Popular Post difalkner Posted April 22, 2019 Popular Post Report Share Posted April 22, 2019 For those of you who use a drum sander you know that sometimes you'll get snipe just like on a planer. The quick trick to eliminating that is just like with a planer - use a sacrificial board in front of and behind the work piece. Now, that's all fine and dandy if you have straight edges on your work piece but if it's oddly shaped or round, then what do you do? Well, what I do is save the cut-offs from the work piece. They're the same thickness and should fit pretty closely to run in front of and behind the target work piece. A few weeks ago I cut a large Lazy Susan and didn't allow enough on my scrap pieces to use them on the drum sander. What I ended up with was a very beautiful Walnut Lazy Susan but at the correct angle, and if you knew what to look for, you could see some very faint snipe. I didn't take a photo but I could see it. So when I made this even thicker Walnut cutting board I was determined to not fall into that trap again. My cut-offs were large enough to go in front of and behind the cutting board and what I ended up with is a perfectly flat 18" round surface. I cut the scrap pieces down to where they fit just inside the width of our 19/38 drum sander and made sure to feed them in before and after the cutting board on each pass of each grit from 120/150/220. I've also done this with angled pieces where the leading edge is angled relative to the grain direction and it truly makes a difference. David 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted April 22, 2019 Report Share Posted April 22, 2019 Cool trick although it does beg the question. Why are you getting snipe on your drum sander? I've used 3 and never gotten any snipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted April 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2019 Not sure, Brendon, but I've read many times about others getting it on theirs (SuperMax and other brands, as well). It's mentioned in the SuperMax manual and they tell you how to set the pressure rollers but I still get it, so I've learned how to get around it with sacrificial boards. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris208 Posted April 23, 2019 Report Share Posted April 23, 2019 I have a super max 19-38, and I don’t get any snipe. It it’s the only drum sander I’ve used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted April 23, 2019 Report Share Posted April 23, 2019 Hmm interesting. My drum sander actually has a kickback warning on the hood ( that I laughed at until taking a 1/4" bitch strip to the publics) but I've never noticed any snipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted April 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2019 From page 18 of the SuperMax 19/38 manual - NOTE: TENSION ROLLER PRESSURE WARNING SIGNS It is important to pay attention to the tension roller pressure because too little pressure can result in slippage of stock on conveyor belt and kick back. Too much tension can cause snipe when sanding. I have mine set about as loose as they can go, fwiw. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted April 23, 2019 Report Share Posted April 23, 2019 I've never noticed any snipe on my sander as well. Maybe it's a depth of cut thing as well. I usually try and take a fair pass so the system is on the edge of the intillisand kicking on. To my limited experience this is a good balance between speed of stock removal and abrasive life. 11 hours ago, Brendon_t said: Hmm interesting. My drum sander actually has a kickback warning on the hood ( that I laughed at until taking a 1/4" bitch strip to the publics) but I've never noticed any snipe. Man i wish that was caught on video..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted April 23, 2019 Report Share Posted April 23, 2019 1 hour ago, Chestnut said: Man i wish that was caught on video..... You and me both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted April 24, 2019 Report Share Posted April 24, 2019 On 4/22/2019 at 6:42 PM, difalkner said: From page 18 of the SuperMax 19/38 manual - NOTE: TENSION ROLLER PRESSURE WARNING SIGNS It is important to pay attention to the tension roller pressure because too little pressure can result in slippage of stock on conveyor belt and kick back. Too much tension can cause snipe when sanding. I have mine set about as loose as they can go, fwiw. David Interestingly, I have my feed roller pressure on my planer backed off drastically from the factory standard. This is part of how I live snipe-free. Despite being set an order of magnitude less than the factory settings the machine still has a grip like an alligator . I have experience a kick back from a lunchbox planer while trying to take very light passes. Like any unexpected behavior out of our machines it was surprising and faster than a speeding bullet . I guess you could call that a reminder to keep those rubber rollers clean and grippy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted April 25, 2019 Report Share Posted April 25, 2019 12 hours ago, gee-dub said: Interestingly, I have my feed roller pressure on my planer backed off drastically from the factory standard. This is part of how I live snipe-free. Despite being set an order of magnitude less than the factory settings the machine still has a grip like an alligator . I have experience a kick back from a lunchbox planer while trying to take very light passes. Like any unexpected behavior out of our machines it was surprising and faster than a speeding bullet . I guess you could call that a reminder to keep those rubber rollers clean and grippy. Add a good waxed table and you're all set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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