Thread: Anyone have a CarbTec 400mm Drum Sander. I need help please.

On the inside edge of the drum there is a slot where the end of the paper goes. You must start the paper from the outer edge of the drum.
On the frame there should be a "bolt" which you can push into the inside of the drum and then pull the drum back onto the "bolt". This will then hold the clip open to enable you to push the end of the paper under it. It is important to work the sandpaper firmly and evenly in from the outer edge of the drum and clip it in firmly.

Hope that helps as it is not easy to explain.

I am sure that I have the manual for mine so if you would like a copy, PM me your address and I will send it to you

By inboard I suspect you mean the end closest to the motor. If so, there is a spring loaded bolt right next to that end of the drum. You push this through the "spokes" of the drum next to the clamp for holding that end of the paper and pull the drum back against it. This will hold the clamp open. You then push the tapered end of the paper straight through the opening. Several inches (50+mm) of leader for the clamp to grab. Then release the pressure on the drum and the bolt will spring back out of the way. Hope this makes sense and good luck.

Thanks for your replies Chesand and BobR.

I cannot find the spring loaded bolt that you refer to.

This machine is easily 10 years old and while it looks very much like the current model there may be some differences.

To feel the spring clip I have to curl my index finger under the edgeof the drum and push it up.

I havecut a strip of the cloth about 1" wide and about 6"long and have been poking around with that,butI cannot get it hold fast at all.

I'll try and get some photos, but there is very little room around the frame to seewhat is going on.

Can you give Carba-Tec model number.

Bob the machine only has the CarbaTec name plate,the customary warning notices in three languages and the usual plate on themotor. No model or serial# can befound.

I have uploaded some photos in the original post.

I don't have a drum sander, let alone this one, but one thing that I have found useful in the past is that a lot of the machines we get in Australia are re-badged generic machines. There are some US retailers (Grizzly and Harbor Freight are the ones that immediately come to mind) that have manuals on their websites, and sometimes even for older models. Ihave got manuals for second hand machines before by looking up these websites and finding similar looking designs to what I have, and then downloading the manual.

Avery,

You're on the right track, just not quite got your finger on it yet.
The spring clip you've already found IS what allows the new paper to be held in, but what you have to do now that you have found the spring is to.....forget the paper for the moment.....hold the drum with your left hand and push on the spring clip with your right finger...anyone will do.
Now once you've held the spring clip in, push the entire clip mechanism harder towards the middle of the drum and you will find it will move towards the slot.
Once you've given that a few goes to loosen it up and that you now can see that the slot is open, you can now try inserting the sand paper roll from the outside in as the others have explained.

Good luck,
Bob

Don't you rotate the drum backwards to open the clip ? On mine it does.


Peter.

Thanks to all for their help. After a full day of frustration, I have discovered that there are two spring tensions on the clamp. The light spring opens the clamp, the heavier spring allows the whole assembly to rotate inside the drum until the throat lines up with the slot in the drum. You just push the end of the belt into it and release.

Because there is no spring loaded bolt in the frame to rotate the drum against, you have to push the whole assembly forward against a quite strong spring tension with your right hand whilst holding tightly onto the drum with your left hand. You use your other hands to tighten and position the belt and push the end into the slot. Simple reallly.

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous - but then I'd have to get rid of my drum sander.


Once again, thanks to all.

Originally Posted by Glenrob

Avery,

You're on the right track, just not quite got your finger on it yet.
The spring clip you've already found IS what allows the new paper to be held in, but what you have to do now that you have found the spring is to.....forget the paper for the moment.....hold the drum with your left hand and push on the spring clip with your right finger...anyone will do.
Now once you've held the spring clip in, push the entire clip mechanism harder towards the middle of the drum and you will find it will move towards the slot.
Once you've given that a few goes to loosen it up and that you now can see that the slot is open, you can now try inserting the sand paper roll from the outside in as the others have explained.

Good luck,
Bob

Thanks Bob, I whish I'd called you a few hours ago. I found this out myself by experiment, reasoning and physical violence just before I read yourpost

Originally Posted by Sturdee

Don't you rotate the drum backwards to open the clip ? On mine it does.


Peter.

mine is an earlier model. It does not have the stop to rotate the drum against.

Originally Posted by petersemple

I don't have a drum sander, let alone this one, but one thing that I have found useful in the past is that a lot of the machines we get in Australia are re-badged generic machines. There are some US retailers (Grizzly and Harbor Freight are the ones that immediately come to mind) that have manuals on their websites, and sometimes even for older models. Ihave got manuals for second hand machines before by looking up these websites and finding similar looking designs to what I have, and then downloading the manual.

Thanks for that Peter. An excellent idea. Unfortunately I could not find amanual or a video that quite matched what I was seeing.

I have the H&F twin of this sander, identical to the Carbatec one.

It does have the bolt & spring, but it's far easier to do it by hand as described by GlenRob. Only takes a split second to clamp and tension the paper.
The supplied bolt/spring does it if you carefully locate it against the back of the spring tensioner, then rotate the drum backwards a little, but it takes longer and seems fiddly to me. (When you press it in and compress the spring, the bolt does nothing if it just locks against one of the spokes, (on mine at least), it has to be pressed down so it catches the spring mechanism.)
Clear as mud, hey?

I just snapped a pic. This is the bolt we're referring to. (You don't have one fitted, Avery.)
(Still maintain it's easier with fingers though.)

Drum Sander Spring Bolt.JPG

Incidentally, my manual doesn't mention the sprung bolt at all and says to use fingers as I've described. Even they didn't know about their own bolt, it seems. These are the relevant instructions from my manual. Sorry 'bout the size, but I didn't want to shrink it and make it unreadable.

16 inch WDS Belt Tensioning Instructions.jpg