Medium sized drum sander

[Van Huskey]

I am searching for a drum sander in the 37-38 inch range. Curious about opinions for lower to moderate priced options. I want something that is a solid upgrade above the Jet/Performax open end sanders. The Woodmaster single drum has caught me eye, what say you on this and any other similarly priced sanders?

One question about the Woodmaster in general, they are on "sale" now but it seems every time I have looked at them in the past they have been on sale, do they usually stay on sale, thus the prices now are the "regular" price or do I need to move now?

I am equipping a new shop so I have a finite amount of time, I am watching for used but am planning for new if my time runs out to shop the used market.

[Rob Cunningham]

I've had a Woodmaster 26" drum sander for about 6 1/2 years and have no complaints.(except I should have bought the 38") It's a well built machine. The Velcro on the drum makes changing paper easy. Mine has seen lots of glued up panels, table tops and RP doors and has performed well. It's not as fast as a widebelt, but it does save time.
Remember, it's a sander not a planer. I seem to get the best results with light cuts and fairly fast feed rate. Then on my last pass, I'll turn down the feed to 40%-50% depending on the wood. I don't think you will regret buying a Woodmaster.

[Jim Tobias]

Van,
Here is an earlier thread about drum sander(including my $.02).
Bottom line - Woodmaster is good.

Jim



http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=140962

[Robert LaPlaca]

Another owner of the Woodmaster 2675 (26"), that wishes they bought the larger machine (Oops), it's a very nice machine, works very well.. The ruler for the depth of cut is kind of a joke (magnetized ruler) and can be replaced with a DRO, the mobility kit which is a Shopfox sourced product is not up to the build standards of the Woodmaster, the supplied wheels are junk..

I would buy the machine again..

[Mark Woodmark]

I have a Woodmaster 26 inch also. Great machine. I have sanded wide, long glued up panels as well as small intricate glue ups. You wont bogg this baby down. It will chew up your piece before that. I live near Kansas City and had the opportunity to go to the factory. My only complaint is the thing is boxey big and heavy. I had a Performax 16/32 that I was constantly pushing the motor reset button. I couldnt get it to sand anything off a wide long panel without this happening and the open end left a noticable ridge in the middle of a more than 16 inch wide panel that was reversed and sanded both ways. This was after I installed the optional feed tables (a joke) and a poly conveyur belt (another joke)

[Van Huskey]

Anyone watched the Woodmaster site enough to know if the "sales" are generally constant or are the current prices a true sale?

[Chip Lindley]

I use the Woodmaster 38" double-drum sander. It's awsome, but I wish I had the 50" model. (do you see a trend here?)

I used a Grizzly G1066 24" DDS for several years. It cannot compare to a 26" Woodmaster, quality-wise. Of course there is a big difference in price. The 26" WM is adequate for 99% of all cabinet building. But, if you contemplate tabletops, think bigger!


Woodmaster is made in USA!
All models use felt-backed sanding rolls with velcro on drums
All have real dust collection baffles in the hood
All machines use industrial rough-top conveyor belting
All machines use Leeson TEFC motor
All these add up to a huge plus. Woodmaster drum sanders are the final frontier before stepping up to an commercial widebelt $ander!

[Michael Flores]

Im thinking about pulling the trigger too but i was wondering is it worth it to step up to the double drum or is it just a waste of money and go with the single drum?

[Van Huskey]

Woodmaster drum sanders are the final frontier before stepping up to an commercial widebelt $ander!


That is exactly what I am looking for, the widebelts are hugely expensive when you look at the 37" size range and the used ones are still quite expensive and have been used in production environments so I am leery even though they are designed for it.

[Bruce Page]

Woodmaster. Built like a tank.

[Chip Lindley]

Im thinking about pulling the trigger too but i was wondering is it worth it to step up to the double drum or is it just a waste of money and go with the single drum?

Here's one user's take: Using two grits on a DDS; each time a new pass is made, the previous sanding by the finer grit on the rear drum is lost. Excess wear of the fine grit paper with nothing to show for it.

For this reason, my thinking is to wrap both drums with one grit (80 or 100, depending on how much material needs be removed) Double the effective sanding in one pass. The rear drum can be adjusted a few thousandths lower to take off more material. The sanding is done twice as fast! For a final pass (or two) change to the final fine grit (120 grit for me) on both drums. It only takes a minute to change paper on a velcro drum!

With a single-drum sander (38" or 50") sanding panels less than half the width of the drum, two grits could be mounted side-by-side to facilitate going from one grit to the next. But, IMO, there is more bang for your buck, wrapping a full-width grit on each drum. There is more paper to last longer, regardless of grit.

[Van Huskey]

With a single-drum sander that uses hook and loop paper (38" or 50") sanding panels less than half the width of the drum, two grits could be mounted side-by-side to facilitate going from one grit to the next. But, IMO, there is more bang for your buck, wrapping a full-width grit on each drum. There is more paper to last longer, regardless of grit.

Fixed it for you.

[mreza Salav]

That is exactly what I am looking for, the widebelts are hugely expensive when you look at the 37" size range and the used ones are still quite expensive and have been used in production environments so I am leery even though they are designed for it.

depending on where you are located you can find good cheap ones:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/tls/1958414535.html

[Van Huskey]

depending on where you are located you can find good cheap ones:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/tls/1958414535.html

I see them here but the ones under 5-6 thousand are rare unless they are really beat on. The PM you listed would be in my shop if I was near it and it ran well.

[Chip Lindley]

Van, it wasn't broke; didn't need fixin'.

My focus was on the Woodmaster sanders. Only brand I know of that produces 38" and 50" models. With all Woodmasters, hook & loop is a given! I felt it was understood that the side-by-side scenario was definitely not do-able on any other DS with the conventional, spring-loaded wheel and clamp thingy.

[Rick Potter]

Woodmaster 38 here,too. Works great. Had a Delta 18" which worked ok, but this is another class altogether.

About those sales. I watched them for several years. One day they had it all, 5HP Baldor, sale price, extra rolls of sandpaper thrown in, free shipping, free mobile base, & free reversing switch (never installed it yet). I jumped on it.

By the way the Shop Fox mobile base that came with it was worth just what I paid for it. Way too lightweight. The wheels hardly roll with the weight. Someday I will put new wheels under it.

I like mine.

Rick Potter

PS: Call them, they sometimes wheel and deal a bit over the phone.

[Mark Woodmark]

Woodmaster 38 here,too. Works great. Had a Delta 18" which worked ok, but this is another class altogether.

About those sales. I watched them for several years. One day they had it all, 5HP Baldor, sale price, extra rolls of sandpaper thrown in, free shipping, free mobile base, & free reversing switch (never installed it yet). I jumped on it.

By the way the Shop Fox mobile base that came with it was worth just what I paid for it. Way too lightweight. The wheels hardly roll with the weight. Someday I will put new wheels under it.

I like mine.

Rick Potter

PS: Call them, they sometimes wheel and deal a bit over the phone.

Install that reversing switch. It is worth its weight in gold. You will love it. Also I have mine on an HTC base. Its heavier than the Shop Fox, but like the Shop Fox, The wheels are on the small size

[Van Huskey]

Van, it wasn't broke; didn't need fixin'.

My focus was on the Woodmaster sanders. Only brand I know of that produces 38" and 50" models. With all Woodmasters, hook & loop is a given! I felt it was understood that the side-by-side scenario was definitely not do-able on any other DS with the conventional, spring-loaded wheel and clamp thingy.

Sorry, I think everyone here including my self understood what you were saying and the context, however I could see how someone reading the thread without watching it develop might get a different impression and wonder how to do this.

It seems pretty clear the WM fits the bill as a great drum sander.

[Matt Armstrong]

Build it yourself! It only takes about half a year and several injuries and then it'll work about 25% as well as a woodmaster. AWESOME.

[Van Huskey]

Build it yourself! It only takes about half a year and several injuries and then it'll work about 25% as well as a woodmaster. AWESOME.


But, you did a great job and had fun along the way... I assume.

[eugene thomas]

i have the 3875 and only had one project in the 18 months owned it that was not wide enough for. sure is nice running doors through after glue up.
only problem i have is that can never seem to run multipal pieces though side by side to use the full opening of the machean because the belt stops. mean only cranking up 1/4 turn at a time. is that to much of turn? but other than that works great.

[Chip Lindley]

Build it yourself! It only takes about half a year and several injuries and then it'll work about 25% as well as a woodmaster. AWESOME.

"Half a year" is wayyy ahead of my production curve Matt! It took me only a year, back in the early '90s, to collect all the parts needed for my DDS, (Dream Drum Sander) But, it all sat idly by when a good friend moved away I got "custody" of his Grizzly 24" DDS. When he reclaimed his machine a few years later, I then when into DSW! (drum sander withdrawal) Shortly thereafter, I pulled the trigger on another 24" Grizzly off of CL. Trading up to the Woodmaster 3820 truly made my dreams come true!

Do not dispair Matt! Your custom-made DS is an example of what can be accomplished with perserverence! Cudos Matt!