What is a hand held drum sander used for?

[Stephen Tashiro]

What is a hand held drum sander used for? One such as: https://www.amazon.com/Walter-Surfac...ustomerReviews

(Unless I know, I have no excuse for buying one.)

[Mike Kreinhop]

The other pictures with the product picture show the potential uses. It appears to be an alternative to an angle grinder with abrasive pads.

[Matt Day]

These ones are more popular I think:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/7-1-...m-Sander/D4595
For shaping things like chair parts.

I haven’t seen the ones like you posted, but not surprising since it’s $800!

[Rod Sheridan]

This is a popular one, often used for sanding live edge slabs.

https://www.amazon.com/Makita-9741-W.../dp/B000I6QVTA

If you're interested in what brushing can do for wood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD2Bl0ZhBRQ

Regards, Rod.

[Van Huskey]

Here is something similar for 10% of the cost. http://www.grizzly.com/products/Pro-...ssories/T25942 They have a video, but not a very good one.

The Grizzly is a copy of what I seem to recall is/was a European brand's sander, someone else imports it also, maybe MLCS or I may be thinking of the copy of the old PC handheld spindle sander which Grizzly also has a copy of.

If you like the idea of the Makita Rod linked Porter Cable makes one for $100 called the Restorer which has decent reviews on youtube but obviously it isn't as good as the $450 Makita.

[Bruce Page]

It's primary use is for dressing up sheet metal. Basically a hand held "Timesavers" that works well on contoured shapes.

[Stephen Tashiro]

If you're interested in what brushing can do for wood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD2Bl0ZhBRQ

I looked at the video. I don't like what wire brushes do to wood. Does wire brushing wood have an ancient and honorable tradition?

[Van Huskey]

Does wire brushing wood have an ancient and honorable tradition?

It approximates the look of long used wood where fast growth wears quicker than the slow growth. That old wood may have been worn honorable or dishonorably, one never really knows. Youtube and IG have been fueling the alternative wood finish arena for several years, shou sugi ban is one of the favorites. It is interesting how viral even a stain color can become, it isn't unusual that a color goes viral then empties the shelves in every home store in America. One I expect to see more of in the near future is crayon melted into paste wax. I tend to be a traditionalist but all the finish options do offer a different palette especially when using otherwise mundane grained woods.

[Rod Sheridan]

I looked at the video. I don't like what wire brushes do to wood. Does wire brushing wood have an ancient and honorable tradition?

Nope, nor do planers, jointers, shapers, tablesaws etc.

Doesn't mean they're not valuable.

As in everything, beauty is in the eye f the beholder.........Rod.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

The only place I could use something like this is when removing several layers old paint from house trim. I actually bought a similar accessory for a drill to remove several layers of poorly applied paint from some trim on our home.

[Keith Outten]

I own the Grizzly air bladder drum sander. I have used it to sand and shape rocking animal legs and other parts for many years. It also works well for shaping table legs and other projects that just aren't suited for a spindle sander with hard sanding drums.

I often drive the bladder sander with a cheap electric drill connected to the shaft end or I have used an electric motor with a flex cable.

[Mike Cutler]

That looks like it's more for metal, than wood, but without ever using one I couldn't say for sure. It does look like it could mess up some wood fast if you weren't careful though.
Porter Cable used to have the 121 hand held spindle sanders but that was for edges

[John McClanahan]

That one's used for fast removal of $$$ from your wallet.

[johnny means]

Replicating brushed finishing on metals after repairs or fabrication.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

The only place I could use something like this is when removing several layers old paint from house trim. I actually bought a similar accessory for a drill to remove several layers of poorly applied paint from some trim on our home.

Ken, do you think it'd work to remove some peeling paint on lap siding?