Need to use a drum sander in Central Indiana...


jgoeden

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Hi there,
 
I have a question for anyone in Central Indiana about your drum sander.  I make end-grain cutting boards and I'm wondering if one is right for the work I do, but I don't want to drop a bunch of money on something that may or may not be the best for me.  Here's my question:
 
I was hoping to "borrow" someone's drum sander.  And by borrow, I mean maybe give you $20-$25 just to run 2-3 boards through it to see how well a drum sander would work for me.  Once I get my boards glued up and sand them down, they come out with slight "warps" in them and they rock on the countertop, so I need to see if a drum sander would level them out easily for me.
 
Do you think you could help a guy out and make $20 bucks in 10-15 minutes for basically nothing?
 

Thanks for your time and consideration.

Justin

 

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I am in the south, Santa Claus area. I you want to travel, you can use mine. I make the boards like Marc does and the drum sander is a wonderful tool for flattening. It was the main reason I bought it. Of course now that I have it I have found all kinds of new uses for it. 

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Southwood,

 

Thanks for the reply.  Probably too far of a drive for me, I'm in Indy, but I really appreciate it.  So, you use yours for them?  I've quickly looked on some forums and youtube but didn't find much on using a drum sander to smooth out endgrain.  Do you have any problems with yours?  Does it go pretty quick or do you have to sand really slowly?  I really am thinking about just buying one, but we're tight on cash, but if this could help me turn more boards with less work, then that creates more of a profit in a way.  Right now I spend between 2-3 hours sanding EACH board.  That's belt sanding, 1/4 and orbital sanding.It's just too much time for one board.

 

 

Cindy,

Thanks, I've sent them emails with basically my same post asking if I could give them $20 to let me test it out..  We'll see what they say.

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Justin,

I hear you about the endless sanding on end grain cutting boards. I looked into getting a drum sander for that very reason, but man they are expensive. I did find a Jet 16-32 on Craigs list but the guy would take only cash and I didn't feel comfortable carrying that much money on me to meet a total stranger. If you do buy one maybe I will come rent time from you on it. :) Right now I have put making those things on hold, too much time sanding.

If these guys don't come through maybe Northwest Lumber Company on Lafayette Rd. has one you can use to see if drum sanding will do what you want.

Cindy

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I hit them first with 80 grit and remove the high spots, then switch to 150 to flatten. Once  out of the sander I use a random orbit to remove the drum sander marks. Yes it is quicker, but it also is not a surface planer. You have to take small bites. It will save you time, but unless you are making a ton of boards a year, I am not sure if I would spend the funds just for cutting boards. 

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