Results 1 to 14 of 14
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Dandenong Ranges
    Age
    47
    Posts
    816

    Question Anyone with a large drum sander I can use?

    Hi folks,

    Been a very long time since I've been here. Finally got a place with a garage again and got my gear back into it.

    I have 4 large slabs (800mm x 2.4m) that I would like to clean up. A 900mm drum sander would do the job nicely. Anyone around the Dandenong Ranges that wouldn't mind helping me with this? I'm happy to pay for time and materials, etc.

    Thanks,
    Af.
    ___________________________________________________________
    "The things I make may be for others, but how I make them is for me."

  2. # ADS
    Google Adsense Advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Age
    2010
    Posts
    Many





     
  3. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Townsville. Tropical Nth Qld.
    Posts
    1,243

    Default

    Af, seeing you have posted this in Woodturning General you may not get many bites. I would think you would be better off in one of the other topics on offer..
    Rgds,
    Crocy.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Dandenong Ranges
    Age
    47
    Posts
    816

    Default

    Damn. Thanks for picking that up Crocy. Just moved the thread.
    ___________________________________________________________
    "The things I make may be for others, but how I make them is for me."

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    bilpin
    Posts
    3,552

    Default

    When you say slabs I imagine we are talking 50mm plus in thickness? Hardwood? In or out of wind? All these factors will have a detrimental effect on the average drum sander, they are not up to the load. They are a finishing sander. You would be better putting them under a stroke sander.
    I have a 1m wide drum sander, a 600mm wide drum sander and a stroke sander. I never put large slabs through the drum sanders.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    In between houses
    Posts
    1,784

    Default

    Agree with rustynail, use the stroke sander, trying to put a big heavy slab through a drum sander is asking for pain.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Dandenong Ranges
    Age
    47
    Posts
    816

    Default

    Hi Rusty,

    Thanks for the reply and info. Yes about 50mm thick hardwood. They were in wind for their first year and then inside in a storage shed for a number of years since. They're pretty dirty to be honest.

    I haven't heard of a stroke sander before. Would you consider a drum sander for a slab once it's already been cleaned up, just to get it nice and flat?

    Starting to think of alternative options now
    ___________________________________________________________
    "The things I make may be for others, but how I make them is for me."

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    34
    Posts
    6,127

    Default

    If you're up for a drive to Moorabbin, my old work has a 1300mm wide-belt sander that will happily chew though them. Also a big CNC router if they need flattening first.
    CONTACT - Dewhurst Furniture

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    bilpin
    Posts
    3,552

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Afro Boy View Post
    Hi Rusty,

    Thanks for the reply and info. Yes about 50mm thick hardwood. They were in wind for their first year and then inside in a storage shed for a number of years since. They're pretty dirty to be honest.

    I haven't heard of a stroke sander before. Would you consider a drum sander for a slab once it's already been cleaned up, just to get it nice and flat?

    Starting to think of alternative options now
    I meant wind as in shape of the slab, not wind as in atmospheric. A drum sander is not the machine for the job, the drive motor on the feed belt will hate you and the belt itself will probably slip, or worse still, break. Google stroke sander and you will get the idea. They can sand out high spots without compromising the rest of the slab and then used to general sand the flattened slab. Elen's suggestion is your best bet as the CNC can bring your slabs back to flat and the wide belt sander will be able to finish them properly. The wide belt sander is a heavy duty machine that has the capability for this sort of material.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Dandenong Ranges
    Age
    47
    Posts
    816

    Default

    Doh! Wind, not wind lol Shows you how long I've been out of the business

    Thanks again for the thoughts. Those stroke sanders are pretty interesting. Not sure how popular they might be though given they're so large.

    At the moment I think I might build a router jig to flatten the slabs first, and then seek out someone with a wide belt sander to finish it up.

    So ... anyone out there with a wide belt sander I can use? Dandenong Ranges area or thereabouts (Dandenong, Bayswater, or further south).
    ___________________________________________________________
    "The things I make may be for others, but how I make them is for me."

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    NSW
    Age
    37
    Posts
    1,126

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Afro Boy View Post
    Doh! Wind, not wind lol Shows you how long I've been out of the business

    Thanks again for the thoughts. Those stroke sanders are pretty interesting. Not sure how popular they might be though given they're so large.

    At the moment I think I might build a router jig to flatten the slabs first, and then seek out someone with a wide belt sander to finish it up.

    So ... anyone out there with a wide belt sander I can use? Dandenong Ranges area or thereabouts (Dandenong, Bayswater, or further south).
    Hand held belt sander to get out the machine marks?

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    In between houses
    Posts
    1,784

    Default

    If you’re going to machine them flat with a router, all you’ll need afterwards is a belt sander and a random orbital or a cabinet scraper.
    Most of the time, with big, heavy lumps of wood, like slabs and laminated benchtops and such, it’s better and easier to take the tool to the job, rather than the job to the machine.

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    bilpin
    Posts
    3,552

    Default

    I do the flatening with a Lucasmill fitted with a planer head. Should be someone wandering round your area that can help.

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    2,205

    Default

    Old fashioned stroke sanders are completely obsolete nowadaze.
    I tried selling mine for about 6 months and finally flagged it thru gumtree for a $100.
    Had twice that in new belts with it.
    They take up a lot of space and are hard to dust extract effectively.
    H.
    Jimcracks for the rich and/or wealthy. (aka GKB '88)

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    bilpin
    Posts
    3,552

    Default

    Obsolete to most, but when it comes to slabs they still have a place. Mine cost me $40. As for space, you need plenty. Dust extraction by pressure not suction.

Similar Threads

  1. Carba-Tec 635mm Wide Drum Sander - Single Drum
    By macka75 in forum HAND TOOLS - POWERED
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 28th October 2021, 10:00 PM
  2. Replies: 10
    Last Post: 3rd June 2021, 03:35 PM
  3. WANTED:N.S.W.. V Drum Sander
    By Sebastiaan56 in forum WANTED & WANTED TO BUY - in Australia
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 19th June 2017, 08:49 AM
  4. Balancing and truing Drum for Drum Sander
    By Stetwood in forum HOMEMADE TOOLS AND JIGS ETC.
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 27th May 2007, 11:12 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •