# Homemade drum sander(new idea)



## higtron

So I was originally thinking of building a drum sander got a free plan off of woodgears, but the motor seems to be my only problem with this idea. And this plan just keeps knawing away in my head(not that theres much to knaw on)so last night I'm in the shop and have this aha moment. I have a Gizzly lathe G0462 2horse variable speed motor 40" bed, 8" from bed to center of spur drive my big idea(and not original as it turns out) is mount the drum between centers, and build a removeable, adjustable table that afixes to the bed. My question is could this cause exessive wear, and possibly burn out the motor on my lathe? Because from my perspective thats the only downside. So let me have it go ahead squash my dream, rain on my parade etc…...


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## higtron

Some one on another foum suggested that a LJ has Built a simalar contraption I would love to pick this persons brain. Who is this LJ ?


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## JoshJock

Higtron: I actually use an old craftsman lathe with a 1hp motor and it works wonderful. I'll post some pics later. You have the right idea, I made my table with plywood and I glued a sand paper to another plywood piece in order to true the drum (that is if you are making the drum out of wood as well). In order not to force the motor, I make several passes and each pass I am able to sand up to 1/16 ( of course also depending on the grade of sanding paper you use) I use a 80 grid and it works for me. I've even used it to make my own veneer for a guitar that i'm working on. this is the guide i used to base myself when building mine http://www.woodturningonline.com/assets/turning_articles/lathe_mounted_drum_sander/lathe_mounted_drum_sander.html 
I hope this helps!


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## SASmith

Here is a concept from shipwright: 
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/25559

Here is another link:
http://www.shopsmith.com/academy/drumsand/
toward the bottom is what you are describing

This is a v-drum style sander. This is a commercial model but easy to build yourself.
http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/Tips_Archives/SST106_Sand_Flee.htm

I think a v-drum sander would be much easier to make than a thickness sander.
Good luck


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## higtron

Well I've made up my mind to proceed with this build, I will be advanceing the material through the drum sander manually for now if I get alot of burning I will rethink that at a later date. Now my idea for the drum is cut 5" circles and glue the discs together to form a 18" drum I'm wanting a hook and loop system my question is what is the best glue to use for this application, and say I use contact cement it seems like i would only get one take at being perfect, because any bubbles or voids would telegraph through to to the material being sanded. Also I already have lots of 3/4 ply scraps would this make for a stable drum, the reson I ask is most everyone who has built one and put it on the net uses MDF it seems to me plywood would also be stable, and as an added bonus moisture wouldn't make it plump just wondering is it just the lesser price of MDF that makes it attractive for this app, or is MDF more stable.


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## SASmith

I think the plywood will work well.
Here is a thread on drum construction.
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/28260


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## higtron

Well as it turns out I decided to go with the ply for the discs, drilled a 1/4" hole in each plywood square centered, drilled a 1/4" hole from the edge of my cross cut sled half the diamiter of my finished disc which is 2 3/4" turned a 14" dowel on my lathe and cut all my discs on the table saw it worked slick. I think I'm going to glue them up in batches since there are 19 of them tomorrow I'll get me a length of 1/4" all thread for alighnment purposes. This is starting to get interesting.


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## higtron

well I was able to get my glue up the drum unit for my lathe powered thickness sander.
the pivot point is a 1/4" dowel on my crosscut sled it worked slick for cutting the discs, and finally the finished drum unit the big end is wher i'll mount my face plate I used a 1/4" steel rod through the middle of all the discs fo alighnment purposes.


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## JohnAlson

Looking good, interested to see how this turns out. Keep us updated

drum sander reviews


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## higtron

I've been working on my thickness sander again I've made a sturdy base for the ajustable table it's easy as 6 wing nuts to mount onto the lathe.


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## higtron

alright I've finished my lathe powered thickness sander and I have a few photos and a video of it in opperation. the adjustable table is made of MDF 1 1/2" thick attached to the removable table with a piano hinge there is a hieghth adjusment bolt that lifts the table. The drum is hook and loop sand paper and the velcro mat and sand paper was my biggest investment. I trued the drum by glueing 4" belt sanding-belt to a 3/4" piece of particle board, on one end I had 50 grit and the other 80 grit it worked great. The dust collection is better than I hoped for, I can't see any airbourn dust escapeing at all.
Here is the link for the video of the sander in action


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## Dark_Lightning

Excellent! This saves me from buying yet another machine to clog my extremely limited work space. I can use one rail of my Record Lathe as the pivot arm. This will be really simple! Thanks for the efforts.


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## Jim Jakosh

That is really nice and it works good too in the video. What grit paper do you use and what RPM is it running at?
I really like the dust collector because a sanding machine creates so much fine dust that get all over the place.

Now you have just placed another project in the job jar!!

Thanks for sharing!!!.............Jim


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## DamnYankee

Sweet idea


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## higtron

Thanks guys, Jim I'm useing 80 grit at 1700 rpm.


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## Maverick44spec

It turned out great. I may have to buy a lathe so I can build one.


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## MrRon

In one of the pictures, it looks like you wound the sand paper the wrong direction. It will catch on the work and tear. How can you control the feed rate? It seems if you are not careful, the drum would grab the work and send it flying at 60mph? I'm assuming you are feeding the work from the back of the lathe and into the rotation of the drum.


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## higtron

MrRon The pieces are quite controlable,but yeah if you let go look out so far, and I've only goT one days experience it's dosen't seem to be a problem. Yes you feed from the back of the lathe. It doesent matter which way you wrap the paper one side is being laid down by the rotation and one side wants to lift. thanks for the comments.


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## ArlinEastman

Thank you for posting this, it will really help me out.
Arlin


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## higtron

I've only had the sander up and going since sunday, and i've been useing it alot I'm building a chess/ small dinning table it was a lot of veneer work for the chess board part. Anyway it works like a dream, and the 18" capacity is comeing in very handy.


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## MrRon

I aplaud your project. Looks like you did a good job. It's good to see someone thinking outside the box and willing to experiment where others fear to tread.


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## MrRon

How is the dust collection?


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## higtron

excellent dust collection so far so good thanks Mr Ron for the reply's


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## Holt

Nick Engler had a version that attached to a Shopsmith. Similar notion…


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## DocStram

What a great "Aha Moment". Thanks for posting the photos!


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## higtron

Sorry Holt maybe the title of this post was misleading when I said "new idea" I ment it is a different idea from my original idea which was a free standing thickness sander with it's own motor. As it turns out there ar alot of these lathe powered thickness sanders some right here on LJ's. And thanks for the comment DocStam. Dave


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## DocStram

JoshJock . . . . I don't know how I missed that over at WoodturningOnline. Thanks for the link.

Actually, I don't think higtron's original question regarding the wear and tear on his lathe motor was ever answered. I guess we'll find out after he's used his for a few months. I don't see how using the lathe to run a drum sander could be any harder on the motor than hanging a 35 pound bowl blank off the lathe spindle.

Let's see now . . . the bed on my lathe is 47 inches. That should make quite a drum sander. lol


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## monalisanot

Clever,

I love it, I've been thinking about building a drum sander but have never been interested in a lathe, until now - two kangaroos with the one boomerang

Steve


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