How much do you use your drum sander?

[Tim Dorcas]

One of the tools I lusted after for almost a year was a drum sander. However after a year and half in the shop, it hardly gets used. I bought mostly to sand my homemade veneers but I’m not resawing much veneer these days. I also bought it to make sanding my end grain cutting boards easier. In practice it doesn’t like end grain much. As I’m trying to organize what little space I have in my (small) two car garage shop, I’ve been thinking about selling it. So before I do I thought I’d ask what people use their drum sander for and how well they like it.
I have a Performax 16-32.
Tim

[Bob Rossi]

You can store it in my shop and come over to use it any time you want!

[ken gibbs]

I will give you $10.00 for it & you can use it at your convenience.

[Mark Woodmark]

I use mine all the time for sanding glueups. Most the time they are smaller items so I have to attach them to a bigger piece of wood (usually plywood) with two sided sticky tape. I had a Performax 16/32, hated it. Not enough power. It wouldnt even remove less than 1/64" without the motor reset kicking out. I have since replaced it with a 26" Woodmaster and love it

[Robert Chapman]

I use mine a lot for sanding boards that come out of the planer. Saves me a ton of time and effort with the random orbit sander. Sanding is my least favorite woodworking task and I really apprecieate my 16 - 32.

[Cary Falk]

My sander is probably in the top 5 of most used tools.

[Vince Brytus]

Everything I turn out gets to see the drum sander at some point or another. I consider it to be one of the most useful tools I own. I don't know of anything better for highly figured wood unless you like to use hand planes and scrapers.

[Will Overton]

I've had my 16-32 less than a year, and use it much more than I expected. I find it great for sanding glued up panels, but also when working with pieces that are too short to run through a planer. The 16-32 can takes pieces as short as 2 1/2".

Once I realized how easy it was to sand a bunch of small pieces, a stop at the drum sander became part of my normal work flow.

[Mike Cutler]

Tim

I had mine ( Steel City, 26" Dual Drum. ) running for about 2 hours yesterday, and have been using it quite a bit lately.
I think right now you're just not invovled in a project that requires the use of a sander. Mine was probably idle for ~ a year, prior to the past few weeks.

[Ron Jackson]

I've got a 24" dual-drum sander, and it's used very often. It's one of those things like an air compressor.......until you get one, you don't realize just how much you will learn to rely on it. Sure makes quick work for table-tops, door panels, door frames, etc., especially if it stays "tuned" and you can just walk up and use it.

[John Lytle]

I have the same 16-32 sander and use it all the time. Mostly for sanding panel glue ups that are too big for the planer. I would be hard pressed to get rid of mine.

John

[james bell]

i purchased a 22-44 and probably like you did not use it much initially. purchased it to sand some qswo veneer for a bathroom vanity, and after that it sat.

then started using it to clean up after the planer (getting the thickness correct), thinning up some resawn veneer, and also sanding glued-up panels and projects. now it has become a staple.

like a lot of my newer tools, they seem to sit for a while until i start using them, then wonder how i ever got along without them.

[Philip Rodriquez]

I have a Performax 16/32. It has a place... but I use it a lot less since I got a 15" planer with a SC.

Do not expect to get a finished surface out of the sander. If I had it to do over again, I'd go with the 22/44 Plus because it oscillates (sp?).

[Jeff Monson]

22-44 pro owner, I love mine, use it for glueups, cabinet doors and it works GREAT on figured wood.

[Bill Wyko]

Absolutely essential for my work. If you sell it, I think you'll live to regret it.

[Chris Padilla]

One of the tools I lusted after for almost a year was a drum sander. However after a year and half in the shop, it hardly gets used. I bought mostly to sand my homemade veneers but I’m not resawing much veneer these days.

That is the EXACT reason I bought my used drum sander (Delta 18/36)...for sanding resawn veneers. I used it for a project and have since put it away in my shed. When I get back to veneering, I'm sure I'll drag it back out. Woodworking is my hobby and the drum sander just isn't up there in daily use so I don't like to leave it in my 2-car garage-ma-hal. I know I will be veneering off and on so I don't have a problem keeping it and I do have the room to hold onto it for a while even though it will see sporadic use.

[Neil Brooks]

Relatively on topic.....

Locally, a gent is selling a "lightly used" 16-32, with in and outfeed tables, and a new (extra) rubber conveyor belt. Wants $700. In an e-mail, says he's "looking for $600."

I could definitely go $500.

Alleged reason for selling: he upgraded to a newer, larger unit.

Anybody want to hazard an opinion at what they think it's worth ?

I've heard good things (other than alignment being a tad finicky) about this one....

http://images.craigslist.org/3n03m63lf5Y35W45U0aaibb7def8d948f11b5.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/3m63p23l85V65Z15R1aai103d29b628de162d.jpg

And ... please don't give me my answer by buying this one out from under me :p

[Philip Rodriquez]

You are lucky... I already have one. I just looked at the posting. In good condition, it is easily worth the $700 he posted it for...and it is a steal $600.

However, it is not a planer or a finish sander. It is a must have for figured woods, veneers, and end-grain work.

Lastly, they REQUIRE dust collection. The bigger, the better.

[Peter Quinn]

Performax 22-44 owner here. Its not the tool I use the most, but its the one I'd least like to loose. It gets used on nearly every job at some point and saves me a ton of work. Mine is staying, though I could certainly envision a shop where one would not be needed based on the type of work being done.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I would be in my truck on the way for that price. I don't know who says they are finicky. You do have to read the instructions when you first set it up. If you don't, THEN it could be finicky. I do have one and as mentioned, it's essentially a 1 trick pony, but there is no other pony in the barn. It can substitute for a planer if you have lots and lots of time and more patience...... I now have a planer. Finally.

[Will Overton]

I have a newer Jet 16-32 and use it quite often. I bought it new for $900 without the tables. I did eventually buy the tables, but unlike a planer, these tables don't add much to the process. Installation instructions say to mount them even with or lower than the conveyor. They are not critical.

Regarding the unit pictured 2 things I see as negatives. These machines were know to pop breakers if the depth or speed controls were set too aggressively. The newer machines have a "Sand Smart" feature which slows the feed rate when necessary to prevent this. The second thing has to do with his modification. These are designed to be open ended machines to allow to sand boards up to 32" wide. The drums are well supported and the parallelism is adjustable, tipped up when making two passes for wide boards. It appears that he found it necessary to support the outer edge of the drum. I would want to know why. If that support is needed, it's a "16", not a "16-32"

[Neil Brooks]

Thanks, Guys.

I told him I COULD go $600.

If we're good, then ... I pull up stakes, load the wagon, and go a-tool gettin'.

[this place intentionally blank. Held for potential tool gloat].

My HF 2HP DC seems _pretty_ capable. And I'm patient. Just looking for a smoother, easier, flatter outcome, to sanding glue-ups.

Thanks again.

[Neil Brooks]

Will.

Just read your post.

Thanks very much.

I printed it out, and -- if I go to look at it -- will reference your info, to be sure of which model it actually is.

:)

[David Helm]

I have a Grizzly 18/36. It gets used a lot. I mostly work with figured maple and would be lost without it.

[Chip Lindley]

The OP, Tim, is evidently the only owner of a DS who finds little use for his. Everybody else stays plenty busy, or wishes they had a DS to keep them busy!

My Woodmaster double-drum 38" is quite a Beast. Light-years ahead of the Griz 24" it replaced. That 7.5hp Leeson motor will not bog down! But, it will melt the velcro drum covering if depth is too agressive! The variable speed conveyor allows just the right depth/speed combination to be dialed in for each grit used.

Many say that a spiral insert-head planer all but replaces a DS. That may be true to a point, but panels still need final sanding. Looking across a panel against the light tells ALL!

[Christopher Stahl]

I have a Performax 22-44 that I've been very happy with for years. Although, I am curious as to how others use theirs. I find I just leave a specific grit on my sander all the time. Of course, changing the paper when it's worn out, but I don't usually run through a bunch of grits for projects.

Do you guys do the same or change different grits?

[Philip Rodriquez]

Personally, I do not like to go over 80 grit.

[Neil Brooks]

My guess is ... that I'll pick a grit and leave it on, too.

Heck. I wish I didn't have to switch out the WWII for the dado stack, as often as I do ;)

ON these units, is ANY competent DC (say 1-1/2 HP or better) pulling enough air to keep these drum sanders from changing the shop micro-climate ?

It sure seems like even the WORST of machines needs <= about 1,000CFM, and that my HF DC -- stock (before Wynn 35a cartridge filter) is _supposed_ to pull 1,550CFM.

In peoples' experience, though, IS this adequate, or ... have some found it necessary to install a SECOND 4" dust port in their DS ?

[I'll go look at the 16-32 this afternoon :cool:]

[Will Overton]

I have a 1 1/2 hp Steel City dust collector. The only thing I clean after a session with the sander is the paper on the drum, with a rubber 'eraser'. There is virtually no dust ejected ... except the day I forgot to turn the DC on. :o

[Neil Brooks]

I have a 1 1/2 hp Steel City dust collector. The only thing I clean after a session with the sander is the paper on the drum, with a rubber 'eraser'. There is virtually no dust ejected ... except the day I forgot to turn the DC on. :o

Very good. Thanks again, Will :)

Incidentally, I remember that day ... largely because the 4" > 2-1/2" reducer fell OFF my TS, that day ... and I didn't notice.

It's genuinely amazing the coverage that sawdust achieves, under those circumstances. :rolleyes:

[Ron Blaise]

One of my favorite tools is my drum sander in fact the only ones I use more are my saws and planer. More often than not for big glue up's I have to use the drum sander because of it's width capacity. I like the open end feature on my 22-44 and have done table tops up to 36" wide (very carefully). Mine is strictly a hobby shop but a drum sander really made me popular with my other wood working "friends"! :D

[Neil Brooks]

but a drum sander really made me popular with my other wood working "friends"! :D

Hm. Is that a PLUS or a MINUS ? :D

[Lee Bidwell]

Hey Neil,
I have a 22-44 that gets hooked up to the first drop in my DC run, powered by a slightly modified HF 2hp collector. The dust collection at the sander is really good. A small amount of dust will be left on the sander table, but the sandpaper stays clean and I don't notice any visible dust in the air. I think you'll be OK with your setup and that 16-32.

Lee

[Neil Brooks]

Awesome.

Thank you, Lee.

[Mike OMelia]

I own a 22-44 and use it all the time. But then, I build guitars. Not a lot of practical ways out there to sand wood down to 0.1" or so. But I do use it a lot for other things. So I would say "essential".

BTW, if anybody knows where I can pick up a used "closed base", I am all ears.

Mike

[Neil Brooks]

[I'll go look at the 16-32 this afternoon :cool:]

Bought.

It's really in perfect shape. The pictures DO do it justice.

Very nice guy. His day job is Biotechnical Engineer.

That says it all, about why he "over-engineered" the oak piece, on the open end of the sander, to prevent drum deflection that ... he'd never experienced ;)

We ran a scrap piece of African Mahogany through it. Worked like a charm. P120 was on the drum.

Then we pulled the paper off the drum, so I could use my Pinnacle straight edge, and check for drum irregularities. None detectable.

$600.

So .... I officially call ... gloat :p

[Neil Brooks]

For those interested ... I just noticed that Amazon has the 16-32 on sale for $799.

http://www.amazon.com/629004K-16-Inch-2-Horsepower-Sander-110-Volt/dp/B00005RW92

I'm still happy with my deal, but ... this looks like a pretty good opportunity for those with interest.

[Will Overton]

I'm glad it is all you were looking for, and in good shape.:cool:
I think you will find it in use more than you expect.

[Neil Brooks]

Thanks again, Will, for your advice.

Just to stay in compliance with the "pics or it didn't happen" rule ....

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WVVYjLCNo2w/TMR99jKzP5I/AAAAAAAABRs/Hq9K4xLwsC0/s512/Drum_Sander.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WVVYjLCNo2w/TMR99xeCugI/AAAAAAAABRw/32genBOQlpw/s640/Drum_Sander%20%281%29.JPG

Stopped at Grainger and ordered a panel mounted 0-25ACA ammeter. I'll wire it in, and use that great idea: figure out the breaker-tripping load point, and stay just shy of it.

Plus ... I'm sort of a numbers guy. Anything I can do to marry some sort of meter to this thing .... :D

[David Helm]

My guess is ... that I'll pick a grit and leave it on, too.

Heck. I wish I didn't have to switch out the WWII for the dado stack, as often as I do ;)

ON these units, is ANY competent DC (say 1-1/2 HP or better) pulling enough air to keep these drum sanders from changing the shop micro-climate ?

It sure seems like even the WORST of machines needs <= about 1,000CFM, and that my HF DC -- stock (before Wynn 35a cartridge filter) is _supposed_ to pull 1,550CFM.

In peoples' experience, though, IS this adequate, or ... have some found it necessary to install a SECOND 4" dust port in their DS ?

[I'll go look at the 16-32 this afternoon :cool:]

Don't know the cfm, but I have a 2 hp Jet paired with an ebay cyclone, 6 inch main runs and 4 inch (about 4 feet) to the sander. Just spent the last 2 hours sanding 17 inch wide big leaf maple. Dust collection appears to be great as I don't seem to be getting any dust out in the air.

[Paul McGaha]

Nice pick up Neil.

You suck.

PHM

[Jim Becker]

Tim, I had mine for a couple years and only used it sporadically...so I sold it to another 'Creeker who got more regular use out of it. I just couldn't justify the space hit for keeping it around given it wasn't benefiting the kind of work I tend to do. It was a fine machine, but sometimes you have to move on when it's not being used.