# Ryobi WDS 1600 Drum Sander



## Woodfella (Mar 13, 2010)

I have a Ryobi 16/32 drum sander I got it about 5 years ago, (free!) and after rebuilding the broken paper clipping system, I put it into use. After 4 or 5 hours of run time the circuit board shorted out, disabling the conveyor belt system. I found a source for Ryobi parts and bought a new board, installed it and went back to work. Now after 2 - 3 hours of run time it has fried again. At $40 bucks a board I'm not to thrilled at the thought of replacing it again (with my fingers crossed), and was wondering if any of you has any input on my situation.


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## SawdustJunky (Mar 18, 2010)

Start by making sure all wiring to the device are tight. Check the ground on your electrical source as well. I belive that unit draws about 12 or 13 amps under a load. What amp curcuit is it plugged into? Is there anyhting else running on the same curcuit? Just few things to start with.


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## cheford (Aug 3, 2009)

I have this sander, and I had to replace the main switch. The switch has 4 posts if I remember correctly, one side for the conveyor and the other for the drum. Does the drum turn on?


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## sawblade1 (Feb 11, 2010)

Try checking your motor connections, brushes, and belt tension. What it sounds like to me is your motor is putting to much current draw on the board and is frying the boards. Also check any drive rollers for seizure or bad bearings. When I worked maintenance these were few of the common problems amongst boards on feed conveyors 
Good luck


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## toolsrus (Apr 15, 2011)

I have a Royobi 1600 drum sander which started out the other day with a broken front feed roller. I ordered the part, waited a week for it to arrive, replaced it and found that the feed belt motor worked for a short while, then that stopped. I ordered a circuit board, replaced it and still no motor function. I tried 3 local repair shops suggested by Royobi. Two were out of business and one didn't even know about the 1600 drum sander. The motor is priced at 308 dollars which included shipping and is half the price I paid for the whole drum sander in the first place and I don't even know if the problem is actually the motor. I have the motor assembly detached from the sander, so there is no load being put on the motor. Any suggestions?


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## CharliedaHat (Apr 9, 2015)

Woodfella, I see you had the same problem as I have with the broken clips. Can you tell me how it is you disassembled the drum to replace the clips? Failing that, others have mentioned using a hook & loop system as an alternative. Do you know how to do that?

Thanx,
Charlie


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

http://www.ereplacementparts.com/ryobi-wds1600-wide-drum-sander-parts-c-7931_7932_161325.html

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=ryobi+forum+wds+1600+drum+sander

Good luck now.


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## Woodfella (Mar 13, 2010)

Charlie, First off I think my patience in trying to get this inferior resident of my shop to work even sporadically over the years, is boosted greatly by the fact that it was given to me. That said it is probably the most frustrating piece of machinery that I have ever worked with. Any sane man would have tossed it years ago. I initially fixed the clips (with the drum in place) with long needle nosed pliers and a propane torch. Now they technically gripped the paper again, just not with enough force to hold on throughout the sanding task. Then I tried buying a wide roll of hook & loop from McMaster Carr, and converted the drum to that method. It turned out their hook & loop was not as aggressive as needed, and once again destroyed sanding belts were the result. Finally I have resorted to wrapping the entire drum with double faced tape. Now I insert the paper conventionally into the outboard clip, wrap the drum and slip the end into the inferior inboard clip. I then wrap the end of the paper with a couple revolutions of electrical tape on the inboard end of the drum. I marked the housing where the tape begins with a sharpie. So now I have a 15-30 drum sander that works . . . . . . Kind Of!


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## CharliedaHat (Apr 9, 2015)

Hey, never thought of using 2-sided tape (under) and electrical tape (over) for the inside end. That'll work. Thanx!


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## Woodfella (Mar 13, 2010)

F.Y.I. - I remove the paper if I'm not going to use it in the next couple days.


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