Home-made Shopsmith Horizontal Drum Sander... Made one?

Hmmm, well drum surface sanders are fairly precise machines. The fact that the drum is need to be machined in a way that it dose not vibrate. Other issues include holding or clipping the sand-paper to the drum, raising and lowering you table to thickness, and feeding you stock through. My first inclination is to tell you to go look at buying a small beginners matching like the one delta makes, or a good used one if you can find one especially if your skill set is not the detail and precise set. And if I did not make a good enough argument for splurging on a new toy and your convince in tacking the daunting task of designing your own machine I suggest you go dig in the Fine Woodworking archives, there was a article in the early 80’s about how to build a home made thickness drum sander.

Good luck!

Andrew

-- I cut it three times and its still to short? www.work-in-wood.com

I’ve seen several posts from folks who’ve built drum sanders using kits. I’ve looked into it, and may builr one for myself one day. Take a look at Stockroom Supply (I’m not affiliated with them). They’ve got some good ideas on how-to, and parts and kits to build different sizes and types of sanders.
Best of luck!

-- Ones' greatest strength is most often their greatest weakness.

I used to use my shopsmith a lot. Now it sets in the corner and is used very seldom. I have given a lot of consideration to making a horizontal sander for my shopsmith. However, I have grown leery of the idea because I know you need to get everything in virtually perfect balance and I am not certain I can do that.

I am also more interested in a surface sander (a.k.a. V-drum sander). I have also looked at the kits from Stockroom Supply. I think they are a little overpriced but they are essentially the only game in town and I would be much more comfortable working from a kit than building from scratch.

-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.

+1 on the V Sander.
Price is high but so is the quality.
I love mine.

-- Gene 'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

Gene, did you make a stand alone from Stockroom Supply, or modify it to your SS?

-- Beer, Beer, Thank God for Beer. It's my way of keeping my mind fresh and clear...

Made the stand alone. But construction is virtually the same. Instead of mounting the motor, just allow for the belt to connect to a pulley on the accessory shaft. I believe that some where on their site they have pictures of customer builds and a couple are on SSs.

-- Gene 'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton