# 18" Drum Sander



## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

From a Basic Kit from:
www.stockroomsupply.com

Not Finished... but it works GREAT!


http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showphoto.php?photo=13926

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/985/DrumSander18_1023.jpg


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Hmmm... that is pretty cool Joe. How much does it take off in a pass? I have never really payed much attention to drum sanders, reviews or the equipment themselves. Is it to flatten a panel? Will it not work like a planer if a board is bowed, will it still be bowed when it is run thru? Just curious just what a sander like this is really for. 

Nice work. 

Corey


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

challagan said:


> Hmmm... that is pretty cool Joe. How much does it take off in a pass? I have never really payed much attention to drum sanders, reviews or the equipment themselves. Is it to flatten a panel? Will it not work like a planer if a board is bowed, will it still be bowed when it is run thru? Just curious just what a sander like this is really for.
> 
> Nice work.
> 
> Corey


Corey,

It is NOT like a thickness planer... but similar.

It takes off a very small amount per pass, depending the table adjustment and grit on the roller. Paper is held in place via Velcro aka Hook n Loop.

If a bowed board was run across it with the outside edges hitting the roller at the same time, it would tend to flatten that surface of the board... The other surface, I'm not sure about.

A lot depends on your technique in sensing the "feed rate"... a consistent feed rate matched to the sand paper results in a smooth consistent surface.

It's best to take a small amount off per pass... with a somewhat fast feed rate.

Panels, tops, & boards <18" can be sanded smooth with this unit...

They have kits up to 30"... maybe more by now...

Watch their demos... They are good.

Hope this helps.


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## Glenmore (Sep 10, 2004)

Really nice Joe so when are you going to send it to me so I can put a proper power switch on it. I'll only have it a couple of days. hehehehe


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Very interesting project Joe, but, (isn't there always a BUT with me!), what are the dust collection arrangements? I'm sure that there IS a plan that includes a hood with 4" port.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Harry

http://www.routerforums.com/attachments/portable-routing/3724-planing-router-6193.jpg

This is what I want to do some day to rework it just a bit
http://www.routerforums.com/attachments/portable-routing/3951-planing-router-new-drum.gif


http://www.routerforums.com/35765-post22.html

========


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Thanks for the links Bj. have you personally seen one in action?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Harry

the one you see in the links is the one I made and use from time to time.

Bj 




harrysin said:


> Thanks for the links Bj. have you personally seen one in action?


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

harrysin said:


> Thanks for the links Bj. have you personally seen one in action?


Click on the www.stockroomsupply.com demo link and watch it in action!


Demos... http://www.theonlinewoodshow.com/show/company.php?number=20102


It's really very simple...


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## Drugstore Cowboy (May 17, 2007)

NEAT

Now if they would just make an 'inverted' one I could use for refinishing floors --
I could save mucho dinero on clogged belts.


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## Doyle (Mar 20, 2007)

That is a great looking sander. Ah yes, Inverted, could it not be used as a floor polisher as well as a 18-inch floor sander? Refinish and polish - just change sandpaper to paint roller.
It would be nice if it would flatten a bowed board. All I have to do is bring a board or plywood into my shop and the next day it goes we-wa dern-it.
Take care
I will try ----- to post some photos today.
Doyle


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## Rolf Maxa (Feb 8, 2005)

Joe, are you planning to add the feather wheels? I would want something that provides even pressure as you pass material across the drum. Looks like a useful tool, nice job.


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

rmaxa said:


> Joe, are you planning to add the feather wheels? I would want something that provides even pressure as you pass material across the drum. Looks like a useful tool, nice job.


Hi Rolf,

No, not yet... So far I don't have a problem with it... Cutting a small amount at a time...

I'm thinking of putting some counter-top type laminate on it... (just thinking, so far)... It would make it smoother & easier... but, the way it is isn't too bad... seems to work fine...

Haven't used it for any real project yet... just scrap pieces... for practice... I like it!

I was also thinking of making a fence so I could keep a nice square edge... like a jointer.

Edit: I TOO am an "A" Team fan... great shows!


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Joe Lyddon said:


> Corey,
> 
> It is NOT like a thickness planer... but similar.
> 
> ...


Wow, watched the video. Neat machine and cool idea for someone to market to the average Joe.... or Bob, Bill ... you get the picture  You guys did a great job on those. I still don't know where I would put one! Nice job. 

corey


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## Drugstore Cowboy (May 17, 2007)

Joe Lyddon said:


> . . .I TOO am an "A" Team fan... great shows!


George Peppard was a VERY UNDERrated actor.
Like John Wayne and Errol Flynn and others he tended to play more or less variations of the same character -- but he played such a broad array of variations and infused each one with style and believability.

But -- I digress -- 
If that sander is _half_ as good as it looks in the demo it's a _heckuva_ tool.
And yes -- I would all but kill for a floor sander that didnt clog when faced with decades of wax and varnish and other indeterminate coatings.
Fortunately -- I have only two more such floors to deal with.


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

challagan said:


> Wow, watched the video. Neat machine and cool idea for someone to market to the average Joe.... or Bob, Bill ... you get the picture  You guys did a great job on those. I still don't know where I would put one! Nice job.
> 
> corey


Corey,

With this, I didn't think about where I was going to put it... I wanted it!
As it turned out, my shop was in such a mess, I could not build it due to no work space! I didn't think of that when I ordered it... I wanted it.

Bob has a lot more room to store things than I have... I have to be more conservative... I may have to make my Top a little shorter... so I can store it somewhere! But, I hope to be able to get to it at a moments notice.

*Druggie,* I picture your Floor unit looking much like a *giant Kirby*... with a *Micro-adjust level control... * Other than that, I'd say It's possible to have a floor model made... if for no other reason, to save their lives!


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

Drugstore Cowboy said:


> George Peppard was a VERY UNDERrated actor.
> Like John Wayne and Errol Flynn and others he tended to play more or less variations of the same character -- but he played such a broad array of variations and infused each one with style and believability.
> 
> But -- I digress --
> ...


I was VERY sad when George Peppard passed...  I'm glad we have something to remember him by...  

I think I can tell you that the sander IS more than half as good as it looks... and Yes, I think it's a great tool...

Now, in woodworking, we seldon ever sand surfaces that have been coated with wax & varnish... it's usually raw WOOD... There would have to be a little (a lot) of testing done to see the effects of WAX & VARNISH buildup... to see the clogging results before going on to design the Floor model.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Bj., if you had you're time again, would you still make a drum sander?

Joe, the video was fascinating, I imagined that the air would be thick with fine dust, especially without a dust collector. I'm almost tempted to add this to my list of things to make, at the rate I'm going I guess that I shall have to live for a good many years yet.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Harry
"if you had you're time again, would you still make a drum sander?"

NOPE ,, not this type....  I have been thinking of reworking it for a long time, many built in errors with this type ..

But that's just may 2 cents...

Bj 






harrysin said:


> Bj., if you had you're time again, would you still make a drum sander?
> 
> Joe, the video was fascinating, I imagined that the air would be thick with fine dust, especially without a dust collector. I'm almost tempted to add this to my list of things to make, at the rate I'm going I guess that I shall have to live for a good many years yet.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

"many built in errors with this type .."

Could you elaborate Bj.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Harry

So many it would take a page or two to do it...

The one that pops up is the lack of guards.V-belt,sanding drum,etc.
In the cd they show how to make the case to hold the system ,the motor is on the out side of the box with out any belt guards at all, I did try and fix this error by putting the motor on the inside of the box on the one I made..

But then we come to the sanding drum,,,it's wide open and you need to push the stock over it with your hands or a push block,if you slip your fingers are in the slot with the drum, that will remove a tons of skin b/4 you know it..or if you push it over the drum a you forget to move your hand you just took off the skin from your hand...that will paint your new machine bright red...

The drum roller is a bit lame the way they mount it to the box,,,no real way to move it up or down and .050 is a big deal when it comes to removing stock.
They suggest that you use screws under the lid to move it up or down so you can set the height or just change to a 100 grit sanding paper...lame..


You can see why I want to rework it... I did post a small drawing of what I thing I'm going to do to rework it by putting the roller in a box and the stock would go under the drum roller, that way I could push the stock in but it still needs a belt to pull the stock by the drum roller without my help...and maybe two rollers to hold down the stock down flat to the base...you can see why I put it to one side for a bit....   the way it is now it would make a great way to pull the water bucket out of the well by hooking the rope to the drum roller... LOL LOL..



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harrysin said:


> "many built in errors with this type .."
> 
> Could you elaborate Bj.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I understand all the points you made Bj. but carrying out the changes you listed would turn what is intended as a simple "poor man's" version of a drum sander into a genuine drum sander!


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

harrysin said:


> I understand all the points you made Bj. but carrying out the changes you listed would turn what is intended as a simple "poor man's" version of a drum sander into a genuine drum sander!


Harry, I agree with you (for a change  ).

There are hazards present in many things we do...
Driving on a Freeway/highspeed road, putting explosive gasoline in our cars, making sure HOT things are cool enough to eat or hold, and on & on...

We do what we have to do with as much caution & care we can muster.

I was going to build a belt guard... but I just made the top a little larger to cover more of it... seems to work for me.

We just do the best we can with what we have with reasonable care & caution.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Harry, I agree with you (for a change ).

Wow Joe, I'm going to have to be careful what I say in future, we can't have this happen too often!!!!!!!!!!!!(only kidding folks, Joe and I do in fact get along OK)


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