[OP]
Contributor
I'm looking to upgrade to a wider drum sander and I see that Jet (for example) makes an oscillating drum sander. Does anyone have experience with an oscillating drum sander? If so, what do you think of it? Is it worth while over a straight linear drum sander?
Do they work well or do you have problems with the sandpaper getting hosed up (maybe getting overlapped)?
Any comments will be appreciated.
Mike
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Contributor
With an oscillating spindle sander, the oscillating action seems very useful. But I'm not grasping the logic of an oscillating drum. How does it keep the paper cooler? Seems like it doesn't matter if the grit is rotating or moving side-to-side - heat should be some function of distance traveled, and if anything, adding side-to-side movement should increase heat for a given drum rotation speed?
[OP]
Contributor
You got me, that's why I asked the question. Here's a link to one of the oscillating drum sanders. Some of the reviewers say good things about it, some not so much.Originally Posted by Dan Friedrichs
I don't think the claim is that it keeps the sandpaper cooler, but that it gives a smoother finish. Maybe your analogy to an oscillating spindle sander is appropriate.
Mike
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Contributor
Mike: I've had the Jet 22/44 version for about 6 years. Leaves a surface almost equal to a ROS in a lot of materials. The analogy to a spindle sander is appropriate ... if I see 'swirls' I do the final pass in the straight-line mode. It went from a good machine to a wonderful thicknesser-flattener with the addition of extension tables and since there's very little down-force ... I now seldom use the 'planer'. Rick Potter posted a picture of his mounted on a home-made cabinet ... wonderful idea and inspiration. It's gotten so that pretty-much everything is run thru the sander. Over the years, I've had about a 6 or 8 'wraps' where the the next-to-last 'wind' would overlap the last wind ... no matter how-much I spaced-and-tensioned. Pine is just awful in drum sanders. I've had a lot of success running pine in the oscillating mode and not loading up by taking light cuts. I wouldn't want to be without it.
[OP]
Contributor
Thanks, Sam. That's a good recommendation. When you say you went added "extension tables" do you mean that you built some tables, or that you added the extensions that Jet sells?
Your comment about the sandpaper overlapping was what one reviewer mentioned. I guess you have to tighten the sandpaper after a few uses when you change it. I can live with that.
I'm interested in the 22/44 also. Does it have sufficient power when sanding a wide panel? It's a 1.75HP motor, I believe.
Mike
Last edited by Mike Henderson; 10-09-2017 at 11:56 AM.
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Contributor
Yes, Mike, I added extension tables. I was reluctant about how well the cantilever Jet tables would sustain ... Rick's version is supported. I built mine similarly expecting that I would build the cabinet as-soon-as I was in-between projects. That was 3 years ago ... no break yet. The belt 'elongates' with some use and it's necessary to re-tighten ... I usually do it as-soon-as the belt is warmed-up. The only time that I had noticeable 'bog' was when I was sanding 18 - 20" wide end-grain maple cutting boards. I 'roughed' with 120 and finished with 180 ... used a ROS from there to 220.
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