# Drum sander



## leadhead66 (27 Oct 2017)

I am looking to make a Drum Sander setup on my lathe. Need to find a source of the wide adhesive Velcro tape and also the Velcro abrasive strip to match. If you have been there I would welcome your advise.
Thanks in advance.


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## Robbo3 (28 Oct 2017)

I think you need to qualify the type of sander. I presume you don't mean a 5" foam drum
- http://www.axminster.co.uk/black-decker ... der-432365

If it's a long spindle type with a pivoting baseboard underneath then they generally use 4" abrasive, tapered at each end that fits into a slot in the drum to keep it tight, so no velcro needed. You may also need extra room at the front & rear of the lathe to accommodate the length of the piece.

Perhaps you meant a disk sander.
Kit to covert 300mm sanding disc to velcro
- http://martins-supplies.co.uk/presta/sa ... elcro.html


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## Eric The Viking (28 Oct 2017)

There is a design that allows the abrasive wrap to be loose, and the drum is underneath the table, so that "centrifugal force" pulls it up and into contact with the workpiece. I think I saw it on YouTube, but honestly can't remember. 

It seemed easy to make and to work pretty well. I have a good length of carpet "inner tube" saved for the possibility that I might make one some day. A clever, simple and effective design - the best sort.

That said, the one thing it probably wouldn't do very well would be exact thicknessing, simply because of how it works. I have no experience though - if you _can_ get it to thickness nicely, it's a real winner.

I can see loads of issues with using a lathe as the driving force though. The biggest problem being the height, coupled with the fact that you pass the stock _through_ a sanding machine, whereas it's usually convenient to have a lathe axis parallel and close to a workshop wall.

But I am not a turner


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## whatknot (28 Oct 2017)

I converted an old 10" sander to velcro and found ebay to be the cheapest for both velcro and discs 

Just had a brief look and they do both strip velcro and velcro backed sanding sheet on a roll 

I use 20mm wide and just laid it side by side and its been fine for over two years

Make sure you get the right velcro, hook or loop or both , some tapes are one side only 




leadhead66":3ut4f4ry said:


> I am looking to make a Drum Sander setup on my lathe. Need to find a source of the wide adhesive Velcro tape and also the Velcro abrasive strip to match. If you have been there I would welcome your advise.
> Thanks in advance.


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## leadhead66 (29 Oct 2017)

I am going to use 100mm I. D. thick PVC tubing. With tapered end plugs so as to have quick change of the tubes only, in order to accommodate different grits on individual tubes. Abrasive width about 300mm. It will be fitted to a Jet mini, so portability/through-put, not too much of a problem.
Robbo. I read or watched something that suggested that paper onto a solid surface was a bit harsh. Suggesting that the velcro combination would give a slight cushion effect.
Eric, yes I saw that video. Interesting idea and very simple to try, it may be my first port of call. Especially as the example, I believe, was referring to a top slot sander. Another option worth considering perhaps.


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## custard (29 Oct 2017)

All drum sanders dub over the leading and trailing edge of the work piece, velcro mounted drum sanders do it more than others. You need to leave the workpiece 50mm over length and trim off the two ends, for valuable saw cut veneers or precision cut components I use a sled with sacrificial pieces before and after the workpiece.

I see you're in Portsmouth, I'm not that far away at the western end of the Solent. I've got a drum sander so if you've just got a few pieces to drum sand drop me a PM and you can pop over and run them through.

Good luck!


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## leadhead66 (31 Oct 2017)

Custard - Many thanks for your kind offer. I am just planning ahead for the moment and have a pile of oak floorboards for processing some weeks in the future. I had not considered the dubbing problem. Are you fixing your sacrificial pieces and workpiece to the sledge to avoid the smaller bits moving?.


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## MattRoberts (31 Oct 2017)

He's talking about 'snipe', where the start of the workpiece as it enters the rollers and the end of the workpiece as it exits the rollers can receive additional sanding, causing dips in the wood. By putting sacrificial pieces either end, the snipe happens on the sacrificial pieces and not your workpiece


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## Ruskie7 (19 Aug 2018)

Did this project get finished would be keen to see the results.


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