Know anything about flatmaster drum sanders? [Archive] - Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community

Art Mann

09-10-2013, 10:17 PM

I have considerable experience with the kit built version and I will tell you what I know. First, they are sold by a company called Stockroom Supply. I believe they are out of Canada. They have offered the kit version you build out of plywood or MDF for a very long time. The prefab metal version is a fairly recent introduction. If you go to their website, you can read all about it. I found it to be a very useful tool if you realize its limitations and use it accordingly. You must realize it is not a substitute for a drum or wide belt sander. I mainly use mine with 180 grit paper to finish sand rails and stiles and other narrow pieces of stock very quickly. I also use it with 120 grit to sand flat glue-ups that are slightly misaligned. I have also used it with 80 grit to sand one surface of heavily figured lumber flat when I know that my thickness planer will cause chipping or splintering. It is not a powerful machine and isn't very good for hogging off a lot of material at one time. The principle of operation is that a spiral of velcro backed sand paper is attached to the drum in such a way that the paper actually lifts slightly off the drum when it is spinning due to centrifugal force. Setting the table height so that the wood isn't pressing directly on the drum is critical. If adjusted incorrectly, you will get uneven results. Also, because the sand paper is "floating", it doesn't get hot and stuff like latex paint will not stick to the paper and gum it up. I would also mention that there is a technique to using the sander. You need to keep the wood moving at a fairly rapid constant rate. More faster trips across the drum is better than fewer slow ones.

I hope this information was useful. Unless the tool is in pristine condition, I think you ought to be able to buy it cheaper.