16/32 Drum Sander Grit?

[Robert foster]

What grit do you use on your drum sander? Do you use it for wood removal or fine sanding or both? Where is the best place to purchase the 3" rolls and do you buy the readymade ones or cut your own?

Bob

[Dave Malen]

I use mostly 150 and 220 for finish sanding. Industrial Abrasives is a good source for 3 inch rolls.
Dave

[Earl Reid]

I use 100 grit. Thats what I have lots of:)
Earl

[Gary Muto]

I use 80 and 120 grits. I read that the finer grits load up adn can lead to burning.
The 120 grit leaves a smoother surface than you would expect. I follow up with a random orbit sander using 150 then 180, then a finishing sander at 220 grit. It sounds like a lot, but those 3 steps go very fast.

[Jim Becker]

36 and 80 are pretty much all I use in mine as I only use it for surfacing natural edge slabs.

[Craig D Peltier]

I use 120 and 150. Havent found a true cheap source for pre marked rolls yet. I think the normal rolls are about 80 each and you get about 15 uses from a roll.
Theres alot of choices out there, pre cut single pieces, pre marked rolls, non marked rolls.

[keith ouellette]

I use 60 to 150 grit. I never tried it for finish sanding because I would think the finer grit would clog up and get hot. My lowes sells a 80 grit roll of paper but it is like 4 and 1/2 in but I have cut it down and used it. It is pretty good paper and I think I get three raps out of 1 roll.

[Mike Cutler]

What grit do you use on your drum sander? Do you use it for wood removal or fine sanding or both? Where is the best place to purchase the 3" rolls and do you buy the readymade ones or cut your own?

Bob

I've used everything from 60-180 grit in mine. If the speed, and drum height are set right,and you have adequate dust collection you shouldn't get much burning. Light passes are the rule.
Oily tropicals are the exception that I've found, and they require acetone wipes while sanding.

Buy the abrasives in rolls. it's too expensive to buy the ready made stuff from Performax, and once you make the first template , that's it you never make it again. I get it whereever I can find it the cheapest, or on closeout. eBay is good for this

[Bill Wyko]

I use 80 grit. It'll take material off nicely and is still smooth enough to use a random orbital at that point.

[Bruce Collins]

I have been using 120 grit for final sanding. However it seems like when I am done, the scratches left are deeper than 120 or 150 sandpaper on a orbital sander can remove and I have to go to 80 grit to get the drum sander scratches out??


Bruce

[Robert Payne]

I have a 26" Woodmaster and use 100 grit for smoothing glued-up panels and then switch to 120 for my finishing passes before final sading at 180. The Woodmaster uses 6" Hook & Loop paper which I buy in 25 meter rolls from Klingspor's Woodworking Shop (www.woodworkingshop.com (http://www.woodworkingshop.com)). They also carry a full line of abrasives (36 to 400 grit) for many drum sanders, including the Jet/Performax series.

[Al Willits]

I read all this and ordered 50 yds of both 60 and 100 for the 22-44, that went over a $100 so I'm sure hoping they work ok...:)
Maybe 120 and 180 next.

Thinking that should just about do it....I hope.

Al