Building a drum sander - what diameter?

Alexandru Marian · **Posted:** Mon Feb 03, 2014 10:21 am

I started planing the build of a drum sander. I'm getting a 1800W - 2.5 HP motor, 1400 rpm. Or maybe a 2200W, not much price difference.

1:1 belt drive with 3.5" pulleys.

I am having the MDF disks cut and bored on a CNC and I'm not really sure on the diameter. I could go for 5" like on a Jet but since the motor seems to be pretty sturdy perhaps I could try a larger drum, say 6" ? I imagine a large drum heats less. I will only use 60 (maybe 80 sometimes?) grit.

Thanks!

Ken McKay · **Posted:** Mon Feb 03, 2014 2:34 pm

I think I would look up Grit Laskin's sander published in Fine woodworking years ago. It looks superior to any homemade I have ever seen.

Having said that I bought just the drum from Grizzly and made mine.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ken

Ken McKay · **Posted:** Mon Feb 03, 2014 2:35 pm

Doug Balzer · **Posted:** Mon Feb 03, 2014 3:15 pm

Check out Pat Hawley's drum sander. I built one...works great.
http://woodgears.ca/sander/thickness.html

wbergman · **Posted:** Mon Feb 03, 2014 6:14 pm

HAS ANYBODY MADE A HOMEMADE WIDE BELT SANDER? SEEMS TO ME THAT IF YOU ARE MAKING EVERYTHING FROM SCRATCH, THERE MIGHT BE AND ADVANTAGE TO BUILDING SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT OVERHEAT AND PLUG THE SANDPAPER.

Arnt Rian · **Posted:** Mon Feb 03, 2014 7:00 pm

I have 2 hp (3 phase, 230V) motor on my home built contraption, and a 150x700 mm drum. It has served me well for the past 12-13 years, the motor is more than adequate for a drum this big. I'd make the drum even bigger, but I suppose then balancing and vibrations would become more serious issues, and you'd need a very heavy base etc. Probably more pain than gain

Nick Royle · **Posted:** Mon Feb 03, 2014 10:04 pm

I also made a "Pat Hawley Thickness Sander" recently. Couldn't be more pleased with it.

John Hale · **Posted:** Tue Feb 04, 2014 3:20 am

I used 5" on mine it seems to work ok here's a link to its build its a bit rough and ready, but it works and hogs off material!!

http://www.luthiercom.org/phpBB3/viewto ... 115&t=1290

guitarjtb · **Posted:** Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:57 am

I bought a shaft and took it to a machine shop. I had them mount a pipe on the shaft, and then turn it with the shaft installed. This centers the drum on the shaft and trues everything up. It has been a long time so I don't remember the cost, but it was very reasonable, and worked perfectly.

I now have a Performax unit that mounts on a radial arm saw.

I still have not figured out who sells just the power feed unit for a Jet/Performax. I have found belts and parts, but not a complete unit. My power feed is giving trouble and I would like to replace it.

James

Clay S. · **Joined:** Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:20 am **Posts:** 5968

"HAS ANYBODY MADE A HOMEMADE WIDE BELT SANDER? SEEMS TO ME THAT IF YOU ARE MAKING EVERYTHING FROM SCRATCH, THERE MIGHT BE AND ADVANTAGE TO BUILDING SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT OVERHEAT AND PLUG THE SANDPAPER."

An interesting video I found on the net shows a treadmill turned into a 16 inch wide belt sander, although not a thickness sander as we know it. With some ingenuity a person might be able to adapt something like that to make a thickness sander. Used treadmills usually sell pretty cheap. Who will be the first on the forum to build such a beast?

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f12/grea ... der-55727/

jsmith · **Joined:** Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:32 pm **Posts:** 321

Alexandru, I found that the diameter of the finished sanding drum isn't as critical as the cold-rolled steel shaft upon which the drum runs. Go with a diameter of at least 1". I went with 3/4" and it flexed when running, causing the whole machine to vibrate, and worse yet the finished sanded wood wasn't smooth.

Alexandru Marian · **Posted:** Tue Feb 04, 2014 12:15 pm

My shaft idea was 20mm (a bit more than 3/4) rectified tool steel from a CNC parts source which sounded nice and stiff but they do have bigger. I initially wanted 1" but had a bit of trouble sourcing both pillows and pulleys for it. I'll search some more, thanks!

Alexandru Marian · **Posted:** Tue Feb 04, 2014 1:02 pm

I was also planing to build the frame from 1x2" steel rectangular tubing, welded together. Overkill? It is actually easier for me to weld the metal together than to make it from wood... Wood is prone to warping especially since I will keep the contraption in my unregulated environment garage. On the other hand wood might damped vibrations and make it run smoother? idunno

A cool thing is I will not put a piano hinge, which I don't trust. I will use a 1/3 steel rod and 5 pillow blocks, 3 on the feed table and 2 on the frame :twisted:

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