Your opinion of Delta's Drum sander

[Jim Broestler]

Anyone have any experience or knowledge concerning the Delta 31-260X 18-inch by 36-inch Drum Sander? It's the one with the semi-enclosed base. I was looking at one today, but Amazon doesn't have any reviews on it.

The guy selling it can give it to me for $1K, with a $150 gas card. It seemed to run nice and quiet with no vibration, and all the controls worked smoothly, including the table elevation mechanism, which I understand was a real problem with Delta's other drum sander.

Thanks.

[Butch Edwards]

Jim, I have a 31-255X(very similar) 18x36 , and it's great. it does all I expected from it. the price is a tad steep, but if you have plans on building many cab doors, etc, it'll be $$ well spent. and get the rolls of abrasive, not the pre-cut..it'll save you $$.
plus, 150 bucks off for gas (...the way I look at it,that's saving you 150 at the pumps) is a decent incentive...

[Mike Heidrick]

Is this teh new model? They came out with a new model with better gearing and a new more stable base design.

Bee's Knees - the new oscillating Performax drum.

[Jim Broestler]

Is this teh new model? They came out with a new model with better gearing and a new more stable base design.

Bee's Knees - the new oscillating Performax drum.

Yes, it's the new one.

[Bob Aquino]

Anyone have any experience or knowledge concerning the Delta 31-260X 18-inch by 36-inch Drum Sander? It's the one with the semi-enclosed base. I was looking at one today, but Amazon doesn't have any reviews on it.

The guy selling it can give it to me for $1K, with a $150 gas card. It seemed to run nice and quiet with no vibration, and all the controls worked smoothly, including the table elevation mechanism, which I understand was a real problem with Delta's other drum sander.

Thanks.

There was? Geeze, why didn't somebody tell me, here I am using it and it's working just fine and all the time I should have left it off. Keep in mind bad news always travels faster and farther than good news. There might have been a few problems, but I think most folks get good use out of them. And btw, I paid a whopping 400 bucks for this one with a bunch of extra sandpaper. I guess a bad rep is a good thing now and then.;)

[Mike Heidrick]

$1K is the selling rate it seems. IMO the improvements do not warrant the price increase. I would look for a deal on a discontinued new old style one maybe. That or a Performax.

[Andrew Duncan]

I bought the 260X some months ago and it works fine. Everything was well adjusted when it arrived but the wheel handle for height adjustment was poorly painted. Delta sent a new handle without fuss. I'm happy with mine.

[Jim Broestler]

I bought the 260X some months ago and it works fine. Everything was well adjusted when it arrived but the wheel handle for height adjustment was poorly painted. Delta sent a new handle without fuss. I'm happy with mine.

One question: are the pressure rollers adjustable, in the event of needing to reduce snipe?

[Rob Diz]

I have been looking at drum sanders for a long time. My conclusion is that if I can get the Delta for very little money I will get it. For close to retail, I would stick with the Jet for the following reasons:

1) It has a separate motor for the feed belt with variable speed and burn control
2) There are no "gear issues". Lots of other folks have had issues with the plastic gears stripping out
3) the Jet has been around for a long time, is clearly the leader in the field, and will be around for a while.

I happen to have called today about a used Delta drum sander. The guy wanted $600 - way too much for me. I could get a used Jet in good shape for that. I will stick with the Jet.

Others who have the Delta ahve had good results. I don't always follow the crowd, but looking at both, the Jet just seems, on many grounds, to be superior.

Now I don't have an urget need for a DS, so I can wait for the right one at teh right price. With the Oss Jet coming on the market, I think there will be some upgrades coming soon, and plenty of 16 32s and 22 44s coming on the market.

Just my .02.

[Andrew Duncan]

One question: are the pressure rollers adjustable, in the event of needing to reduce snipe?

They are not adjustable. However, there has been no snipe in my use. I'm actually unclear how there could be. The rollers are about 2" fore and aft of the roller center line, so the work is well supported and pinned both before and after going through the sanding drum.

[Bruce Page]

I have been looking at drum sanders for a long time. My conclusion is that if I can get the Delta for very little money I will get it. For close to retail, I would stick with the Jet for the following reasons:

1) It has a separate motor for the feed belt with variable speed and burn control
2) There are no "gear issues". Lots of other folks have had issues with the plastic gears stripping out
3) the Jet has been around for a long time, is clearly the leader in the field, and will be around for a while.

I happen to have called today about a used Delta drum sander. The guy wanted $600 - way too much for me. I could get a used Jet in good shape for that. I will stick with the Jet.

Others who have the Delta ahve had good results. I don't always follow the crowd, but looking at both, the Jet just seems, on many grounds, to be superior.

Now I don't have an urget need for a DS, so I can wait for the right one at teh right price. With the Oss Jet coming on the market, I think there will be some upgrades coming soon, and plenty of 16 32s and 22 44s coming on the market.

Just my .02.
“1) It has a separate motor for the feed belt with variable speed and burn control”
Burn control? I’m not sure what that is, but the Delta has a variable speed feed belt/conveyer using a separate DC motor.

“2) There are no "gear issues". Lots of other folks have had issues with the plastic gears stripping out”
I never opened up the gear box on my old Delta but I never had any issues with it and I don’t recall ever reading about any.

“3) The Jet has been around for a long time, is clearly the leader in the field, and will be around for a while.”
IMHO, that is a purely subjective statement.
I believe that the Delta was out long before the Jet.

I had one of the early Delta 18x36 drum sanders for several years. While not a production machine, it did a good job as long as you exercised patience.
I sold it and bought a Woodmaster. The Woodmaster is “clearly the leader in the field” in my subjective opinion…. :rolleyes:

[Butch Edwards]

“1) It has a separate motor for the feed belt with variable speed and burn control”
Burn control? I’m not sure what that is, but the Delta has a variable speed feed belt/conveyer using a separate DC motor.

“2) There are no "gear issues". Lots of other folks have had issues with the plastic gears stripping out”
I never opened up the gear box on my old Delta but I never had any issues with it and I don’t recall ever reading about any.

“3) The Jet has been around for a long time, is clearly the leader in the field, and will be around for a while.”
IMHO, that is a purely subjective statement.
I believe that the Delta was out long before the Jet.

I had one of the early Delta 18x36 drum sanders for several years. While not a production machine, it did a good job as long as you exercised patience.
I sold it and bought a Woodmaster. The Woodmaster is “clearly the leader in the field” in my subjective opinion…. :rolleyes:

Bruce, they had lotsa problems with the gears stripping/breaking teeth, according to the Delta tech I deal with..the problem was NOT so much the machine, but the user cranking too hard, or too fast on a system that needs exact tolerances in their adjustments. The machine I bought from a cabinetmaker for $350(with Delta tenoning jig thrown in) had the left-front adjuster missing(it's the main gear that the table adjustment handwheel attaches to). it cost me over $130 for all the necessary parts to replace it. after about a week of time consuming work, I finally got it as close as I am capable of to being absolutely right. there's too many variables that have to accounted for to make sure that the gears don't slip, or the belt dont slip,either throwing the tables' elevators out of sync. the rod that the handwheel operates can have nearly NO play in/out..I think .005 is max. also, the belt has to be as tight as possible, considering that the design for belt adjustment is not the best.my machine still skipped, until I readjusted it about 50 times(it seemed). now, no slip at all,and the table is level. I also had to remove the drum and reinstall the bearing flanges, as he(proior owner) obviously didn't know how they were removed... I had to do this myself, as the Delta-dude charged $70/hr for repair work..I can't afford that, especially after he told me that it was gonna run $500+ for him to do the work....the machines are adjustment dependant for proper usage, and I soon found out why he charged so much... back and forth, back and forth...loosen-adjust-retighten, over and over again... but at least now I know that machine inside out...:D

edit to add: according to my manual, the holddown rollers ARE adjustable, but to what extent, I don't know..I've nothad to touch mine. I also had to replace the conveyor.,..THAT was a blast,too..:rolleyes:

[Dennis Brown]

Bruce, they had lotsa problems with the gears stripping/breaking teeth, according to the Delta tech I deal with..the problem was NOT so much the machine, but the user cranking too hard, or too fast on a system that needs exact tolerances in their adjustments. The machine I bought from a cabinetmaker for $350(with Delta tenoning jig thrown in) had the left-front adjuster missing(it's the main gear that the table adjustment handwheel attaches to). it cost me over $130 for all the necessary parts to replace it. after about a week of time consuming work, I finally got it as close as I am capable of to being absolutely right. there's too many variables that have to accounted for to make sure that the gears don't slip, or the belt dont slip,either throwing the tables' elevators out of sync. the rod that the handwheel operates can have nearly NO play in/out..I think .005 is max. also, the belt has to be as tight as possible, considering that the design for belt adjustment is not the best.my machine still skipped, until I readjusted it about 50 times(it seemed). now, no slip at all,and the table is level. I also had to remove the drum and reinstall the bearing flanges, as he(proior owner) obviously didn't know how they were removed... I had to do this myself, as the Delta-dude charged $70/hr for repair work..I can't afford that, especially after he told me that it was gonna run $500+ for him to do the work....the machines are adjustment dependant for proper usage, and I soon found out why he charged so much... back and forth, back and forth...loosen-adjust-retighten, over and over again... but at least now I know that machine inside out...:D

edit to add: according to my manual, the holddown rollers ARE adjustable, but to what extent, I don't know..I've nothad to touch mine. I also had to replace the conveyor.,..THAT was a blast,too..:rolleyes:

I am using a Radio Shack Amp meter to regulate the feed for my drum sander. I found that 11 to 12 amps indicate a good feed rate. The meter plugs into a regular outlet (It was designed to monitor home appliances but it works great for me. Cost approx. $25)

[Dennis Brown]

I am using a Radio Shack Amp meter to regulate the feed for my drum sander. I found that 11 to 12 amps indicate a good feed rate. The meter plugs into a regular outlet (It was designed to monitor home appliances but it works great for me. Cost approx. $25) http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/misc/progress.gif http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/buttons/edit.gif (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=1148848)