Thread: Need ideas for a (very-) small-parts drum sander

It's worse on one side, but there's usually at least a burr on the top side as well. My thinking was that a drum sander would be able to absorb the burrs, either on the feed belt or with magnetic rubber on MDF. We do have a surface grinder, why it's not used for this job is beyond me

Woodpixel, that fancy belt sander is well over $2k for the smallest one plus the mag table, probably more than they're willing to spend for a machine that will only be used for this job.

I'll ask questions and see where we end up, hopefully they'll be open to a solution other than what we currently do.

Sorry about the inadvertent button click.

As I understand it, the issue with surface grinders, belt or drum sanders is the part being machined has to lie flat relative to the grinding or sanding media.
If your parts even have a small bur on the "good" side, then getting the part to lie flat so that the "bad" side can be machined might be impossible -- in the sense that "possible" has an associated time penalty for mounting the part, which once exceeded makes hand machining the most viable option

The normal process in industry is to tumble or vibrate the components with a suitable abrasive. The real trick here is to determine what the suitable abrasive is. I expect that it will be small abrasive flat stones that will still be able to get thru the slots in the parts. By choosing the correct size, abrasive and time you should finish up with a smooth polished surface with no loss of material thickness.

This site will give you more examples.

I’m no expert on this but would getting then water jet cut solve the problem.
They use one at the Uni I used to work at for dog bone test pieces in different metals.
Im sure there’s no clean up after.
This job when milled was a years work for one tradesman or usually the apprentice at the time.
H.

Well the boss is on board, at $250 he's happy to take the risk on a small vibratory tumbler, now it's just a matter finding the correct media.

Thanks to all for the ideas

This is used for tumbling precious metals, so it may work it would be a case of trying it out and and experimenting with times etc,
Stainless Steel Shot 1kg

Shooters use corn cob or walnut shell to polish brass in vibratory tumblers

Stainless shot is for polishing, not deburring, and is specifically non-abrasive; we need something abrasive to take off the burrs and spatter.

I've found this mob that has a few different abrasive options, I was thinking the small triangles and possibly cutting compound as well https://www.aussiesapphire.com.au/tumbling/abrasives/

Hi Elan, I used to require something similar, except the pieces I needed deburring was 20mm X 20mm X 3mm flat bar.
I put them in a used concrete mixer that I picked up for $50 and a small shovelful of ordinary sand, let it rotate for several hours and all the sharp edges were gone, then it was a matter of pouring it all into a 3mm seive, the sand came out and the pieces went into a bin for the next stage.
Kryn

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

Stainless shot is for polishing, not deburring, and is specifically non-abrasive; we need something abrasive to take off the burrs and spatter.

I think that deburring using a tumbler is less like grinding and more like using many very small hammers to chip away at the burs.
So I suggest when experimenting you should probably start at the softer end of the available abrasive media.

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

Stainless shot is for polishing, not deburring, and is specifically non-abrasive; we need something abrasive to take off the burrs and spatter.

I think that deburring using a tumbler is less like grinding and more like using many very small hammers to chip away at the burs.
So I suggest when experimenting you should probably start at the softer end of the available abrasive media.

Go onto youtube and find "Rosa string works" he uses a shop made drum sander for small parts it is simple and very efficient and he apparently uses it in preference to the supermax sander he also has. It is adjusted by turning the stage which is on a threaded, large diameter post. The post can be adjusted as you go or locked in position. It looks crude but works well with his luthier work. All the best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK0M4CaWVMc

Thanks. That was suggested in post 4 and my response can be found in post 5.

I did not look at the link in chinas post or I would not have posted. Fortunately I am just a bloke in his shed because I am presently arranging to have the machining done for one. with one improvement the coloum and its threads will be bronze not aluminium and be a pitch of 1.0. I can see many applications for both wood and metal. All the best

Silicon carbide or aluminum oxide for an abrasive for tumbling?