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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: BigJim on November 04, 2008, 10:11:00 PM
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I am wondering what kind of drum sander to purchase. I currently have a performax 10-20 and not satisfied.
Oh it does ok but being a cantileaver style, I feel concerned about running more than one piece at a time through it. I can feel the pressure ease up on one lamination as the other goes through. Am thinking about a supermax 25. Please help with feed back.
thanks, BigJim
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HI BIGJIM I BOUGHT A JET A FEW MONTHS BACK IV TRYED 3 OR 4 DIFFRENT ONES AND THIS ONES THE BEST IV GOT HOPE THAT HELPS YA GOOD LUCK BROCK
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Good advise guys. I am looking into the supermax and possibly a wide belt sander. There is nothing wrong with the performax except that I don't like the cantilever style and I will only run 1 piece of a time.
anybody have any experience with supermax?
thanks, BigJim
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Big J, I have the performax 10-20 as well. What I do is run 2-3 lams through it til I get close then just one. When I get within 5 thousands of where I want to be I stop adjusting the height. I flip the lam over and run it through then swap it end for end and run it through. The last 3 trips through the sander true every thing up and I lose a few thousandths in the process WITHOUT ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT. Takes a little extra time but the lams come out perfect. More true then anything I ever bought from a supplier.
I'd like a bigger sander some time but I get very good results with what I have. What I don't like about the 10-20 is the belt tracks all over.
Chad
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Exactly what Chad said is how I do em,takes more time,but worth it! I have a Griz widebelt,had to adjust a couple times,but it has stayed true since.
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Kenny- do you like your griz wide belt? What model do you have? I like the ease of changing sandpaper.
I make all my own lams including tapers and as far as I can tell, This is the only step left in my bow production process that I can speed up without sacrificing quality.
I do my lambs the same as you guys described, but when I run more than one through at a time, I must have a good hold on them or one may come flying out of the back of the machine.
The supermax shoppro 25 looks to be a good non cantilever style drum sander, but I have no feedback on it.
thanks guys, BigJim
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Emailed ya Jim...
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I have a Performax 10-20 as well and I do the same as Chad does with grinding the laminations, they come out spot-on. I am glad to see that I am not the only one having tracking problems with the Performax belt, I had to take the guides off mine so as not to damage the feed belt...Glenn...
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I havn't had any tracking problems after say the first month. Don't know that I have done anything different though.
Anybody use a supermax?
thanks, BigJim
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Howdy big Jim I have a 16x32 performax and have used it for 8 yrs with out anyproblem.I have only had to change the sanding belts and one conveyor belt because I didnt notice in time and it caught and ripped it.When I put the new one on I had to adjust and everything is fine.It has alot of power when feeding stock into it I have dimmed the lights in the house when I got to rammy with my wood on risers getting the glue off...but don't give up on the performax...thanks...hawk.
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I have the Jet 10-20, which is the same as the Performax. I hade to keep after the belt tracking when first using it but now it only moves a bit and if you watch it you can tweak it as you work.
I use a similar procedure to Chad's and have also found that keeping the drum height set and slowing down the feed rate will remove a few thousandths more stock.
I have been able to get accuracy as good as the lams I have gotten from Kenny with his fancy set-up.
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While you're all on here talking about sanders. I too have the 10-20 and am just geting started.Right now working on making a "sled" for tapered lams. Have some lams from Binghams .002's. Any advice ?
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I laminated multiple pieces of oak and then trued them for my sled. This way you are less likely to have your sled warp.
Then I used two sided tape and stuck a tapered lam to it and glued a small piece of phenolic at the thin end of the taper.
Works fine.
BigJim
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Big Jim thats exactly what I did step for step...
Great minds think alike they say!
I used red oak and no phenolic. Do you use two sided tape to hold the lams on that your making?
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Tunames - I never have and don't really see the need. I also do 40+ pieces in a sanding session and this would really slow things down. If however I weren't getting accurate lams, I would do what I had to.
BigJim
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OK thanks sounds like I'm on the right track...
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Interesting, has there been any improvement in sanding machines since 2008. I wonder why no company is buiding a sander after the same principle as a planer, but with a sanding drum or sanding belt instead of the cutter knives. I think this would be the most accurate. bue--.
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My Delta is three years old with a few thousand lams put though it.Still grinds true.Use the heck out of it for other projects as well.No problems with the sander yet.My WOODEN sleds will sometimes move a few thousanth's.If I get a pair of lams that are off I check the sander with a piece of 8/4 stock at least 6" wide and 36 " long.SO far it's been the sleds and not the sander thats been off....
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Buemaker, Grizzly makes a couple of different small drum sanders like you mention. General equipment does as well. I have not used the General but the Grizz does good work but they are known to break a cheap plastic gear in the feed belt motor.I had to replace one in a machine I borrowed for testing. The General is a pretty nice machine and will set in my shop one day.Soon I hope.
I know about 6 or 8 bowyers now that have the Delta,They all love it.
CTT
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I used a grizzly before with good results, but not for bow making (though I did make very thin pieces with it). It's definitely not the best but seemed decent for how much it cost the school.
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Thanks Two Tracks, but what I had in mind was a sander without the conveyour belt. The feeding of the sled and workpiece would be done by the pressure rollers, just like a planer. I think this kind of machine would be the most accurate with a rock solid table for the workpiece to glide on, and no chance for dust buildup underneath a conveyour belt that also has to be adjusted. Bue--.
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OH,Woodmaster and RBI/HAWK have an out fit like that, They are very expensive though. I just sold my RBI a few weeks ago. :( Not enough room in the shop right now and I still needed to outfit it properly. Very well built and solid. 5hp. mine was 15" the woodmaster can be 12",18" or 25" The bigger ones are 7.5hp.
Chuck
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I have an older Woodmaster 12" that works great. Pressure rollers and 3" sanding drum on top, table bellow moves for adjustment. Unlike my Delta planer, the motor is below and belt drive to drum and rollers. I use sleds made from glue lam header beam with sticky sandpaper on the sleds to hold lams in position.