# drum sander decision



## Lone Goose (Mar 11, 2012)

looking at 3 different models of drum sanders for a small shop where I slowly build heirloom pieces of furniture for kids and grandkids as well a church artifacts. Looking at supermax models 25 and 19-38 and jet 16-32. As I get older the features like slowing the speed of stock travel due to misjudgement of trying to remove too much stock seems like a good feature. Almost all large tops, etc. are less than 24" wide.
Any owners/users of any of the above models, your advice would help me with making a decision. I've only had experience with a 20" open throat belt sander which I sold years ago. Too big for my shop and I needed the cash. Thanks:smile:


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I've never been happy with drum sanders. The least little hesitance and it burns a dip in the wood. A timesaver sander would work better but they are expensive. For my own shop I settled with a stroke sander.


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## toolguy1000 (Oct 4, 2012)

supermax over jet, especially if you're buying new. there isn't a new tool with the name "jet" on it that is worth it's retail price.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

I have a Performax 16/32 which I purchased shortly after Jet bought Performax. This is now sold under the Jet label.

I have looked at the Supermax model at wood working shows and think it may be slightly better.

As Steve mentioned drum sanders can easily burn the wood. I had some instances when I put on a new strip of abrasive and the first pass developed gum/resion streaks which burned the wood and I had to throw away the strip. This was with very light passes. Some woods more than others.

I then switched to the Klingspor blue zirconia abrasive. More expensive, but it develops much less heat and so far has not gummed up, so I actually get good yield.

http://www.woodworkingshop.com/cate...UM+SANDER&f1=3+++X+18+MT&f4=ALUMINUM+ZIRCONIA

Another problem I had was that no matter how I fed the wood, and despite the light passes, I would get a dip in the centre of the wood compared to the ends. Since I only have used this one drum sander, I cannot tell if it is my technique vs the machine.

At a later wood working show I watched the demo of the Flatmaster which has the drum located under the table. I decided to buy one.

As the demo stated, the drum does not touch the wood, unlike the overhead drums. Only the paper touches the wood. The result is no heat. The drum is an anti-static material and the dust literally falls down. The hook and loop paper is very easy to change and lasts a long time.

The only weakness of the design is the table could do with being deeper. FYI the units are sold without motor or switch or dust port. There is a hole, but you have to make you own method to connect the shop vac.

http://www.stockroomsupply.ca/shop/drum-sanders/30-flatmaster-1.html

I still have the Performax, but these days it is rarely used. I normally use the Flatmaster.


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## bob sacamano (Jan 24, 2012)

i have the jet 22-44 and LOVE it. got it on craigslist for $900. a friend has the smaller jet 16-32 and he loves his. 
no snipe. i cant say enough good about mine


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## Lone Goose (Mar 11, 2012)

Steve Neul said:


> I've never been happy with drum sanders. The least little hesitance and it burns a dip in the wood. A timesaver sander would work better but they are expensive. For my own shop I settled with a stroke sander.


Tell me more about the stroke sander. Does it keep the boards as flat and the same thickness throughout the flat piece? Are there any disadvantages? I will be have a number of small thin pieces to sand, etc.
Thanks for your reply.
Merry Christmas!


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## WarnerConstInc. (Nov 25, 2008)

Stroke sanders are the bomb. Yeah, the big one's take up some room, but you can sand anything and everything you want with them. I am looking for one that will let me sand at least 10' lengths.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*10 feet?*



WarnerConstInc. said:


> Stroke sanders are the bomb. Yeah, the big one's take up some room, but you can sand anything and everything you want with them. I am looking for one that will let me sand at least 10' lengths.


Just pull over on the Xway, hook the board to the truck, put some cement blocks on it and get "r up to 55 or so and she'll be pretty flat in about a mile or two. Rough sanded to suit, finish sand depending on concrete or asphalt.... :whistling2:


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

Get an oscillating drum sander, don't bother with ones that don't. You'll just burn a lot of stock and use a ton of expensive paper while using multiple four letter expletives.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Nov 25, 2008)

woodnthings said:


> Just pull over on the Xway, hook the board to the truck, put some cement blocks on it and get "r up to 55 or so and she'll be pretty flat in about a mile or two. Rough sanded to suit, finish sand depending on concrete or asphalt.... :whistling2:


I am looking at one right now that the table will let you sand a piece over 11 feet long and about 42" in width.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Lone Goose said:


> Tell me more about the stroke sander. Does it keep the boards as flat and the same thickness throughout the flat piece? Are there any disadvantages? I will be have a number of small thin pieces to sand, etc.
> Thanks for your reply.
> Merry Christmas!


 No you don't use a stroke sander to flatten anything. It just sands. I do sometimes sand a panel crossgrain first to flatten it and then turn it with the grain. It's kind of like a hand held belt sander with a 6" wide belt. I like it because you can sand cabinet doors and sand across the top and bottom rails and then turn it the other way and take out most of the cross grain on the stiles. 

I found this picture on the net to give you some idea how it operates.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> Stroke sanders are the bomb. Yeah, the big one's take up some room, but you can sand anything and everything you want with them. I am looking for one that will let me sand at least 10' lengths.


 Look for a Beach stroke sander. It is made in two pieces where you can set each end as far apart as you want. You would just have to have some custom made belts made.


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## trslowin (Nov 21, 2012)

I have the 37x2 performax sander and really like it. Common problems are not enough cfm out of your DC taking to big of cut and keeping the inside of drum to cut down heat buildup on the drum. You can find used ones for sale last one I bought on at auction for 950.00 with six boxes of sand paper Terry


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## Bweick7 (Jan 14, 2010)

Those stroke sanders are an awesome piece of machinery,,,,,,the older ones.....

My only problem..., at least for me,.....they are a space sucker........


They do a fantastic job on finish sanding.....:thumbsup:


Some day,.........


B,


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## Woodmaster123 (Feb 26, 2011)

I had a beach stroke sanding in my woodshop at the school where I teach. It was great you could sand something up to 96". When they dropped woodworking a couple of years ago it was sold at auction. It took a 298" belt.


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## Bweick7 (Jan 14, 2010)

That is so sad what's going on with all this great machinery.,,,,..

How much you want to bet That leaving the shop, along with everything else.... was a legal matter , the insurance premiums where probably screaming through the envelope.."and THAT,....I have a BIG problem with....

It's going to get to the point that if a hot dog touches a blade and if it doesn't stop immediately....someone is going to get sued....



We now have lawyers standing beside our equipment...........Hypothetically...


But it's all for our own good ,....write......:blink:...:thumbdown:

Please........:icon_rolleyes:


Makes me so pissed off just thinking about that......:thumbdown:

It used to be you were responsible for yourself.....I guess we can all be reckless and get compensated now...........


The direction this country is gong......


Now to me,...THAT is .....Very,very,...dangerious......




B,


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## Fastback (Sep 2, 2012)

I have the Delta 18 x 36. I don't think it is anything to brag about. I have not used it is a while, but it has done fairly well on wide panels I have made. It works best with hard woods soft wood tends to plug the sand paper very quickly. If I had know that Delta would be turned over time and time again I would have bought something else. Now since I am retired I'll have to live with it.


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## Lone Goose (Mar 11, 2012)

:smile:like to learn moreabout the Flatmaster tool. Are there videos showing how it works? What keeps the needed pressure on the workpiece to insure a flat surface at the end of the sanding process? How is the workpiece fed into the machine? I like the price range for smoothing wood. Thanks!:smile:


Dave Paine said:


> I have a Performax 16/32 which I purchased shortly after Jet bought Performax. This is now sold under the Jet label.
> 
> I have looked at the Supermax model at wood working shows and think it may be slightly better.
> 
> ...


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## Msupote (Dec 12, 2010)

If you search "V Drum Sander" on YouTube, you will find some VDO from Stockroomsupply.

The flatmaster works similar to a jointer while other drum sanders work like a planer. You just apply pressure on the flatmaster top while moving the board across the running drum. Flatmaster only flattens the board, while other drum sanders will make a board to set thickness.

Hope this help. Once you see YouTube VDO, you'll understand better.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Lone Goose said:


> :smile:like to learn moreabout the Flatmaster tool. Are there videos showing how it works? What keeps the needed pressure on the workpiece to insure a flat surface at the end of the sanding process? How is the workpiece fed into the machine? I like the price range for smoothing wood. Thanks!:smile:


Another reply mentioned the YouTube videos.

The Flatmaster does not need pressure.

A board is pushed by hand from one side of the machine to the other. Light hand pressure is all that is needed. I mentioned earlier the drum is not pushing against the wood. The centrifugal force of rotation slightly lifts the abrasive paper which is all that touches the wood.

The "pro" is no heat. The "con" is the grit of the paper determines how much is removed with each pass.

I am a hobbyist, so I am not worried about how long it takes me. I am more concerned about the result.

I am able to get a piece to be come out flat with this machine.

Getting top and bottom parallel is not what this machine is designed for. Getting any surface flat is what the machine does well.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I've been using this a lot recently*

It's a 12" Grizzly single drum sander. It will put a great smooth finish on if you don't take a heavy cut. You just have to be patient. I have a dual drum 24" General for really wide panels, but for smaller pieces this one is great:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-Baby-Drum-Sander-Polar-Bear-Series-/G0459P


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