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Thread: Just got a new drum sander. Burning the paper. Help!

  1. #1

    Just got a new drum sander. Burning the paper. Help!

    I'm new to drum sanders, but need to get some exotic wood to a very consistant thickness, after resawing on my Minimax MM24.

    So, I went out and bought the Performax 22-44.

    Been cutting up some Bloodwood. Ran some though with 100 grit on the drum, and all looked great. Then, on one of the runs, I took off 1/32, rather than 1/64 like I had been doing, and I got a black streak on my bloodwood.

    Burned it. Now, I've got a burned spot on my sand paper. I moved the wood over on the feed bed to hit a different spot on my drum, and it sanded the burned spot off, fine. But, anything I run through the drum sander, under the burned spot on the paper, yields a burned streak on my wood.

    The book said my feed rate may have been too slow. I had it maxed. I think I just took too big of a cut, since bloodwood is so dense.

    Questions:

    1) When I burn a spot on my paper, is there any way to remove that burned spot? Or do I just avoid that area?

    2) I noticed this thing isn't quite like a planer, in that when I run a board thru my planer a 2nd time, the knives won't hit the board, if I don't lower the head. However, I notice that with this sander, I can run a board thru 2 or 3 times, and the sand paper will still hit the wood, even without lowering the head. Is that normal?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Laguna Beach , Ca.
    Posts
    7,201
    Dee Dee,

    I have never had that model...I have the General now and I used to own the Performax 16-32. The adjuster that raises and lowers the table is sensitive and you don't need to move it with each pass. You will need to get used to the feed rate and the change in elevation using the adjuster. It usually takes a few passs to completely sand the entire surface. You can use a sanding "eraser" to remove the burnt area. Make sure your paper is not lapped on itself...it should stay in an even roll and flat. It will stretch after a pass or 2 so check it and add tension. I have a spring catch on my General that will take up a little stretch. Make sure the clip still has spring in it to take up the stretch. If you use the "eraser" while its spinning...use a complete face shield! Try erasing it with the machine stopped bu hand rubbing. If it won't come off, just replace the paper. If you are cutting your own the lenght is critical and needs to be precise. It is a machine that takes a little experience, but saves a lot of time!
    "All great work starts with love .... then it is no longer work"

  3. #3
    You mention an adjuster that moves the table.
    My adjuster, raises and lowers the head. Not the table.

    I've tried an eraser, but it won't remove it.

    I am indeed not overlapped.
    I'll check for streatching.

    So, I just replaced the paper.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Laguna Beach , Ca.
    Posts
    7,201
    I would just replace the paper and go slow...the adjuster that moves the head is the same thing...very small increments
    "All great work starts with love .... then it is no longer work"

  5. #5

    Pitch on sanding belts

    I read here that you can soak the sanding belts in a solution of True Green and water and the pitch or burn marks will disappear. I have tried this and it works great for me. I let the sanding belts or strips dry out for several hours or overnight before using. I have also used a brush to brush off any residue that has not disolved after soaking.
    It took me quite a while to get used to the adjustments of the machine. As stated, do not try to take big bites and remember that you are sanding and not planing.
    Good luck with your new machine.
    Last edited by Don Selke; 04-11-2005 at 3:36 AM.
    Good Luck:
    Don Selke

    Julius A. Dooman & Son Woodworking
    My Mentor, My teacher. "Gone but not forgotton"

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Snoqualmie Wa
    Posts
    79
    I have the Performax 22/44 also. One of the biggest causes of the burn or build up is lack of adequet dust collection. Some of the different woods such as Cherry will "burn" quicker than say Oak will.

    Mark gave good advice regarding running through twice at the same setting and not trying to remove to much at onec.

  7. #7
    1/32" is WAY to heavy of a pass

    1/64" is better, but I usually only take off somewhere between 1/128" and 1/64" per pass.

    Beside preventing burning is also gives you better surfacing results as if the sander is working too hard or getting clogged with too much dust it will leave a "scalloped" surface

    A drum sander is not a thickness planer and I can garuntee more frustration and burnt belts unless you lighten your passes

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,688
    Like Brad, I take extremely light passes with my 22-44 Plus...1/8 of a turn up to no more than 1/4 of a turn on something benign like poplar. Oily or "pitchy" wood (or species like maple and cherry with a lot of sugars in them) are more likely to cause burn and/or buildup on the belts. Go easy...these are NOT planers, although with 36 grit you can do some thicknessing on certain materials.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Olathe, Kansas (Kansas City)
    Posts
    1,550
    One thing you have to remember. This is not a thickness planer it is a sander. Take very fine passes, feed slowly and move the wood around for ech pass. Keep a cleaner stick handy and hit it quite often. You'll find it will work much better. From my experience, once you burn the paper (build up), that area is toast, it will never be the same.

    I burned a lot of paper int he beginning trying to learn how to use it. You'll find it is a nice tool, but very slow to use.

    Also, the various woods will react differently, some burn really easy others not at all.
    Scott C. in KC
    Befco Designs

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,688
    One thought...are you sanding dry materials? I'm only asking because I know you produce a lot of turning stock. Drum sanders are not really friendly to wet wood!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Milwaukee, WI
    Posts
    313
    I have the same sander & second the comment about dust collection.

    One time I started sanding a long board & half way thru, the fuse blew on my dust collector & the board burned.

    So, make sure you have lots of cfm going to the sander.

    One other tip I learned..... turn the feed rate down to about 60% and don't lower the drum on your last pass thru the sander. This seems to help give better results.

    -jj

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Sapulpa, OK
    Posts
    880
    Sand paper for those things can be a little expensive. Try taking it to the do it yourself car wash and wash the paper...if you soak it with tire cleaner, it will help to take off the burned wood resins. Let the paper dry completely before using it again. You can make the paper last about 3 times longer. Once it starts burning, change the paper. If you don't, you will just burn the resins into the grit a lot more and mess up a lot more wood.

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