Homemade Drum Sander

Re: Homemade Drum Sander

Mark Kauder, Phenix City, AL

>http://www.stockroomsupply.com/

or

http://www.nicks.ca/Toolkits.html#sandplan

or

http://www.ukuleles.com/BuildingHowTo/sandthck.html

or

http://www.mimf.com/archives/thickness_sander2.htm

Mark

Re: Homemade Drum Sander

Craig Daymon

>There are a number of links to plans in the articles section of the site,

http://www.woodturningonline.com

and probably a few other articles that might be of interest.

Re: Homemade Drum Sander

Fred in NC

>The original question, the way I interpret it, is how to turn the lathe into a sander, not how to build a drum sander from scratch.

Since now I have an extra lathe, this topic is of great interest to me.

The first idea that came to my mind is to get a drum from one of the sources listed above, and mount it on the lathe. This part is a no brainer.

Now, if I mount a height adjustable table on the lathe's bed, right under the drum, I can probably push the stock and get it sanded. I will probably sand my fingers and hands too! Not a good option for me.

A box mounted on the ways or bed of the lathe can enclose the drum, with an opening on the top for the surface of the drum. The top can be a piece of counter top formica. A thickness plate that stays parallel to the drum and table will then be needed. The plate is easy, keeping it parallel to the drum is another matter.

Any more ideas ??

Re: The bed should tilt so the piece self feeeds.

Al Crandall --NE of Indy--

>I have seen two plans for shop made drum sanders. One started from scratch and the other started with a lathe as the basic machine. Both of them used a tilting bed under the drum to control the thickness and both allowed gravity to feed the piece through the machine. Start with two thick platens, a piano hinge, and a turnbuckle, and you will be half way there. The design is pretty simple. Be sure to put the hinge in the front of the lathe and the turnbuckle in the back. Feed the stock from the back so it exits the front, or you may shoot it across the shop.

Re: Homemade Drum Sander

ben d.

>No doubt you can fix up an adjustable table under a drum mounted in your lathe but unless you have a 14 0r 16 in. swing most of your space is going to be used up by the adjustable table. Built me a 24" from scratch this past winter with adjustable table and works great. It will not self feed because if stock is inserted in the direction of rotation it is going to throw it out the other side. If you do not insert the stock from the side against the rotation it will not sand and also while you are inserting it to sand if you turn it loose it will still throw it back at you. Believe me been there done that. You must use a push block against rotation. I built a spring loaded roller on the outfeed side to hold the stock down coming from the drum and it helps the throwback one expierence and you learn.