Thread: Drum Sander & Sandpaper

Not with that particular drum sander.
However, I buy my papers in long rolls. They are not the exact width of the original paper.
I copy the angle of the starter end as close as possible, attach it to the end clamp and roll it through.
When at the other end, I loosen the first end and set the paper to fit as closely as possible and cut it closely to the edge of the roller.
I then fit it to the other end , cut the paper at the length I believe is close enough to fit into the clamp and cut it again alongside the drum.
Has served me well so far.


ps.
Forgot to say that I took the first one I made off again and kept it as a template for future ones.

Thanks SAISAY,
that's pretty much the process I had in mind for fitting the wider paper. I wonder how much difference in width there is between what you are using now and the original?

Basically, no, it wont work. I tried winding some 110mm paper onto my drum sander which takes 75mm wide rolls and couldnt do it no matter how I cut it. I'm lousy at explaining it, but as you start winding on the left, you need to shape the start of the belt so that there is no gap as the paper starts winding across the drum. This sets the angle of the wrap, and the angle of the wrap combined with the width of the belt determines whether the end of the belt is near enough to the holding slot to be forced into it. In other words, with a wider belt then there is no reason why the lhs of the last wrap will align with the holding slot - in fact it was a long way out. The lhs of the last wrap is critical because it should rougly line up with the lhs of the holding slot.

Of course if you dont mind LARGE gaps at the start or end then you can do it, but although I dont mind small gaps I'm not happy to run the machine with gaps that large. Also, if you dont use all of the width, just the middle, then gaps may not worry you.

If I'm wrong I'd love to hear about it, as the cost of 75mm belts bugs me too.

cheers
Arron

Hi

I have just bought a Sand Flee drum sander for doing my boxes - it is awesome......makes sanding a breeze

Trude

Originally Posted by Arron

Basically, no, it wont work. I tried winding some 110mm paper onto my drum sander which takes 75mm wide rolls and couldnt do it no matter how I cut it. I'm lousy at explaining it, but as you start winding on the left, you need to shape the start of the belt so that there is no gap as the paper starts winding across the drum. This sets the angle of the wrap, and the angle of the wrap combined with the width of the belt determines whether the end of the belt is near enough to the holding slot to be forced into it. In other words, with a wider belt then there is no reason why the lhs of the last wrap will align with the holding slot - in fact it was a long way out. The lhs of the last wrap is critical because it should rougly line up with the lhs of the holding slot.

Of course if you dont mind LARGE gaps at the start or end then you can do it, but although I dont mind small gaps I'm not happy to run the machine with gaps that large. Also, if you dont use all of the width, just the middle, then gaps may not worry you.

If I'm wrong I'd love to hear about it, as the cost of 75mm belts bugs me too.

cheers
Arron

See above, it worked for me

Thanks for the replies fellers.
I have been giving the matter some thought, based on my own ideas and on what you have said, and reckon success here depends on two things. The first is getting the angle right for the lead-in and the tail. The second is a matter of whether the holding clamp is in the right position.
The first one is easy. Measure around the circumference of the drum. I used an old cloth tape measure that came out of SWMBO's sewing kit, I use it a lot for measuring various large circumferences in the work I do. You could take the measurement just as well with a piece of string if you wanted to. That distance is transferred onto the sandpaper as the diagonal you will need to cut to provide the lead-in. Works! (Just make sure you mark and cut on the appropriate side of the roll.)
The next part would involve some extended mathematics so it was easier for me to just try it. I have a 4" roll of heavy duty paper-backed sandpaper that never gets any shorter, so I used that. I marked and cut the lead-in and rolled the paper onto the drum. I marked where the roll met the other edge of the drum and cut the same angle from there to provide the tail. It fit , with the tail in exactly the right position and width to slip into the retainer! Now I'm sure that result was purely a matter of luck. I think that if I had used 110mm paper like Arron, or some other size, then it probably wouldn't have done so. There may be a way to adapt the tail however, but again it would be a matter of trial and error. If anyone wants to donate a few meters of 110mm wide abrasive to the cause I can try with that too.

Just as an aside here, with the paper backed roll (32 grit) installed, i thought I would do a little rough sanding on a couple of jobs. I thoroughly expected the paper to disintegrate very quickly and was ready on the cut off switch. Much to my surprise it didn't, and didn't even need resetting, as every cloth backed roll I have ever used has needed as it stretches and flaps. Again, I suspect just luck! I don't know if it will come off and still be able to be refitted in the future, but whenever I need some rough sanding done, I at last have a use for that roll that's been sitting on the shelf for years without being used.

For what it's worth here's my 2 bobs worth, I have a Jet 16/32 also, I buy 300mm wide 3m cloth backed rolls and rip them at 75mm intervals and cut the tapers afterwards with some to spare which give me 4 x 75mm rolls for around the $30 mark. Much cheaper that the store bought 75mm rolls.

Main grits I use are 80 and 120.



Cheers


Steve

Hello,

I just wrapped the paper around my drum and cut off the bits that stuck out over the end.

This automatically and empirically does what somebody suggested above - measure the drum circumference and use that to form the triangular pointy bit on your sandpaper.

It seems to me that this should work with any sized drum and any sized paper.

On another point

Am using hook and loop siafast from sandpaperman.

Is there any hook and loop sandpaper that is widely recognised as being best for drum sanders ?

Does anybody use the "centrifugal" drum sander method described here

.: Stockroom Supply :. 18works

"Our sander relies on a perfectly flat top and the paper lifting off of the drum. Yes, lifting off of the drum. Because of these sanders using hook and loop and the high RPM of the drum, centrifugal force pushes the paper off of the drum and allows the hook and loop to tighten up, creating an air gap under the paper. This air gap allows for cool sanding"

Seems to me that this should work equally well for above table and under table drums.

Bill

Originally Posted by steamingbill

Hello,


It seems to me that this should work with any sized drum and any sized paper.


Bill

Not necessarily. On a commercial sander the anchor points for the sandpaper are in fixed positions and if they don't suit the width of the paper you are using then you won't be able to anchor both ends. I think it was just a matter of luck that the 4" fitted into the standard 3" anchor points.

Originally Posted by burraboy

Not necessarily. On a commercial sander the anchor points for the sandpaper are in fixed positions and if they don't suit the width of the paper you are using then you won't be able to anchor both ends. I think it was just a matter of luck that the 4" fitted into the standard 3" anchor points.

Aha ! yes I see what you mean

Because I use a velcro drum it doesnt matter where the pointy bit of the sandpaper ends.

But if you have mechanical anchors then the two pointy bits have to be exactly on target.

If you tossed out the mechanical fixtures and wrapped your drum with velcro then I think you could use any width of paper you liked.

Any thoughts on the issue of the centrifugal effect ? Does anybody use that method ?


Bill

Originally Posted by steamingbill

If you tossed out the mechanical fixtures and wrapped your drum with velcro then I think you could use any width of paper you

Thats a dam good idea. Got me thinking. Those mechanical fixtures are a real pain.