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Thread: New-to-Me Drum Sander

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    New-to-Me Drum Sander

    I made a run out to Carlisle PA today to pick up the SuperMax 19-38 that new 'Creeker Matt Banks was selling. I've been wanting to get another one for awhile because the work I'm doing now can benefit from being able to handle very thin material...stuff that just gets shredded in the thickness planer. This beast is heavy and even more impressive than the Performax 22-44 I owned years ago, but sold due to next to zero use and the need for shop space. Shop space is still a concern, but yesterday I moved my large "shorts" bin upstairs with the rest of the general lumber storage and repositioned my lathe (which doesn't get used much, but I'd never give up) to accommodate the sander. Matt was kind enough to break the machine down and have it up out of the basement so it was easy to load into the back of my vehicle. He also provided a piece of sheet goods for under it that would allow sliding it out easy, too. (I did tie everything down for the trip)

    The first step when I got home was to install the double-locking casters I bought on the base in place of the simple leveling bolts that were on it. My space dictates that the machine absolutely has to be mobile.

    IMG_5998.jpg

    The casters also brought another advantage...the base could be my "helper" to get this nearly 300 lb tool out of my Subaru Ascent and into my shop without another human to assist. Slide it out and on...only had to lift the heavy end about two inches...

    IMG_5999.jpg

    Strap it on securely....because dealing with the bolts with impending rain and kneeling on asphalt wasn't something I was interested in...
    IMG_6001.jpg

    Wheel it in...

    IMG_6002.jpg IMG_6003.jpg

    Re-assembly was straight-forward...pretty much the same as it would have been with a new machine. Bolt the unit to the base...and then install the conveyor with the four bolts. (Matt was kind enough to bag bolts separately relative to function when he broke the machine down)

    IMG_6004.jpg

    Then install the in-feed and out-feed tables, using some wood to help support things while installing the bolts and then to get the tables co-planer with the conveyor. (They were a bit out of flat from knocking around, but it's all adjustable)

    IMG_6005.jpg IMG_6006.jpg
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    And there it is in its parking place. I need to go through the alignment process in the next few days before starting to use it, but that's pretty straight forward. I also need to change the scale to metric since that's what I use...I have the original one with some spare bolts, etc., that Matt sent with it. The available DRO will probably be bought in a month or three, too. There's an overhead DC drop near the parking spot so when I pull it out to work, it will be a quick job to hook up to the dust collection...I use Nordfab type quick connects for overhead drops.

    IMG_6008.jpg
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Piercefield, NY
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    1,659
    It looks great, I hope you'll enjoy using it. Having it on casters will be a big plus, especially for working on different lengths of wood. I made a box (kind of like a cabinet without a door) out of 3/4" CDX ply to put mine up to a comfortable height. I had some used casters on hand to make it movable. I got more usable storage space with the box than the stand, and it's full of cardboard boxes of walnut shorts that I buy online and other boxes of fretboard blanks and such. I still have the stand that came with the sander but haven't found a use for it yet.
    Zach

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Central Michigan
    Posts
    1,508
    Looking good Jim, new toys are always exciting. Keep us posted on how everything goes.
    Richard Poitras
    Central, Michigan....
    01-02-2006


  5. #5
    Nice! Looks to be a very useful tool. Envy kicking in already.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Bucks County, PA
    Posts
    198
    Great find Jim. I’ve been buying my belts from 2sand.com. I think your Performax and my PM are basically the same machine.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Thanks for the abrasive reference, Robert. I'll check them out.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Santa Fe, NM
    Posts
    259
    Hope you like it as much as I like mine. I'm always impressed by how precise it is. I frequently sand bandsawn veneers down to .020" on mine.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Waterford, PA
    Posts
    1,225
    Jim, I love my 16-32, and like you, have to keep it on casters due to shop space issues. You'll find that it is a good machine to be mobile, as mine stays put with no problem. Hope you like it.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Lebanon, TN
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    1,719
    Congrats, I love mine. I plan to make a little cabinet to sit on the lower storage shelf, to utilize that set water space.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Lancaster, Ohio
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Cherry View Post
    Great find Jim. I’ve been buying my belts from 2sand.com. I think your Performax and my PM are basically the same machine.
    Have been buying my wide belt sander belts there, very happy with the quality, speed of delivery and ease of dealing. Highly recommend 2sand.com

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    I checked the alignment this morning and found it was spot-on. The manual thickness gage is pretty close, too, although I suspect I'll put the DRO on it at a later date.

    IMG_6012.jpg

    I'm going to keep it parked like this most of the time...it doesn't interfere with normal work flow (nor does the lathe...that's the slider wagon pulled all the way back and it clears by, oh...about a quarter inch. ) and that means I'm more likely to use it with frequency. Waiting on the quick connect for the DC port to arrive and will install that at that point.

    IMG_6014.jpg
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    SoCal
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    22,492
    Blog Entries
    1
    I've been a happy 19-38 owner since 2013. I consoled myself over the large footprint I had to give up by eliminating a shop-drawer unit and building a drawer'd base.

    19-38-stand(25).jpg

    The drawer unit is huge but, fits under the sander's footprint. It has morphed to pretty much hold all my abrasives, sanding blocks, belts and so forth.

    19-38-stand(26).jpg . Belt Storage (3).jpg

    I've never had the previous style abrasive clips but, have read enough to know I dodged a bullet. The paper changes on this are so easy I change at will during parts preparation.

    19-38-stand(12).jpg . 19-38-stand(14).jpg
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Piercefield, NY
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    1,659
    Quote Originally Posted by glenn bradley View Post
    I've been a happy 19-38 owner since 2013. I consoled myself over the large footprint I had to give up by eliminating a shop-drawer unit and building a drawer'd base.

    19-38-stand(25).jpg

    The drawer unit is huge but, fits under the sander's footprint. It has morphed to pretty much hold all my abrasives, sanding blocks, belts and so forth.

    19-38-stand(26).jpg . Belt Storage (3).jpg

    I've never had the previous style abrasive clips but, have read enough to know I dodged a bullet. The paper changes on this are so easy I change at will during parts preparation.

    19-38-stand(12).jpg . 19-38-stand(14).jpg
    That's an infinitely more stylish and well-crafted cart than mine, but the idea of getting all possible use out of the footprint is the same as what I was trying to do.
    Zach

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,685
    Glenn, the cabinet I had my original Performax 22-44 on a number of years ago has been through several iterations, but it's currently housing my OSS on a lift out from the cabinet below and the combo sander on the top. I hang onto the combo sander, but honestly, haven't used it in years...things change. That cabinet lives next to my new guitar bench at present.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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