Ryobi Drum sander Opinions?

[Thomas Delpizzo]

I've noticed the Ryobi drum sander coming up on CG every once in awhile. Are they worth the bother or will it be a disappointment? It's certainly a cheap alternative to a Jet, PM, Grizzly or other brand where they start at about $600. For occasional use it may be a worthwhile investment. Any opinions??

[Peter Aeschliman]

I picked one up from Craigslist a few months back for $200.

Definitely worth $200. Alignment is pretty easy (mine wasn't well cared for so it was all out of whack). The only thing people complain about is how difficult it is to change the sandpaper.

It took me about 20 minutes of wrestling with it before I figured out how to do it. Now it only takes me a few minutes. The clip that you slide the sandpaper into isn't very accessible.

I used it quite a bit this last weekend with my shopvac attached to it. Quickly realized that although it does collect a majority of the dust, I can smell quite a bit of it in the air... started sneezing a little. So it's on my list of shop projects to modify it to accept my 6" ducting.

Having looked at the Jet 16" open end drum sander, it's strikingly similar... They might even be manufactured by the same factory in China.

[Van Huskey]

It is a clone of the Jet/Performax sander and from what I have seen works equally well and most parts interchange. Its positive is the Ryobi name which kills the resale compared to the Jet/Performax versions. For me these sanders are the best open ended drum sanders besting the Grizzly/Delta type. If it is in good shape you probably can't loose since if you care for it and decide to move up you can probably get near all of your money back.

One thing to note is the condition of the conveyor sandpaper belt, they can get ragged from incorrect use and are close to $50 to replace, which seems like an awful lot for a sandpaper belt, my point is don't look at it thinking "can't be more than $15 to replace".

[Bob Potter]

Hello Thomas
I bought my Ryobi drum sander new about, I'm guessing 15 yrs.ago. I have really had no problems at all with it. I have not had the problems with the conveyer tracking as some have had with some of the other brands.
Yes it is a pain to get the sand paper tight on the the drum and get the paper caught in the right side clip but as was said once you learn how it's not so bad.
The sander works great if you use it right by that meaning taking very light passes. I make a lot of things with inlay strips sanding them flush with this sander works great.
One thing that I do when putting on new paper is I wrap the drum with narrow strips of double stick tape and that helps in keeping the paper tight and from breaking, especially on the ends. I know some may not agree with this but it works for me. If this sander is in good shape you will enjoy it.

Bob

[Loren Hedahl]

Hey Bob, that sounds like a good idea.

Just wondering how you remove the double back tape when changing sand paper?

I bought mine 10 - 15 years ago from a frustrated woodworker. It did take a little fussing to get it to work well, but nothing monumental. I used it a few times but found that the stuff I do doesn't really need to be sanded with a drum sander. So it is just taking up space, right now.

I should check to see if my son or son-in-law could use it.

[Bob Potter]

I just scrape it off with a putty knife or something that is not sharp and maybe clean it up with mineral sprites. I have found that sometimes the paper would break next to where it is clipped on both ends. And by putting a strip of tape around the ends of the drum it has kept it in place and from breaking. This has so far not caused a problem with uneven sanding.
What I like about these drum sanders is that you can take off a very small amount and yet keep it flat at the same time with no dips as you may get with power hand sanding.

[Joseph Tarantino]

+1 on ryobi 16-32 DS. got mine off CL for $225 in march. it can be seen in this thread:

http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=134422

my one suggestion is to lower the drum very slowly, as advised in the owners manual. i've yet to experience any burning and it does save a considerable amount of time.

[Van Huskey]

Seems like I have seen a hook and loop conversion for these type of sanders. If so it would be a worthy upgrade if the price was resonable, would beat taping it.

[Steve Kohn]

You can also wrap filament tape around the last 1/2 inch of the right side over the paper and drum. Be sure to wrap in the direction of the drum rotation.

[Mike OMelia]

I have seen more threads on the wrapping issue than I can ever recount. However, one sticks out in my mind. One fellow believes that the "as designed" wrapping method is best for keeping the paper cool. No hook & loop, no glue, no tape. He believes that as the paper leaves the work surface, centrifugal forces allow the paper to separate from the drum just a bit, allowing air to circulate. I dunno.

BTW, if you want it to stick, just spray Scotch 77 on the paper... much easier than removing double sided tape!!!

Mike

[Ryan Eldridge]

I will add my two cents on the drum sander. I purchased one here in Boise about two years ago and use it more than I thought I would. For a weekend guy it works great.

I did the hook and loop conversion on it and honestly I do not like it as much as the flat drum. The cushion between the hook and loop allows some unevenness to creep into the sanding and I have found that the paper does get hotter quicker.

In the next week or two I am going to go back to the smooth drum.

I also have a relative who purchased one of these here in town and his performs well for him.

[Mike OMelia]

Yes, I have heard the same. The H&L provides cushioning that allows the paper to conform somewhat to the hard & softer grains of the wood. A knot would be an excellent example (in pine). The knot could end up elevated above the softer pine. I have also heard that the H&L insulates the paper from the massive heat sink that the drum actually is. And no air gets in behind the paper (??)

Mike

[Peter Aeschliman]

Changing the paper is frustrating the first time. But if you pay attention and think it through, you'll get the hang of it quickly. It's really not all that bad, and definitely not worth doing a hook and loop conversion.

[Mike OMelia]

One thing I did with my last two sanders is save the paper that came with the machine as a template (I buy the paper in bulk rolls from Klinspor). Study the tightening mechanism. It should become apparent what it is trying to do (or "how" it is trying to do it).

[Van Huskey]

I didn't consider that the H&L upgrade might not be the same quality as the H&L on say a Woodmaster. You don't find any issues with them but again like everything else in life there are quality differences, in this case I didn't consider that. :o