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I found a 1999 Woodmaster 37 drum sander for sale for $800 from a cabinetmaker. It would be a 100 mile drive for me to take a look--plus I'd have to rent a truck to bring it back. The seller is a cabinet maker--he says it's in great condition and he is selling because he upgraded to a wide-belt sander. I have never used a drum sander--which further complicates my desion-making prosess.
What do you think--does this sound like a reasonable price and worth the drive? Thx for your input.
$800 for a 37” would be a steal if it's in decent shape.
I bought a lightly used 26" Woodmaster for $1500 a couple of years ago and thought it was a great deal (I had been looking at buying new).
I strongly recommend renting a truck with a lift gate – these machines are big and built like a tank.
Rent the truck!!!!
I sold a 37" for $1,500. The only reason I sold the 37" was I moved up to a 50".
If you are looking for a drum sander & have the room, this is a high quality US made unit for a dirt cheap. If you don't get it you'll be kicking your self for years on this one...
jim
I bought a 37, almost new, for $1500. Sounds like a great price. Just make sure you have the space to dedicate to it, they are large. I went 250 miles, one way, to get mine. I pulled a small 4x8 tilt bed trailer behind my pickup, no problems loading or hauling.
I have had an 18" Bridgewood,and a 36" Grizzly,both of that type of drum sander. I sold them both. They were very difficult to change the paper on,since the paper had to be taped on with strapping tape. I never got either of them to sand the wood to parallel thickness. Shimmed up the pillow blocks numerous times. The paper just went unchanged.
I prefer my open side Delta. Truly precise adjustment on thickness across the boards,easy paper changes with effective paper clamps. I like the sandpaper conveyor belt better as the wood doesn't sink into it and get dubbed over near the edges when sanding thin (1/8" wood). You can easily adjust the conveyor table to a slight downhill tilt to sand wide boards,so the sanding peters out in the middle cleanly. Plus,it doesn't take up a lot of space,and the vacuum hood really gets ALL the dust.That never happened on the old fashioned types I had had.
I never had a Woodmaster. Does it have better paper clamps?
Thx for all your input. I'm going to go look at it tonight--and I have borrowed a truck so should I decide I can bring it back. The guy selling it is a 3 man cabinet shop.
It is overkill for me--but I have space and at $800 it is cheaper than a new Performax/Delta/Jet. My primary purpose in getting it is for hobby use--specifically veneering & laminations. It'll probably take me 2/3 months to determine if it was a good desion--and if it wasn't--it's not alot $$ down the drain.
Unless it’s beat to death I don’t think you will be disappointed. The Performax, Delta & Jet aren’t in the same league as the Woodmaster. I sold my Delta 18/36 when I upgraded to the WM.
Ryder is renting out a "City Van" with lift gate for just over $100 (first 500 mi. free)
Bring a wide piece of plywood lightly painted on one side to test it out.
Most cabinet shops aren't trying to make much money when they sell their tools. When you have a shop and you want something gone, you really want it gone. Not only is it an investment tied up but it takes up valuable space.
Good luck.