comparable drum sanders

[jack duren]

other than woodtec and grizzly 25" drum sanders, what are my options in the $1200 range? im use to overhead sanders but know nothing about the drums....thx jack

[Jerry Bittner]

I have a Performax 22-44 Plus and have found it a good piece of equipment for the price. Purchased mine at Southern Tool http://www.southern-tool.com/store/22-44-plus_drum_sander.html

That machine is in your price range if I recall correctly.

And of course there's always Amazon for price checking.

[Richard Wolf]

Jack, I have the Shop Fox 26" dual drum sander. Very happy with it.

Richard

[Andy Hoyt]

I've got a Performax 16/32 and it works great. Setting it up was a bit fussy trying to align the drum to the table. And changing belts is a learning curve unto itself. Paid about $900 for it as I recall. Use your leftover guidos for belts; because they're pricey.

[Jerry Todd]

About three years ago I took delevery on a 26" Woodmaster drum sander. I love it and get a lot of use out of it. About $2500.00. I build a lot of blanket chests and am very satisfied with the results.
Jerry Todd

[Jim Becker]

Performax 22-44 Plus in my shop. I have a couple threads about it here at SMC from awhile back...

[jack duren]

thx for the replies. im not a fan of the PERFORMAX sanders. a little pricey for the design.

ive belt sanded my raised panels for my cabinet doors for yrs and ive got shoulder problems. so #1 it will eliminate alot of the physical labor and #2 help speed up production.

im going to try and go from part time cabinet shop to full time and doors is my slowest and most physical part of the job.

[Rick Shelton]

Hey, Jack.

Ever thought of saving yourself time and money by outsourcing your doors. Lot of cabinet door shops out there that can turn out doors at a very good price.

[Charlie Plesums]

I have the Performax, and consider it a good buy for low end use. A while back Mark Singer suggested a sander that looked like a good idea if I wanted to step up from the Performax, as it sounds like you do, but I can't find his post any more... Mark do you see this?

[Dennis McDonaugh]

I've got a Performax 16/32 and it works great. Setting it up was a bit fussy trying to align the drum to the table. And changing belts is a learning curve unto itself. Paid about $900 for it as I recall. Use your leftover guidos for belts; because they're pricey.

Andy, what is a "guidos"?

[Andy Hoyt]

Andy, what is a "guidos"?

Moolah, dineros, bucks, greenbacks.

[Steve Clardy]

Jack. Check the general double drum. If I ever wear this 24" griz out, I'll be looking at the general. Around 14-16 hundred.
Ought to be one sitting in the KC Woodshow come february, or march.

[Mark Singer]

I have the General 24" double drum and it is very good! I had the Performax 16-32 and there is no comparison... The vinyl conveyor pulls long boards through easily. The grits I use are 80 and 120 so the work piece comes out at 120....very nice no snipe. Makes great veneer. Resaw on the bandsaw and then drum sand....just great. Negitives...It is a little tough to install paper....takes practice. As with all drum sanders it is better to go slow and take small bites...

http://www.hartvilletool.com/shared/images/products/large/T15250_clp.JPEG

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Moolah, dineros, bucks, greenbacks. Oh, got it. I thought you were telling me I could "save" something else and use it to replace the belt. Mine is looking kinda ragged.

[tod evans]

jack, where is odessa in relation to mtn.home? i`ve got a 37"widebelt you`re welcome to use for the occasional door run. tod

[Donnie Raines]

Powermatic has a nice sander on the market...but its going to put you closer to 2K. Dual adjustable head....nice feature.

[jack duren]

thx for all the replies..

Rick Shelton...ill never part with the door profits unless i get overwhelmed with cabinets and have no choice...

Steve Clardy... do you feel the General is by far a better sander than the Grizzly? what have you noticed makes it better? i might could take that Griz off your hands and get you closer to that General;)

Mark Singer...have you used any other drun sanders prior to the General.

Tod Evans... appreciate the offer. im a way aways from you. i do know where a 37" AEM overhead is for around $3k. was installed new when i worked for the shop. but i couldnt get it through the garage door. eventually a bigger shop will fix this problem...thx

ill be battling the drum sander purchase for a bit. dont really see any way around it before spring. the woodworking show is an ideal for a good time if all goes well around Feb-Mar. ill be keeping my eyes open for a used one.

[Steve Clardy]

Jack. I haven't ran a general, but have eyeballed it for a couple years now.
Now I have an older griz sander. I modified for hook and loop. That was the problem with the older ones. They throwed the sanding belts off. No now though. Sander works great, dust collection I have revamped, much better.
Dust collectio, fit and finish, etc, etc, all look better to me on the general.
But the newer griz sanders have been changed, hook and loop, etc.
So. Whether the general is better than the newer griz, I don't know.
But if I pull the trigger again, I'll have to look them both over again. Price means a lot also.

Like my powermatic shaper. Was going to buy griz 3hp, but bought a powermatic 3hp, as the price difference was $50.00 at the time. Ballews had the powermatic on sale. Fit and finish, and $50.00 difference made my decison there.
I'll think about selling my griz. Don't use it much.
Usually my door panels come out of the planer, sized, rip to width, cut to length, then on to the Ros sander.
I tinkered with the griz sander a year or so and got it to perform for me.

[Mike Rachocki]

I have an older Performax 37 x 2 sander for sale. It's a 3 phase unit, runs fine but could use some work. I have a spare 5 hp motor for it that is brand new in the box, never installed. The feed belt was replace earlier this year.
$700.00
Located in St. Louis, MO

Mike

[jack duren]

mike you caught my attention. how do i get a hold of you if i decide to swing towards the Performax? ...jack

[Mike Rachocki]

I was hoping I would!

Can reach me at the shop @ 636.530.7545 or my cell# 314.393.0041

Hope to hear from you.

Mike