ain't doin' it for me any more. THANKS.

[Greg Portland]

What do you call inexpensive? The Woodmaster and Grizzly drum sanders are good starting points but are not what I'd call "cheap" (used $1k+). I'd look at a door-width sander (38") so you can do full doors, multiple items at once, or split the paper across the drum (left side 180 grit, right side 120 grit, etc.). I am not a fan of the open-end small drum style sanders (Performax, etc.).

I own a Woodmaster 4:1 machine that may be an option for you if you are considering a planer upgrade or are short on shop space.