I finally got around to building my 18″ drum sander.
I went to a wood show on the weekend and they sold me a velcro covered drum. The rest was easy.
I tried it out today and it works exceptionally well.
Not quite a Performax but pretty good for less than a $100.00
Stows under the bench which is good at my shop!
Bob
Replies
Looks great, but is that a motor or the alternator off you car? haha
For less the a hundred bucks, you can't go wrong.
Don
Hi Don;
Alternator... Alternator Hmmmm!
Yes I can use this, where do you live? ha, ha, ha,.
Actually, it's one of three a guy a bit older than me sold me for $6.00 for the lot.
They are all 1/4 hp , 2 are reversable . I have only one left , but where did you say you lived ? That alternator might be a good idea. <vbg>
The hook and loop material separates and lifts at 1750 rpm giving you the smooothest ride you can get on a drum sander. No flutter. No ripples. Because the drum rotates toward me the dust just falls straight down into the box. I'm thinking about a top roller now that acts as a hold down. I have one left over from a 54 plymouth. <vbg>
Bob
Nice job!! Do you have a connector on the box to hookup a vacuum??
Rick:
I was thinking about that before I ran it but, honestly, the dust just drops down the little slot at the front of the drum.
There is so little dust you could run it in your living room!
The box has plenty in it though!
Remember , its not a thickness sander where you would be taking off a millimeter or more at a pass.
This sander just kisses the surface and takes down irregularities left behind by the planer(s).
The 1/4 hp motor only allows me about a 1mm max pass without stalling. Two .5 mm passes are better with this.
There is no problem with wider stock as the table is completely clear.
You got me thinking. I have an old 1hp motor I need to do something with.
My thoughts also. I swear that motor looks like an alternator though!
Where did you get that roller at?
Don
Don:We've got to get your head out of that old chevy! <g>
The folks that supplied the drum are http://www.stockroomsupplies.com
They make the drum with a 1/2" center rod from polycarbonate so that there is no static build up. Then they wrap it with commercial grade Velcro. ($69.00) Cdn ($44.00 U.S.)
They also sell low profile pillow blocks so you can build a full clearance table. ( another $30.00) ($20.00 U.S.).
I used link belt for the drive.
You have to be careful lining up the top of the roller to the top of the table but it's not hard - just becareful to get the roller parallel .
p.s there's a bigger roller too.
BTW their sand paper is the best! (klingspor)
I am not affiliated -just a happy customer.
Bob
Bob,
Thanks for the link. Is the design here yours, or did they offer it along with the roller? Seems the rollers are offered for exactly what you did. Did they make any hp suggestions? Looks like this idea may be a good compliment to a beltdisc machine for larger, flat surfaces. Inexpensive too.
Don
Don
Hi Don:
They sent a little sketch along with the roller. I just followed it loosely.
I did laminate the top which I made from MDF to reduce warping as the climate changes.
All the specs are on the website. So you can start scrounging a 1/4- 1 hp reversing motor today! Make sure you get the right size shaft for the pillow blocks you will be using. I had a set of regular pillow blocks with the grease nipples but they protruded above the roller. (watch for that!)
If I can scrounge a roller(s) from and old printing press or similar I may tackle a thickness sander too.
Regards
Bob
I made my drum from 3/4" MDF. I cut about twenty 6-1/2" squares then trimmed them to 6" circles using an over arm router. I first drilled a 5/8" hole in each one and had a dowell of that size imbedded in the table. I then turned the squares by hand while cutting the circles with a 1/4" bit. The shaft I used was 5/8". If I ever do another, I'd use a 3/4" shaft.
Glued them together with poly glue. After finishing the drum and truing it up (in place) I put about 6 coats of poly varnish on it.
I can easily sand off 0.001" of material. Thinnest I've gone to is 1/16". (mine is an overhead drum sander)
If you like to make things and have lots of time, making a drum sander would be a fun and useful project.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_KatyPlaneWood
I went to their web site and like the idea of building my own. How would you compare the action of your sander to a Delta 18" open ended drum sander? This is what I was considering buying, mainly to smooth sand highly figured woods and thin, shop made veneers. It looks like what you built may work for me.
How do you hold the wood down agains the roller table to ensure you take an even amount of wood off? Do you rely on gravity or just gently push down as the wood passes over the roller?
I wonder if the 18" or 30" roller would be a good choice to make a more traditional thickness sander. Wood magazine has plans for a shop made thicknessing drum sander in an old book of theirs, but it relied on a shop made drum. I would think this would be a better choice.
Regards,
John
First let me say that I am by no means an expert on this thing.
I have never operated a Delta or Perfomax etc, but have coveted both.<g>
I needed something to take me from the planer to the hand scraper.
I believe the other types can be used as "thickness" sanders where this should be classified as a "surface" sander.Because the wood touches both sides of the table as the sandpaper passes underneath one could (I haven't yet) pass quite thin pieces through using a flat board with foam rubber as a backing to keep the pressure even.
I don't know if you noticed that you can joint pieces with this and a right angle fence. -Not possible with the other types.
The fellow at the show told me that the 30" roller was more for a pro shop and required a larger motor to run effectively.
Remember that you will be changing grits on the fly with this thing.
It takes all 30 seconds. That... I like!
Regards
Bob
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