Drum Sander

[Justin Cook]

I have the Craftsman 18"/36" open frame drum sander. I want to sand a panel that is larger than the drum. The manual that came with the machine is horrible! Is there anything special I have to do? Do I just run it through and then turn it end for end and run it through again? Or do I have to adjust the table in any special way? Thanks!

[Lee DeRaud]

I haven't used one of these critters this way: I'm under the impression from what's been said/written about them that the "double-width" feature, while fine in theory, doesn't always work all that well.

But common sense says that the one thing you absolutely positively do not want to do is alter any of the settings between the two passes.

Although, as with most power tools these days, it probably wouldn't hurt to run the manual through it a couple dozen times. :D

[Justin Cook]

That's what I figured until I read this from Tauton:

"To sand a panel wider than the drum width, the operator must adjust the table-to-drum alignment, a process that takes a couple of minutes."

[Jim Becker]

Justin, for "flipping" panels, you need to adjust the drum arm by a "proverbial hair" so that you have ever so slight more thickness at the open end. It will leave a slight crown on the workpiece, but keep marking to a minimum. You do not want to leave this adjustment in place for workpieces that are within the width capacity of your drum sander.

[Lee DeRaud]

That's what I figured until I read this from Tauton:

"To sand a panel wider than the drum width, the operator must adjust the table-to-drum alignment, a process that takes a couple of minutes."
Yes, but that's a one-time setup, isn't it? (Or maybe a periodic maintenance, depending on how well constructed the machine is.)

[Lee DeRaud]

Justin, for "flipping" panels, you need to adjust the drum arm by a "proverbial hair" so that you have ever so slight more thickness at the open end. It will leave a slight crown on the workpiece, but keep marking to a minimum. You do not want to leave this adjustment in place for workpieces that are within the width capacity of your drum sander.So you need to deliberately "detune" the machine for that operation?

Oy. I'm starting to understand why people say that feature is less useful than it looks on paper.

[D.McDonnel "Mac"]

I have the Delta 18/36 open ended drum sander. I have it set so that the thickness at the open end is just ever so slightly more than the closed end. I mean it is slight and I leave it that way all the time. It is so slight that it is imperceptable on less than full width pieces. I have routinely sanded wide panels by rotating them 180 degrees with out any noticable ridge/line/crown.

It works for me but your mileage may vary!

Mac