Setting up a drum sander?

[dvddvd]

I've bought one of the Charnwood drum sanders

One end is secured with a lever and the other end is attached to the cast frame.

Just wondered if there is a way to check everything is parallel between motorised bed and sanding drum and how to adjust if necessary? Thanks

 

[Sebb]

could you just put something through it and if it doesn't come out same thickness across its width adjust ? I'd guess the lever loosens and you can move one side up or down that way but there should be some info in the manual?

 

[dvddvd]

Thanks for the reply, the lever/bracket on the left can be removed if you need to sand wider boards, so leave it open ended. It does not really give much support to the drum as its all made of cast iron. It only moves up and down turning the main up/down wheel. The manual was bare minimum and no set up mentions in it

 

[af99]

On my Jet drum sander - which looks pretty similar - there is a bolt between the height adjustment handle and the motor housing, and a threaded adjuster. You loosen the bolt and twisting the adjuster causes the far end of the drum to raise up or drop down.

To actually measure it, I use a setup block and a feeler gauge. I remove the abrasive and put the block under the drum, which I then lower until it almost touches. I use the feeler to measure the gap and then move to the other end of the drum and do the same thing. I use the adjuster until I need the same gauge all the way along the drum.

I tend to check it before starting a big project. Once set up, I find that mine remains level and doesn't require adjustment.

 

[Yojevol]

My 16/32 Jet also had the adjustor mentioned above but it was a devil to get right. I gave up with it and resorted to shimming the table support at the outer end. I adjusted it until I got acceptably similar results from passes at both ends of the cylinder.
Brian

 

[SkinnyB]

I bought a small dial indicator, bit of 3D printing and some laser cutting to get the twin drums on my sander perfect.
Ive tried feeler gauges and various other methods but the indicator is faster and more accurate.