Most useful stationary sander? Questions about shop built...

Rick, I would think a drum sander capable of thicknessing would be a great thing to have, but I can’t speak from experience.

I can tell you that my Delta belt/disc sander probably gets more use than any tool in my shop.

I’ve seen some great looking shop built drum sanders, and building your own makes a lot of sense because they are quite expensive. But it’s hard to justify building a disc sander, IMO, when they are relatively cheap.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

I plan to build a combo of a drum and disc sander at some point. 12” is a pretty common disc sander size, and 1.5 HP should power both the drum and the disc without a problem.

-- Brian T. - Exact science is not an exact science

Rick,

With 1-1/2 HP a 12 inch disc should have no problems. What RPM is the motor? 3600 RPM may be too fast for 12”. 1750 or less would be good, too fast and you will burn the work. You will also have less vibration issues at slower speeds.

Just looked at Grizzly’s site and they use 1-1/2 HP at 3450 rpm on a 15” disc.

-- Chris K

Rigid oscillating sander, no contest.
The most used tool in my shop.
To build an oscillating system would be an interesting, but no impossible, challenge

-- Bert

I’ve got an old old craftsman like Charlie posted. It gets used constantly. I built a drum sander (see my blogs) but to be honest I don’t use it as much as I thought I would. I’ve got a lot of flooring to do sometime in the future and it’ll get a work out then.

I’ve also got the ryobi which just stays as a spindle sander.

-- There is nothing like the sound of a well tuned hand plane. - http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com (timetestedtools at hotmail dot c0m)

Bert is this the one your are referring to?

I am thinking about replacing my old Sears disc/belt sander with one of these!

-- "I never met a board I didn't like!"

Yes, may be the best tool in my shop.
Oscillating spindle and belt sander

-- Bert

Rick M. – here’s some ideas for building your own…I found them right here at LJ’s…imagine that….check ‘em out…I think they are some great ideas and builds !!
v
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http://lumberjocks.com/projects/43625

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/13699

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/37200

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/79331

-- Measure "at least" twice and cut once

CharlieM1958 I agree the most used in my shop as well.

-- Live to tell the stories, they sound better that way.

I have an oss (Oscillating spindle sander), a 6×48 belt 9”disk. the Oss is a $100 throw away from menards, and the other is an older C-man. They both perform great. I did own a performax 22/44, and a performax 25×2. every open ended drum sander I have ever used had tip issues (sanded more on the left then the right ) if you didn’t take the tiniest cut at a very slow rate of speed. the 25×2 was a great two post machine that had dual drums. it would take 1/16” a pass without any troubles, a little pricey (new) and it took a 4×4 foot print out of my shop. I paid $225 for it and had $175 in putting it back together. in the end I didn’t have the room for it (and just wasn’t used enough)so it went for $900. on a side note the surface sanders make an obscene amount of powder fine dust, so make sure your DC can take it.

No offense to anyone here...but I think Rick M wants to build his own....not buy one

-- Measure "at least" twice and cut once

Look at Bearpaws post, awhile back he made a V-Drum Sander with Accessories, I have been to his shop and it looks and works well.

-- Live to tell the stories, they sound better that way.

I have a variety of sanders- Craftsman 6×48(took the disk off), 16/32 drum sander, Grizzly spindle sander, a couple of porter Cable belt sanders, and other small ones. I use them all. The 6×48 flattens figured wood that my jointer would tear up. I use a 36 grit planer belt. The drum sander saves a lot of time on cutting boards and boxes. They all make a lot of dust, but I need them all. Good luck building whatever you decide. I have enough trouble making wood behave, let alone metal!

-- Robert, so much inspiration here, and so little time!

My 18/36 drum sander gets used on every project so build a drum sander first, then the combo belt/disc, then ya gotta have an OSS for curves! That ought to keep ya busy for a while!

-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm

@ Bert, To build an oscillating system would be an interesting, but no impossible, challenge

I’ve seen where people have built them and I even have a motor that goes up and down but it’s a little more complicated and it isn’t something I want to tackle just yet.

@Charlie, But it’s hard to justify building a disc sander, IMO, when they are relatively cheap.

Well smaller disc sanders are relatively cheap but I’m thinking big. Grizzly has a 15” that runs off 1.5hp but it’s $950 with freight. And that’s cheap compared to the Powermatic combo models.

-- -- Rick M.