wjffineww Posted April 15, 2011 Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 I am looking to buy a drum sander in the next few months, so I'm doing my research now. I looked at the Delta 31-260x 18-Inch-by-36-Inch, which would be perfect for me. The reviews I have read are less than stellar. Basically I want opinions, I have about $1000 to spend. I would like a hassle free machine that does it's job fairly well. I understand w/ my budget it won't be perfect but please let me know what you think. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nateswoodworks Posted April 15, 2011 Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 I as well as many others on here have the Jet 16/32. The common problem that you here about with the Delta model all stems from the fact that it is the conveyor bed that raises and not the drum head. The just of the problem is that when the bed is raised and lowered it cocks the bed from one side to the other causing your stock to be thicker on one side than the other. The jet model is opposite in which the drum head raises and lowers and the system to adjust it is very different. There are some that are very pleased with their Delta but many that are not. I am very happy with mine and Jet is a great company as well. Let us know if you have any more questions and how you turn out. Nate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted April 16, 2011 Report Share Posted April 16, 2011 Yes, what Nate said. I have the Delta and it works, but I wish I had had this site when I was looking. The engineering is just off a little with mine. Having to adjust in and outfeed in addition to the table is a PITA. Luckily, most of the time, I'm only taking very small layers and usually smaller pieces, so it's not a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cltras Posted April 16, 2011 Report Share Posted April 16, 2011 I haved the Delta too. unless you only take a very small amount at a very slow speed the belt slips, especially with a little age and dryness from the dust generated in the shop. Usually I just wish I had a better RO sander. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted April 16, 2011 Report Share Posted April 16, 2011 I haved the Delta too. unless you only take a very small amount at a very slow speed the belt slips, especially with a little age and dryness from the dust generated in the shop. Usually I just wish I had a better RO sander. RAS, you may not have the table belt tight enough. Mines pretty old and still works great. Hate the table engineering, other than that it's worked well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted April 16, 2011 Report Share Posted April 16, 2011 I am looking to buy a drum sander in the next few months, so I'm doing my research now. I looked at the Delta 31-260x 18-Inch-by-36-Inch, which would be perfect for me. The reviews I have read are less than stellar. Basically I want opinions, I have about $1000 to spend. I would like a hassle free machine that does it's job fairly well. I understand w/ my budget it won't be perfect but please let me know what you think. Thanks. I have the Jet 16/32 and it works well. Purchased it used for a great deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjffineww Posted April 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2011 Any problems with snipe with the Jet machine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harryangel69 Posted April 16, 2011 Report Share Posted April 16, 2011 I have been researching as well and here are my thoughts. The only real contenders at the price point are grizzly, jet, delta. You have read the issues with the delta. It is a quirky machine. That's my best explanation. The problem with the Grizzly is it only sands down to 1/8". At least that is what the specs say. I really want one for cleaning up veneers and that's an issue. I bet it could be modified, but I have not researched that. The Jet seems to be the way to go, but the infeed and outfeed tables are a bit pricey. It's probably not an issue, but other than that everybody seems to like it. Sands down to 1/32". There is one more that is no longer made. I don't know much about it but the brand name is right. http://www.amazon.com/Laguna-Tools-Platinum-Drum-Sander/dp/B002UU5ZF8/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1302994631&sr=8-24 Says it ships from Laguna but they list it as discontinued. Can't find the specs anywhere. I would buy a delta if there was a used one cheap enough. But the jet is what I will buy new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMarcel Posted April 17, 2011 Report Share Posted April 17, 2011 Another difference with the Jet vs the others: SandSmart. It has a controller that uses a feedback loop so when the current draw of the drum motor approaches a peak, it reduces the speed of the feed conveyor. This has the benefit that if you are mistakenly trying to take off too much (or hit a high spot you didn't notice), the feed will slow automatically to keep from popping the breaker. If the breaker pops, the conveyor immediately stops, but the sanding drum coasts to stop. During that coast, it usually digs a little in your stock and leaves a nice deep burn mark. Naturally the 'fix' is to keep the conveyor speed reasonably slow and the amount sanded very reasonable. But it is nice to know the controller will try as much as possible to avoid that problem. Another benefit, which is why I upgraded my older Jet 16/32 to SandSmart (parts upgrade), is that when first flattening and trying to go quickly with low P60 grit, I can pretty much crank up the conveyor speed. It will back off to the maximum speed I could use. That gets the flattening phase done much faster. To me, that's the biggest benefit of SandSmart. Personally, the backwards design of the Delta would be enough to keep me away from it, unless it was a smokin' price in which case I'd refurb it and resell it to get a Jet. Like Chad said, the Laguna is on its way out of Laguna's line. They have been shedding tools in the past year and focusing on the bigger machines. That said, you can get a 52" dual drum sander for 5% before the May price increase just $30k - 5% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChetlovesMer Posted April 17, 2011 Report Share Posted April 17, 2011 The problem with the Grizzly is it only sands down to 1/8". At least that is what the specs say. I really want one for cleaning up veneers and that's an issue. I bet it could be modified, but I have not researched that. Chad, I do not own a drum sander, but I will throw an idea out there anyway with the caution that free advice may be worth twice what you pay for it. Could you not just double-sticky-tape your veneer to a sheet of 3/4" plywood or MDF and then run it though the sander? Maybe I'm missing something? I'm not the sharpest plane on the shelf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nateswoodworks Posted April 17, 2011 Report Share Posted April 17, 2011 Thats exactly what you do, I won't sand anything real thin unless I have a backer board under it. Thin stock tends to lift and flex causing variations and cracking. I have seen people on videos run real thin veneer through but I would never try it. The other thing is if you set it up to sand real thin stock and your conveyor belt lifts off the bed at all before or after the stock passes through the sander you would just sand your conveyor belt away. The added bonus of using a backer board it the extension tables aren't quite as necessary.Good luck with your purchase, just my opinions here. Nate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted April 17, 2011 Report Share Posted April 17, 2011 Any problems with snipe with the Jet machine? I haven't noticed any snipe. I have my infeed/outfeed tables adjusted with the belt. 4' is about the longest piece I have runt thru the machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flairwoodworks Posted April 17, 2011 Report Share Posted April 17, 2011 I am looking to buy a drum sander in the next few months, so I'm doing my research now. I looked at the Delta 31-260x 18-Inch-by-36-Inch, which would be perfect for me. The reviews I have read are less than stellar. Basically I want opinions, I have about $1000 to spend. I would like a hassle free machine that does it's job fairly well. I understand w/ my budget it won't be perfect but please let me know what you think. Thanks. Funny timing. I just used my Delta thickness sander for the first time in a few months and was wondering why I don't use it more. It did a good job of quickly removing the tearout my planer was producing. Yes, it does remove a little bit more material from one side but it is a very, very small amount on my machine. I do have an issue with the conveyor belt tracking. It always ends up at the left after running it for 5 minutes or so. I just take the tension off the belt and slide it back to the right. Not the most convenient, but certainly not a deterrant for me. It's certainly not perfect, but I'll stick with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted April 17, 2011 Report Share Posted April 17, 2011 Funny timing. I just used my Delta thickness sander for the first time in a few months and was wondering why I don't use it more. It did a good job of quickly removing the tearout my planer was producing. Yes, it does remove a little bit more material from one side but it is a very, very small amount on my machine. I do have an issue with the conveyor belt tracking. It always ends up at the left after running it for 5 minutes or so. I just take the tension off the belt and slide it back to the right. Not the most convenient, but certainly not a deterrant for me. It's certainly not perfect, but I'll stick with it. Chris, that was happening with me for a LONG time. I DID finally find the sweet spot. As for the hair that it is off side to side, I still have a very small amount of that, which I'll take care of one of these days. But, I just flip the board side to side and end up with an imperceptible crown. I feel the same as far as keeping mine. If I were to do it again, it'd be the Performax but, unless this dies, it's what I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harryangel69 Posted April 17, 2011 Report Share Posted April 17, 2011 Chad, I do not own a drum sander, but I will throw an idea out there anyway with the caution that free advice may be worth twice what you pay for it. Could you not just double-sticky-tape your veneer to a sheet of 3/4" plywood or MDF and then run it though the sander? Maybe I'm missing something? I'm not the sharpest plane on the shelf. No you are right. I could use a backer board. But that one time that only one more pass is needed and it is bottomed out. World class frustration. Really I think we are trying to split hairs here anyway. I have nothing against grizzly. I will have a shop full of their tools in a few weeks. The Grizzly is $895 and the Jet is $999. That's a hundred dollars of common sense. The sandsmart is worth that. I am struggling with the delta on Craigslist for $500. Damn Craigslist, always having stuff 1/2 price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjffineww Posted April 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2011 Lots of great info thank you very much. I think the Jet sounds like the best bet. Where is a good place to buy one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harryangel69 Posted April 17, 2011 Report Share Posted April 17, 2011 Lots of great info thank you very much. I think the Jet sounds like the best bet. Where is a good place to buy one? woodcraft http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2002042/9875/JET-Drum-Sander-Model-1632-Plus-Package.aspx amazon http://www.amazon.com/629004K-16-Inch-2-Horsepower-Sander-110-Volt/dp/B00005RW92/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1303051809&sr=8-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted April 17, 2011 Report Share Posted April 17, 2011 Thats exactly what you do, I won't sand anything real thin unless I have a backer board under it. Do you attach the veneer to the backer board with double sided tape or something? I have trouble unsticking thin stock from tape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjffineww Posted May 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2011 So I ended up ordering the Jet 16/32. It should be arriving in a little over a week. I was wondering about power. Can I just plug it into a regular outlet, or does it have to be something heavier? I'm not too electrical savvy so hopefully that's not a stupid question. Also any assembly tips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usacomp2k3 Posted May 26, 2011 Report Share Posted May 26, 2011 The specs say: a 1-1/2 HP, (rated using continuous duty cycle) 1 phase, 110-volt, 14 Amp motor The 110-Volt means that you can use it in a regular outlet. Bigger juice machines are on the 220Volt. The 1 phase also means it is a regular circuit; a 3-phase would require a special circuit. That's a good question though. One other thing to think about is what else is going to be on the same circuit. It is not recommended to be using more than 15A off of a single circuit at a time, so you can't run anything else on the same circuit that this is plugged into while it is running (think about such things as dust collection, a light, fan, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMarcel Posted May 26, 2011 Report Share Posted May 26, 2011 If you ordered the new one, it will have SandSmart so it will limit its draw to 14A by cutting back on the conveyor speed (as opposed to popping the breaker and making a mess of your project). But it will go to 14A if necessary so as AJ pointed out, you pretty much need it on its own circuit or have everything else on that circuit off. If you are in a garage shop, usually the plugs in there are all on one circuit, lights separate. Also depending on your area, it may be a 20A circuit. Pick on a circuit you'll want to use, find it on the panel, turn it off and see what went off so you turn those off when using the drum sander. Make sure you have dust collection; don't run it without DC or you'll make a mess of the project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted May 27, 2011 Report Share Posted May 27, 2011 The specs say: The 110-Volt means that you can use it in a regular outlet. Bigger juice machines are on the 220Volt. The 1 phase also means it is a regular circuit; a 3-phase would require a special circuit. That's a good question though. One other thing to think about is what else is going to be on the same circuit. It is not recommended to be using more than 15A off of a single circuit at a time, so you can't run anything else on the same circuit that this is plugged into while it is running (think about such things as dust collection, a light, fan, etc. In my very humble opinion, you should not have anything smaller than a 20 amp circuit in the shop anyway. Even my lights are 20 amp, so I can have more on a circuit and they are, of course, on separate circuits from anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjffineww Posted May 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2011 So it wouldn't be a good idea to run the sander and dust collector off the same outlet? Could one or the other be run off an extension cord to another outlet? Paul, how do I know if it has sandsmart, I got model number 629004K I believe. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usacomp2k3 Posted May 27, 2011 Report Share Posted May 27, 2011 In my very humble opinion, you should not have anything smaller than a 20 amp circuit in the shop anyway. Even my lights are 20 amp, so I can have more on a circuit and they are, of course, on separate circuits from anything else. If you are doing the wiring, I agree 100%. Most houses I've seen aren't done what way, though. He could probably rewire, but then would have to replace all switches/outlets/cabling that isn't rated for 20A current.So it wouldn't be a good idea to run the sander and dust collector off the same outlet? Could one or the other be run off an extension cord to another outlet? You can have multiple outlets on the same circuit. What you need to do is run the DC off of a separate circuit. Basically you want them to be controlled by separate breakers in the house's main panel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjffineww Posted May 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 The sander arrived today, and I have it all assembled and working pretty good. One real problem so far, that is kind of aggravating me. I can't get the belt to track properly, it keeps drifting to the outboard side. I loosened and reset it at least five times, and no success. Any suggestions? Other than that it seems like it will do just what I want it to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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