Drum Sander questions

[Scott Brandstetter]

I have been reading a lot about drum sanders and still have a few questions if you don't mind. My thought is to purchase one from a seller on craiglist. Since I haven't used one before I would like to know that I'm thinking correctly.

I plan to use one for final sanding only, mainly, when I join boards for a table top, to smooth out where they meet.

I have this thought that when running a table top that requires a dual pass, is there a noticeable line where the dual pass occurs? Is the machine hard to set up and use on a consistent basis or is constant adjustment needed. Appreciate any comments or suggestions.

[Jerry Miner]

If the machine is not set up properly--or if it won't hold a setting, you can get a step at the end of the drum. But if it set up right, no step. Most projects (IME) take several passes to complete, and final sanding by hand is needed after.

[Chris Padilla]

As long as you realize that these sanders are not planers, you should get good results. Good dust collection is a must...don't even go there without it. Sanding is very slow and you just take a whisper of a hint off and pass it through twice, barely move it, sand again. Do that and you should have good results with your drum sander.

[William A Johnston]

I agree with Jerry, you will still have to sand after the drum sander. I do several passes then follow up with a ROS to get the fine lines out that are left from the drum sander. Drum sanders are awesome and I highly recommend getting one. There is a learning curve. I pass the wood through 3 times before I change the depth of the sander.

[Wade Lippman]

I had a Jet 1632 that was a nightmare put the sandpaper on, and then threw it off in short order. I sold it when I moved.
I now have a Supermax 18-36 that is much better. I don't know if the Supermax is better than the Jet, or if my Jet was a dog.
But my recommendation is before you buy a used sander to mount a piece of sandpaper and run it. If the seller won't let you do that, run.

Neither machine needed any particular adjustments after it was set up, except for the sandpaper on the Jet.
They are designed to be slightly angled when making two half passes, but I have not found it necessary to do that.

[James Baker SD]

I ordered a Performax 44-22 (now Jet) and it was delivered at the bottom of steep driveway. I could not get it up the slope by myself and rain was immanent, so I completely disassembled it on the street into pieces I could lift and put in my car. Drove it up the hill, put the pieces in my garage shop and really learned the machine putting it back together. I have it adjusted dead on and no noticeable step when I use it in 44 mode. I do not necessarily recommend taking it apart, but it is a way to learn how to adjust it. Overall I was pleased with everything except the dust collection through the 4" port. I have an old thread somewhere showing how I enlarged it to 6" port and it works much better.

[Bruce Page]

I had a open end Delta 18/36 that would leave a small line on wide projects. It sanded out relatively easily using my ROS.