What sandpaper grit is most often used on a Drum Sander

[William C Rogers]

New to Sawmill Creek. I have a Supermax drum sander not yet set up. Very similar to the Performax 22-44. I was wondering what is the most often used sandpaper grit used on these drum sanders. Note: I posted this in the author form by mistake.

Bill

[Van Huskey]

New to Sawmill Creek. I have a Supermax drum sander not yet set up. Very similar to the Performax 22-44. I was wondering what is the most often used sandpaper grit used on these drum sanders. Note: I posted this in the author form by mistake.

Bill

I suppose it depends but for me it is 80 and 100, sometimes lower, rarely higher.

[Jerome Hanby]

My sander build is still in the planning phase, but I've been leaning towards 80 grit for the first setup. Trying to work out a stable, easy method of swapping drums so Ii can flip flop grits without a lot of work. Second drum would probably be somewhere in the 120-180 range.

[david brum]

80 grit is the best compromise for me. I get too much burning with finer grits. 60 grit is nice if you have to remove a bunch of material, followed by 80.

[Jeff Monson]

120 or 180 for me, mostly 120. I very seldom get burning with any grit I use. I use mine mostly for cabinet doors, they need very little work after 180 grit.

[frank shic]

100 or 120.

[Paul McGaha]

120 for me. The way I work the faces and the edges of the stock will have seen either the jointer or the planer by the time they get to the sander.

PHM

[Thomas L. Miller]

Bill,
I have a 22-44. I use 120 grit. Same as Paul.
Tom

[Alan Lightstone]

120 for me. Sometimes finish up with 150 or 180. But 120 is the go-to grit. Burning hasn't been an issue. Don't sand off too much at a time.

[John Lanciani]

I use either 60/80 or 80/120 on my dual drum. I tried 120/180 but got too much burning.

[Neil Brooks]

120 on my 16-32.

Bought several grits, but haven't felt the need/seem to be too darned lazy to change them out.

Read where ... when you think the 'cutting' is dulling ... you can simply flip the strip, end-for-end, and actually be using fresh cutting surfaces.

Makes sense, but ... never thought of that !

[Adrian Anguiano]

80 & 120 for me. I use 80 for roughing it . and 120 if the piece is already pretty flat.

Keep in mind I still have to random orbital sand afterwards to get out the "lines" left by the sander when i drum sand my end grain cutting boards ive made. And i usually have to go back to an 80 on the ROS and work up to 220grit.

[J.R. Rutter]

The grit that is not on it!

I ran 120 / 180 when I had a double drum sander.

[frank shic]

The grit that is not on it!

I ran 120 / 180 when I had a double drum sander.

how i wish i had a wide belt... ;)

[Alan Lightstone]

how i wish i had a wide belt... ;)

Heavy sigh...

[Scot Quartucy]

I have a 22-44 and I run that sander every day for hours at time. I use 100 grit and only get burning on hard woods like Purple heart.

[Robert Chapman]

I use 150 grit on my 16-32 and use very light passes. I use the drum sander to take our the very slight scallops that my planer leaves. Then I ROS sand to 220 or 320 before fininishing. I work with hardwoods.

[ed vitanovec]

My dual drum sander is running 80 & 120. I'm going to experiment with 120 & 180 when I start my kitchen.

[Carl Beckett]

80 on the first drum

150 on the second drum

[John Coloccia]

I only use mine to cleanup glueups and thickness. 80 grit and nothing else.

[Adrian Anguiano]

I only use mine to cleanup glueups and thickness. 80 grit and nothing else.

I hope when you say clean up glueups you mean making the glueup flat; NOT cleaning the glue runout. That will cake up your sandpaper so fast it will be worthless. Dont ask how I know. :p

[John Coloccia]

I hope when you say clean up glueups you mean making the glueup flat; NOT cleaning the glue runout. That will cake up your sandpaper so fast it will be worthless. Dont ask how I know. :p

I scrape off the runout with a glue chisel after 15 minutes...it comes off very cleanly, like icing.

[David Kumm]

The only time I use poly glue is for stuff going through the sander. Dave

[William C Rogers]

Dave

Is the reason you use poly glue because it is better going through the sander or some other reason

Bill

[Adrian Anguiano]

I scrape off the runout with a glue chisel after 15 minutes...it comes off very cleanly, like icing.

If i didnt have 50 clamps on my glued up panels i might try something like that. But its to hard to scrape it off with lots of clamps on. And i like to leave the clamps on 24hrs for my sanity :)

[Clint Olver]

Often 150 or 180, but I change it as needed.

C

[Adrian Anguiano]

Heat is the Main factor with drum sanders. If u go with a fine grit then you better only do a couple passes at max. Your wood will get friggin hot. And that's with even taking very little off at a time.

So don't think u can flatten and finish with a high grit. Flatten it with a low grit so you wont overheat the wood. If u are looking too get a good finish then get a higher grit, but I wouldn't do more than a couple passes. Lastly unless u have a wide belt sander, expect to still use a orbital sander to get your finish ready smoothness

[Adrian Anguiano]

Oh and you can never go to low of a grit but you can go too high. Never use any grit in the 200's. Or above 160 in my opinion unless u have a dual head. That starts with a lower grit.

Also never use the drum sander without these 3 things. Dust collection, Belt cleaner, and chalk!

[frank shic]

man i hate changing the rolls...