# I am going to make a wide drum sander



## Daren

I got looking around in the shop and I have most of the stuff. 1 1/2 HP motor, pulleys, belts, threaded rod for height adjustments, wood for a base...I just need a 24" to surface some wide boards (18"-24"). I have been slipping them in the side door of a local cabinet shop, but it is getting to be a hassle. They are flat and the mill marks are small so thickness planing is not what I am after, just smooth sanded, that should be easy work.

I have seen a few shop made sanders on the net (will link what I found) and have a couple questions. One, some just use a melamine infeed/outfeed table while others have a belt feed either hand cranked or power fed. (can pillage an old tread mill for adjustable power feed if I want it, or still just use the belt and hand crank it)

I gotta get a couple pillow block bearings and finalize a real plan. I still have not decided on the drum material. I have heavy wall 3" PVC pipe I could cut/turn wood plugs for each end. Attach my vecro backing to that. I was thinking 1/2" threaded rod running through the center and jam nut the plugs where they belong on the rod. Slip the rod into the pipe and screw the pipe to the plugs. Any other thoughts ? Balance problems ? 

I have seen drums made with a series of stacked wood plugs. That would work too. Just cut them with a hole saw, open the pilot hole to 1/2, slip them on the rod gluing them and crank nuts and washers down till the glue sets. Then the whole thing has to be balanced (a wide piece of sandpaper mounted on a flat surface and the wood drum spun on it, sanding it round)

But the PVC seems easier. Even if I have to cut a few plugs to go in the tube every 6" or so on the rod to eliminate possible flex ?

Here are some links I found. Feel free to add your own. Tell me I am nuts, whatever. But I think for $100 I can do this :yes:. I am going to do some more looking and stewing and try to come up with a plan that suits me.

http://www.rockslide.org/drum%20sander.html

The height adjustment on this one is so simple it it amazing (guess it works :blink
http://blackcreekstrings.homestead.com/Sander.html

Here is one that runs off your table saw, neat but not handy for me I want a stand alone I can push off in the corner. http://www.woodworkstuff.net/EDTSander.html


----------



## Daren

And yes I have seen those kits. #1 I am cheap, #2 I already have most of the stuff #3 Kits ? who needs a stinkin' kit, I like to do things the hard way :shifty:


----------



## raskgle

*share*

Daren when you get this to work, would you share. I am the one that has to have a wrote not a picture. Raskgle


----------



## TexasTimbers

On the pillow block bearings let me know what size and how many and I'll fix you up. Got several hundred bearings of all shapes, types, and sizes. All new in the box.


----------



## Daren

TexasTimbers said:


> On the pillow block bearings let me know what size and how many and I'll fix you up.


I will, and you usually do brother .


----------



## Rob

Shopnotes magazine has detailed plans. I have the edition if you'd like to borrow it


----------



## Daren

Rob said:


> Shopnotes magazine has detailed plans. I have the edition if you'd like to borrow it


Thanks Rob. I think I have mine figured out...I may borrow it after I'm done to see what I screwed up :laughing:. Started building the drum this morning.


----------



## Terry Beeson

Daren,

How are you building the drum?

I've got some of the pieces to build mine, but haven't started yet.


----------



## Daren

Terry I am making it out of 3" sch 40 PVC pipe. I decided to go with a 5/8" threaded rod (all the pulleys I have are 5/8") I haven't went to the gettin' place and got the rod yet. The tube is 30", I will put 25" of sandpaper on it, self adhesive hook/loop backer and hook/look sandpaper roll.

The rod will stick out just enough to catch a pillow block on one side and the other end will be the pillow block and a pulley. The wood plugs are going on the rod like they lay in the pictures. One on each end and a couple spaced 10" apart inside the tube for more strength. They will be jam nutted/lock washered. The ones on the end I am just going to run screws through the pipe into the plug.

Of course I did not have the perfect size hole saw so I had to put the plugs in the mini lathe to make them fit. That worked out the pilot hole on the hole saw fits snug on a pen making mandrel. I have to open the pilot hole up to 5/8" (as soon as I find my unibit/step drill :wallbash:, I think that is the only way to keep the hole centered)


----------



## TexasTimbers

Daren said:


> . . . . . You just broke some poor pen turners heart. Using prized red box elder as cribbing in your cardboard box jig. :laughing:


Look who's talking Mr. _I-Use-Spalted-Maple-Where-Junk-Oak-Would-Work-Just-Fine._ :laughing:


----------



## Daren

TexasTimbers said:


> Look who's talking Mr. _I-Use-Spalted-Maple-Where-Junk-Oak-Would-Work-Just-Fine._ :laughing:


I figured you would like that :w00t:. What can I say, it was handy.


----------



## mdlbldrmatt135

I was thinking the same thing Kevin was!!!


----------



## Terry Beeson

Yeah, I can hear the voices of a million pen turners screaming in agony... :laughing:

I'm curious about using threaded rod. I've got a 5/8" rod (not threaded) that I was going to use. I was thinking of using epoxy to hold the drum on (original plan was to use 3/4" plywood circles 3" diameter.) So my question is about the threaded rod and the bearings?

Also, since I'm going for a thickness sander, I'm wondering if the pipe will be smooth/straight enough horizontally to prevent a wavy outcome.


Sounds like we're going in the same direction, though.

(Hey, Tex... Next we'll see pictures of the solid cherry 4" diameter legs Daren's using for his sander... Mine will be the base of the $5 table saw I picked up at a garage sale... :laughing: )


----------



## Daren

Terry Beeson said:


> I'm curious about using threaded rod.
> 
> So my question is about the threaded rod and the bearings?
> 
> Also, since I'm going for a thickness sander, I'm wondering if the pipe will be smooth/straight enough horizontally to prevent a wavy outcome.
> 
> 
> Sounds like we're going in the same direction, though.


I am going threaded rod so I can mechanically fasten my wood plugs in place.

What do you mean about the bearings ? Premature wear since it is threaded not solid like the treads would eat at them/or the threads would wear down more likely. I have wondered a little about that. Tossed around putting a wear sleeve (5/8" ID copper refrigeration tubing, I used to run a plumbing shop, I gots me some pipe) over the threads and using a bigger bearing. All I do know is the rod is cheap and so are bearings (well sort of), so if I have a failure down the road since mine is just screwed together whatever failed could be replaced. But am open to other suggestions because this is in the back of my mind.

I think the pipe will be plenty flat. I know the 4' level in the picture is and there is no light anywhere and I spun it around the whole way checking it like this (you can see my table is not flat though :huh I think I will have more trouble getting the abrasive flat than anything ?


----------



## Daren

*Got started*

I made the frame today. I just could not see the sense in raising and lowering the drum. Seemed like more work/money during the build and more importantly more room for misalignment in the future. The drum will be fixed and the table will raise/lower. The frame is 34" high 26 1/2" wide and 48" long. I am making a 25" x 60" table with 3/4" side boards to keep a piece from walking off the side.

I think you can see how this is going to work (on paper...well not even on paper, just pulled out of my hat). The table is hinged on the outfeed side and the 1 1/4" osage screw I made will be my height adjustment. I made a jam nut for the screw to lock my adjustment, the screw threads into a 2" thick maple board that I tapped. Even raised up 2" it doesn't seem awkward (using the level as an imaginary bed) You are feeding downhill, but so what I plan on running big/long boards through this-less pushing.

The roller will set on big blocks that attach to the center board. That board is way long right now I will cut it off to exact length when I get my pillow blocks and figure out the exact measurement. I am going to dado the roller support blocks to fit on the end of the 6" wide oak board that is there and attach to the side rails on the frame.

I am only going to set it up right now for 2 1/2" of adjustment. That covers all of the stock I want to sand. If I need thicker I can just make taller risers and attach them like I am the ones I mentioned. The motor is going to be hinged and hanging for several reasons. One so I can get the dern belt on :laughing:, another I plan on fiddling with the speed and an adjustable pulley on the drum. The motor will have to come/go down as I make the pulley bigger/smaller. And too if I ever did want to sand thicker stock and needed to raise the roller on taller blocks.

Maybe the roller mount part is hard to understand how I plan on doing the pillow block risers, but I will post pictures when I get around to making them and it should be clearer.


----------



## Terry Beeson

Hmmmm.... I'm not so sure that's going to work, Daren... Ship that frame to me and let me take a closer look just to be sure...:devil2:
I PROMISE I'll send it back....:whistling2: 

:tt2:

someday... :laughing:


----------



## mmwood_1

Cripes! What a project! Daren, how do you make a living when you're messing around with projects like this? Gods! I've barely got time to turn around and spit! My hats off to you. I reckon you're a better man than I by some measure...


----------



## allthunbs

I know ths is a little late but take a look at these:

http://www.stockroomsupply.com/Drum_Sander_Plans.php

It's for a "V-Drum" sander. Instead of having the drum on the top and feeding the wood underneath with a conveyor, the drum is on the bottom. The advantage of this one is the lack of dust. The "powder" falls below the drum into a hopper with minimum of dust in the air.

Perhaps for future consideration.

Allthunbs


----------



## Daren

allthunbs said:


> I know ths is a little late but take a look at these:
> 
> http://www.stockroomsupply.com/Drum_Sander_Plans.php


They work (with attention) but not for what I want to do...that is why I am building my own. I have 24" wide boards 10' long to sand. I need a longer bed and sturdier frame. And I will build mine for a fraction of the kit price (not including labor of course :huh:, we'll see how many hours I have in this)


----------



## Terry Beeson

Those are nice and I've looked at those plans before, but they are not thickness sanders. I think Daren and I are after the same thing - a finish to a planed board to ensure the "top and bottom" are parallel.


----------



## allthunbs

Terry Beeson said:


> Those are nice and I've looked at those plans before, but they are not thickness sanders. I think Daren and I are after the same thing - a finish to a planed board to ensure the "top and bottom" are parallel.


Pardon me for stating the obvious but aren't thickness planers supposed to make the two surfaces parallel? I would consider using the sander for final dimensioning (i.e. with 120 git I take off about 8/1000ths of an inch) but I wouldn't rely on any sander to render parallel surfaces, belt, drum or otherwise. My planer is better suited for such jobs i.e. fixed table/bed, pinch rollers specifically designed to push lumber into the bed, cutting head adjustable to be parallel to the bed beyond my ability to measure, depth of cut adjustment to allow the slightest amount of material to be removed for accuracy, and variable feed rates to minimize creating washboard surfaces.

All I want to do with my sander is polish up the planed surfaces ready for final hand sanding and finishing.

This is not a confrontational statement. I'm trying to learn here and this is puzzling me. I recognize that no machine is ever 100% accurate but I'm trying to understand your logic. Norm Abrahams joints, planes and cuts for square and parallel. He's got this one huge belt sander that in one episode he uses to get thing perfectly parallel. The next episode he uses the planer to get things perfectly parallel???

Now you see why I'm puzzled.

Allthunbs


----------



## mdlbldrmatt135

OK, should you're planer blades be nicked.... do you hand sand, if so the the tom and bottom aren't completely parallel anymore............... it's more of a finishing thing than a true "parllel" thing....... planer blade can nick and leane raised sections on the boards. the wider sandes can remove them while keeping them parallel.


----------



## Terry Beeson

Allthumbs... You are not really confused at all. :no:

Yes, a planer is used for that purpose. And maybe I should have made myself a little clearer as to what I was after - not just parallel.

First of all, I don't own a planer myself. But I do have a jointer. And as you should well know, a jointer used to plane a narrow board does not always result in the surfaces being parallel. If I were to use that method then the sander you reference, I would still wind up with a board that may be thicker on one side than the other - ( :blink: That just struck me as sounding strange, but I hope you get my meaning...)

So, in my case, I'm wanting to joint/plane smaller width boards and then use the drum sander to finish them to a parallel finished thickness. At the same time, I want to ensure the thickness is consistent from end to end. Something else the sanders you referenced can't do. Sort of a planer with sanding paper instead of knives.

Also, some of my projects call for relatively narrow glue ups that I want to run through to ensure consistency across the "top" that a belt sander can't do. You're sanders will come closer, but still may have some "dips."

Those sanders have a great value for what they do. I've seen one at work, and if the board is already planed, they are great. In fact, one of those is in the back of my mind for another project later.


----------



## Daren

I worked on it a little today. I just joined 2 -12 1/2" wide white oak board for the 25" wide table. It is flat, should stay that way :shifty:. White oak is plenty hard and should wear OK. You can see a glue line in the picture with the level, I scraped that off after it dried (I was checking it with the level to make sure it was still flat after I took it out of the clamps)

The rest is just dry fit in the pictures. The pillow block risers look like a bit of overkill, but whatcha gonna do ?


----------



## allthunbs

Terry Beeson said:


> Allthumbs... You are not really confused at all. :no:
> 
> Yes, a planer is used for that purpose. And maybe I should have made myself a little clearer as to what I was after - not just parallel.
> 
> First of all, I don't own a planer myself. But I do have a jointer. And as you should well know, a jointer used to plane a narrow board does not always result in the surfaces being parallel. If I were to use that method then the sander you reference, I would still wind up with a board that may be thicker on one side than the other - ( :blink: That just struck me as sounding strange, but I hope you get my meaning...)
> 
> So, in my case, I'm wanting to joint/plane smaller width boards and then use the drum sander to finish them to a parallel finished thickness. At the same time, I want to ensure the thickness is consistent from end to end. Something else the sanders you referenced can't do. Sort of a planer with sanding paper instead of knives.
> 
> Also, some of my projects call for relatively narrow glue ups that I want to run through to ensure consistency across the "top" that a belt sander can't do. You're sanders will come closer, but still may have some "dips."
> 
> Those sanders have a great value for what they do. I've seen one at work, and if the board is already planed, they are great. In fact, one of those is in the back of my mind for another project later.


Through confusion comes understanding. If you don't have a planer and you do have time and materials why not make a thickness sander...

I have a high fence for thin stock but it takes a finer grit.

With this sander you have move the stock across the drum at an even speed. Like that you don't get divits.


----------



## ajh359

If you cut your own veneer you will have to run it through a drum sander to clean it up, because you can not run it in a planer. You have a minimum thickness that a planer can do.


----------



## KevinK

Hi

You may want to check out this site for supplies, they have a pretty innovative roller that uses velcro and because of the velcro and the fact the sand paper lifts off the roller as it spins, the sandpaper does not get clogged up with sawdust. They also have these neat feather wheels.
http://www.stockroomsupply.com/

Good luck, looks good so far


----------



## mmwood_1

Allthumbs,
I could not speak for the guys who are making their sanders, but for myself, there are 2 situations where I use a thickness sander. (36" wide belt) First off, I have a 16" wide planer. If I'm doing wider panels out of solid wood and they need to be really good surfaces, I take them to another local shop and pay for time on their sander.($70/hr. with a 1 hr. minimum) It's generally faster, cheaper, and more accurate than I can attain doing it by hand. Especially if there are many to do.
The second reason is the wood itself. If I'm running a lot of curly/quilted maple for instance, even with freshly sharpened knives on my planer, taking off about 100th of an inch at a pass (which takes forever, and it's my obligation to my customers to try to work efficiently, since I bill by the hour) I can still get tear-out on it because the grain runs in so many directions. The wide belt works in the same manner as the planer, but no cutting, hence, no tear-out.


----------



## Gerry KIERNAN

I am wondering if pvc pipe will stand up to the heat being generated by the sanding action, and stay straight under load.
My feeling is that it may flex in the middle.

Gerry


----------



## Daren

Gerry KIERNAN said:


> I am wondering if pvc pipe will stand up to the heat being generated by the sanding action, and stay straight under load.
> My feeling is that it may flex in the middle.
> 
> Gerry


I wondered the same thing, hence the wood spacers inside. If it goes belly up, back to the drawing board I guess. I will make one from hardwood plugs with a holesaw on the drill press.


----------



## ajh359

Get you a piece of aluminum tubing and do it same way you are doing with the PVC.


----------



## Daren

ajh359 said:


> Get you a piece of aluminum tubing and do it same way you are doing with the PVC.


I have a piece of thinner wall stainless steel. It is 3" od. I have it in the shop on standby.


----------



## ajh359

Daren said:


> I have a piece of thinner wall stainless steel. It is 3" od. I have it in the shop on standby.


That will work, after you put your wood plugs in put in your wood lathe and see how far it out. I would use a shaft and not a threaded rod it will run a lot truer. And you want to make it better take to your local machine shop had them make two aluminum end caps and turn it round. You will a lot happier with it.


----------



## Gerry KIERNAN

Daren

If you have wooden plugs in the middle as well as the ends it will probably be okay. If it works out it will certainly be an economical way to build the drum.

Gerry


----------



## Daren

*Put some power to it*

I have not had a chance to mess with my sander for several days, things have been crazy around here. I have been tripping over it plenty in my small shop though and decided I need to get 'er done so I can move it to the sawmill shed where I will use it.

I don't have a switch mounted or anything, just put a male plug on and stuck in the outlet. I was more focused on mounting the motor and spinning it. 

The motor is hanging from blocking lag bolted to the frame on a heavy duty door hinge and perforated angle iron . It seemed to hang too much off the belt so I added a little support on the other side with a jury rigged (but I like it) storm door catch spring/chain.

I had to take the table off because of all the crawling around and under it, 3 hands would have been a big help more than once.

The noise in the video is more belt slap than anything the bearing where quite and smooth. The belt was the right length and just handy, but it was old and hanging on the wall and had "memory" in it and it was vibrating some. I will buy a new belt (prolly link belt) when I an done tinkering.

If I figured right on my adjustable pulley I am running the drum at about 2500 rpm (?) I can speed it up plenty if I want, but not slow it down much without changing the motor pulley, which I have them to do so.


----------



## Daren

I took the sander for a test run on a piece of osage orange this morning. I video taped part of the second pass. I cranked it down the first pass and took the most of it off, the second pass I concentrated more on feed rate and got a nice smooth finish . I was not going to video the first pass (I did not know what would happen, coulda been ugly :blink

I just need to make a push board/stick to push them all the way through. Most likely dad or someone will be here most of the time catching on the other end (and pulling) but I have a roller set up for an outfeed when I am working alone. And of course dust collection...no problem. I made a different bed from earlier pictures, there is a reason but I don't have time to go into it.

Seems to work, not counting wood since it was "free" I did it for less than $100. The first picture is rough saw, the next 2 are after the sander.


----------



## TexasTimbers

Awesome. Man that's great, you'll do fine in a severe depression. :laughing:


----------



## Terry Beeson

Very KEWL!!! I gotta get to work on mine now...


----------



## Gerry KIERNAN

Great job Daren. 

Gerry


----------



## Daren

*This ******* is going high tech*

I found a working treadmill to pillage  , so yea power feed here I come (when I get around to it). I just need to source treadmill belt material.


----------



## BudK

That's nifty , Daren . Look's like you made an extra beefy table ,too .


----------



## mics_54

Waiting for an update Daren. Is the drum working with the PVC? 
How about the feed?


----------



## Daren

Too many irons in the fire to install the power feed yet. Yes manual feeding things are still working fine, but I am not using it much right now (which explains my hesitance to spend the big bucks to buy one and just making one myself). I did find the belt material, ebay $9.99-only bidder :icon_smile: for what I priced at $200+ someplace else. Threadmill belt for a health club type machine, 144" long and high grade stuff. 

I just need a DC motor controller to adjust the motor speed (slow it to a crawl) but give me all the torque still. The motor is a honker for it's small size, 2 1/2 HP 17 amps...but it is DC, it says 130 volts DC but reading the wiring schematic if I could find even a 0-90 VDC motor controller I would be in business. The controls from the pillaged treadmill would not work, they where wired through a heart monitor/bed up-down thing...just all kinds of stuff (that would fail used on a sander for sure) I just need a dial, that's it. Just a 110V AC in with a potentiometer to control the DC going out to the motor. I am not too sharp on things electrical really.

Since this is a budget build the power feed is on hold. I have watched a few controllers sell on ebay that I thought would work for like $80, but I never pulled the trigger.


----------



## John in Tennessee

Find a tread mill. You'll have the belt, speed control and maybe a motor.


----------



## mics_54




----------



## Daren

mics_54 said:


>


(he's from Tennessee...he'll catch up here shortly) :laughing:


----------



## Daren

Duh, it just dawned on me I have a router speed controller that should work.(?) I bought it for something else, never used it and stuck it away. I will dig it out later and see (I know I blew the fuse in a previous "experiment", gotta get some fuses first)


----------



## TexasTimbers

The amp rating on the pot is high enough (20) but I have never thought about using a pot designed for ac in a dc application. I don't think it will work. 

You will have to put the pot inline with the ac input to the dc motor. Where is the ac being rectified - in the motor itself? Or does it have an external power supply? 

You can use the pot for the ac input and I do not thik it will effect the ability of the rectifier to convert it to dc. The rectifier will just see a smaller and smaller wave but I can't imagine it would not just put out a smaller and smaller wave of dc. With that big of a motor it is full wave rectification i think so it should not have a dramatic power loss. 

If it doesn't work mayve you can find a rheostat big enough? I think you can put that in the dc circuit and control the voltage that way. A potentiometer is simply a voltage divider remember, has 3 terminals. A rheostat has two, and channels the voltage through a resistor in varying amounts to control the votlage. 

Not saying I know for sure though it's been a while since I scratched my head about anything like this. :huh:


----------



## Daren

I have the AC to DC converter (inverter ?) from the treadmill I got the motor from. But had no way to control the DC output to the motor, too many other things in the lumped together circuit boards before it got to the potentiometer . I was getting full DC voltage bypassing all that other unnecessary stuff. The router controller says it will work on all ac/dc brush type motors.


----------



## TexasTimbers

I have another idea. See if the controller says it's rated for both ac AND dc. :w00t::jester::1eye::smartass::laughing:




Daren said:


> The router controller says it will work on all ac/dc brush type motors.


----------



## Derryl James

Looks good Darren ! Make sure you post some pics when your done !


----------



## Terry Beeson

Pot? AC/DC? Amps?

Have I stumbled into a heavy metal forum? :huh:

:laughing:


----------



## AZ Termite

Hey Daren,
Is the PVC still hanging in there. I think I may try my hand building one to. I could really use one but $1500 for the one I really want is out of the question at this point. BTW that thing is cool. I never thought about building one until I found this site and saw this thread.


----------



## Daren

AZ Termite said:


> Hey Daren,
> Is the PVC still hanging in there.


:yes:, no problems yet. Granted I don't use it every day, but it is handy (and worth the time/$ invested) when I do need it.


----------



## AZ Termite

I found a plan that looks like it will work nice. I have alot of the stuff I need to build it. I may be able to do it for about $100, I want to start turning segmented bowls and have no good way to get rings flat.


----------



## rrobor

If I can give you all advice on building the beast, its fairly simple. You have a few errors in design of the drum, I built one, I needed 1.2m and built it exactly like that and it worked for a time. Now during use the drum heats up a bit and the PVC becomes a bit softer, then it can enter a phase where the drum reaches a harmonic, when that happens it can shake your teeth out. Solution is make your drum out of craft wood disks, Glue them all together on your steel shaft, then run this and like a lathe work that down till your PVC fits. I use 4" wide paper on the diagonal and thats fine, you only need to glue it for half a turn each end. I have glued paper together where the paper could be peeled in bottom and top layer, so it was a splice joint. I am down under doing very hard wood, never tried it on your softer type woods so will be interesting. Another issue I have is a slight snipe at each end. I expect that now so my benchtops are an inch oversize. They also create dust, try as you may you wont suck it all up.


----------



## woodwurm

*self made machines*



Daren said:


> And yes I have seen those kits. #1 I am cheap, #2 I already have most of the stuff #3 Kits ? who needs a stinkin' kit, I like to do things the hard way :shifty:


 Hi there i thought i was the only one that rather make my own contraptions then buy, as you say you are cheap well so am i because im sure one could make most


----------



## rrbrown

rrobor said:


> If I can give you all advice on building the beast, its fairly simple. You have a few errors in design of the drum, I built one, I needed 1.2m and built it exactly like that and it worked for a time. Now during use the drum heats up a bit and the PVC becomes a bit softer, then it can enter a phase where the drum reaches a harmonic, when that happens it can shake your teeth out. Solution is make your drum out of craft wood disks, Glue them all together on your steel shaft, then run this and like a lathe work that down till your PVC fits. I use 4" wide paper on the diagonal and thats fine, you only need to glue it for half a turn each end. I have glued paper together where the paper could be peeled in bottom and top layer, so it was a splice joint. I am down under doing very hard wood, never tried it on your softer type woods so will be interesting. Another issue I have is a slight snipe at each end. I expect that now so my benchtops are an inch oversize. They also create dust, try as you may you wont suck it all up.


 
Another solution is use ABS pipe. PVC can only handle heat to about 60 C before it gets soft enough to change shape, but ABS can go to 180 C. Learned that when making a hydrogen generator.


----------



## fingers5

*fingers 5*

I made a drum sander useing a wood lathe as the driver
the height adjustment was 2 pieces melanie chip board hinged
clipped to lathe bed with adjusting height screw
This way i have several control speeds built in
Tread your own path
Ernie D
fingers5


----------



## dbhost

So inquiring minds want to know. How did it turn out? Is the PVC drum holding up as you had wanted or do you need to switch to a different material?

I saw your demo video, and while it looked pretty good, the one thing that came to mind was is he going to do anything about dust collection or just live with it as the dust flies?


----------



## Daren

It is holding up well. Last week I ran some endgrain cutting boards through it. This weekend I lopped off some white oak log cookies/cross sections and used the sander to flatten them/take out the chainsaw marks. I never added the power feed. I do have a dust collection hood (just a wood box over the drum with a 4" hole for the hose connection) hooked up to a roll around dust collector...which I use most of the time but not always. When I don't it is a dusty mess for sure.


----------



## AZ Termite

Its good the hear that the sander is working well. If I can ever get some free time I will get mine finished. Things have gotten a little crazy around here. Haven't been spending much time in the shop.


----------



## Firewalker

Sorry to dig this up from the dead......I am curious if you ever put a drive motor on it and how it is holding up or if you even use it still. I would really like to build one that will sand 26" wide. My old TS has about had it so it might be a good use of it instead of putting it on the curb. As bad off as it is I can't seem to let it go. Maybe mounting a pulley on the arbor and using the existing base would save some fabrication time. Would you change anything on your design if you did it over? 

TIA


----------



## Daren

Firewalker said:


> .I am curious if you ever put a drive motor on it and how it is holding up or if you even use it still.
> 
> Would you change anything on your design if you did it over?


No drive motor, I found even though it would probably be easier, I get by just fine. For small pieces I can feed them through no problem. Big pieces like say a 20" slab 12' long I just wait until someone is around to help, just catch the other end.

It is holding up very well, I use it pretty often.

The only change I would make is for it to sand wider. It works the way I want it to and all...but I can only sand 25'' wide and I modified my sawmill and I can (and do) mill 27'' wide stuff now. So, I have some stuff like wider crotch slabs that I cannot sand here. :wallbash:


.


----------



## Firewalker

Good to hear she's still purring along. What do you think of using my old TS for the task? I almost bought a 1hp motor the other day not even thinking about that one begging for a job to do.

I mainly want to sand raised panel doors to correct any minor alignment probs if there are any I realize running them through assembled would give cross grain sanding somewhere but before glue up would be a big time saver on the RO.

Man I get jealous as heck when I see those slabs of walnut you have on your FB page.

Hope life is being kind to you man.


----------



## Daren

Firewalker said:


> What do you think of using my old TS for the task?


I guess I can't picture what you are trying to do.




.


----------



## Firewalker

Would basically built the top portion of your machine and run the belt down into the throat of the TS which will have a pulley mounted instead of the blade. The idea was from one of your links in your original post. Would just be able to use the steady base and height my TS provides. That and switch placement. Lower the depth adjustment to provide belt tension.

Anyway, that is the plan.

Scott


----------



## woodknot

have a good


----------



## Kevin07

How does the 1 1/2 hp motor work for you? does it dog down any? i was thinking of making one but only have a 3/4 hp motor which i think would be to small for one 20 inches wide.


----------



## Daren

Yes on hard/wide stuff that I take too big a bite on it does bog some. Just like anything small passes fixes it, if a guy is not in a big hurry. For daily heavy duty sanding on really wide stuff my homemade sander is not the answer (but for $100 and my needs it is)



.


----------



## Kevin07

Ok i just made a sander similar to yours but my frame is not nearly as nice as yours, power is basicly the exact dc motor and controls thay you have for your power feed. My question is what grit did you use and how wide was the psa material?


----------



## mjdtexan

I just read this entire thread today. Twas a good tread. I was sure looking forward to the belt feed but it was not meant to be. Good job on getting it done so cheaply. I wish one of you would make a 50" wide sander for me to read about.


----------



## Kevin07

Ok i took some pictures of what i have so far. All the electronics and the "drum" were free, i got them off of a teadmil i found on craigslist. The small capacitor motor that used to be the incline what i pave set up to change my table height. Im hoping it can make fine enough adjustments but only time will tell. The frame needs so extra securing yet. I have the switch on the side for the table raising and the other control is for the drum speed. I also have to loop a ground wire from the cord to the circit board, to the transformer and the motor. Im thinking about sealing the area with the circuit board and transformer or atleast making a lid with a hinge, but dont know how much heat the transformer puts off.


----------



## albertorj

http://www.guiadomarceneiro.com/forum/drum-sander-t11199.html

Brazil::red_indian:






Daren said:


> I got looking around in the shop and I have most of the stuff. 1 1/2 HP motor, pulleys, belts, threaded rod for height adjustments, wood for a base...I just need a 24" to surface some wide boards (18"-24"). I have been slipping them in the side door of a local cabinet shop, but it is getting to be a hassle. They are flat and the mill marks are small so thickness planing is not what I am after, just smooth sanded, that should be easy work.
> 
> I have seen a few shop made sanders on the net (will link what I found) and have a couple questions. One, some just use a melamine infeed/outfeed table while others have a belt feed either hand cranked or power fed. (can pillage an old tread mill for adjustable power feed if I want it, or still just use the belt and hand crank it)
> 
> I gotta get a couple pillow block bearings and finalize a real plan. I still have not decided on the drum material. I have heavy wall 3" PVC pipe I could cut/turn wood plugs for each end. Attach my vecro backing to that. I was thinking 1/2" threaded rod running through the center and jam nut the plugs where they belong on the rod. Slip the rod into the pipe and screw the pipe to the plugs. Any other thoughts ? Balance problems ?
> 
> I have seen drums made with a series of stacked wood plugs. That would work too. Just cut them with a hole saw, open the pilot hole to 1/2, slip them on the rod gluing them and crank nuts and washers down till the glue sets. Then the whole thing has to be balanced (a wide piece of sandpaper mounted on a flat surface and the wood drum spun on it, sanding it round)
> 
> But the PVC seems easier. Even if I have to cut a few plugs to go in the tube every 6" or so on the rod to eliminate possible flex ?
> 
> Here are some links I found. Feel free to add your own. Tell me I am nuts, whatever. But I think for $100 I can do this :yes:. I am going to do some more looking and stewing and try to come up with a plan that suits me.
> 
> http://www.rockslide.org/drum%20sander.html
> 
> The height adjustment on this one is so simple it it amazing (guess it works :blink
> http://blackcreekstrings.homestead.com/Sander.html
> 
> Here is one that runs off your table saw, neat but not handy for me I want a stand alone I can push off in the corner. http://www.woodworkstuff.net/EDTSander.html


----------



## firemedic

Any updates on this? 

Have you seen this one?





~tom


----------



## Gerry KIERNAN

Where would a person get a belt that size. I have picked up several old treadmills with the idea of making a large belt sander, but I haven't seen any belts that size around my area.[Pretty small city]

Gerry


----------



## AZ Termite

I finally finished my drum sander. It is nothing special but it works great. I made two shelves for my friends entertainment center and I have sanded rings for segmented bowls with it. I should have finished building it a long time ago. I will take some pics when I have time and post them.


----------



## woodnthings

*a 1 mouse power sander*





 :blink: bill


----------



## DaveTTC

Its an oldie but a goodie

just got word of this to add to my ideas for one at home


----------

