5 replies to this topic

[Glalonde]

Pros & Cons on good quality drum sanders. For example: Wwodmaster

[wdwerker]

I have the Performax 16-32. As you get down to the finer grits it is easy to take too much thickness in a pass or go to fast and load up the sandpaper which causes a burn. If a board is not straight you can have problems when it bows up off the feed belt. I think this is common to most affordable drum sanders.
Once you get the hang of running it it does a wonderful job. I have had mine for at least 15 years and use it daily in a small custom cabinet shop.

[Particle Board]

Pros & Cons on good quality drum sanders. For example: Wwodmaster

Woodmaster makes a good sander. Picking a sander really depends on how much work you sand and how wide. You can get the little jets cheap if you just need to do occasional sanding. If your running any real amounts of lumber your better off with something like the woodmaster double drum. The dust collection on the woodmaster leaves a little to be desired but overall its a fine machine.

Don

[adambaum]

I have a Performax. It operates really well, but the stand that comes with it could use some work. When assembling everything, I was unable to tighten the bolts that hold the unit to the stand without lying on my back. Here's a pic of the result.





Look at the sag in the shelf. Directions say to put the stand together first, including the shelf, but with any significant weight the shelf will bend.

Adam

[croessler]

Great topic to start... I too am considering the purchase of a drum sander. Can't wait for additional insight.

[stahlee]

I've been using a Performax 22-44 for about 7 years and I've been happy with it. At some point I'll probably purchase a nice dual drum model to replace it. Until then, it does a very nice job.

If you want something that can remove some wood like a planer, then a dual drum is what you'll want. If you just want something to do some light sanding, then the single drum models will do a good job.