I'm finally gonna buy a grizzly drum sander and I have a few ?'s

[Pheonixarcher]

So, I can't take it anymore, and I'm gonna buy the 12" baby drum sander. For those of you who have one, what accessories do I need at the time of purchase? I plan on getting some 60 grit for lams (that's the coursest they carry), and some 180 grit for truing up riser blocks and take down limbs. I'm also considering buying their work bench for it. Is this a descent bench for the unit? Any other recommendations for me? Thanks in advance.

[Roy from Pa]

I didn't buy any accessories for my baby drum sander. But you sissy pants glass bow guys may need some, since ya all are so delicate..          60 grit is fine in my opinion. Ya otta buy it tonight cause they are on sale for $575.00.. Mine was $675.00 16 months ago. Other recommendations are: They say to lube it with graphite, I just pour some PBR into mine every 10 minutes and it runs great and the PBR keeps the dust down...    

But on a serious note, I love mine...

 http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-Baby-Drum-Sander/G0459

[Pheonixarcher]

Thanks Roy. I think. Lol. I don't usually stock PBR, will Coors Light work? I've got plenty of that!

[snapper1d]

Here is a DONT! Dont try to take off much when sanding.What ever you are sanding run it through before you turn your machine to make sure it doesnt have a big end that will bind up before you complete your first sanding pass.They are great machines but like everything you can mess up.They have a nylon gear in the conveyor motor and you can strip it out.Its much better to strip that gear than burning out the motor.

[Pheonixarcher]

Thanks snapper! That's the kinda thing that I need to know. And just an FYI, I work at a machine shop, and I'm in the process of finding out how much it will cost to machine some sleds on a cnc mill. If it doesn't cost a ton, I might be able to make them available to those who are interested. If it's a go, and the program gets written, it will be easy to change the taper rates, maybe even do a parallel section then taper to the ends.

[Roy from Pa]

X's 2 on checking thickness on both ends.

[canopyboy]

I would rethink the 180 grit thing. That's the kind of grit we would use in the cabinet shop for the final pass on cabinet parts in order to minimize hand sanding. You had to take super light passes not to burn the paper (and then the wood) and that was on a 36" drum sander. For truing riser blocks and limbs I don't think you need anything that fine. In fact, 60 grit will do just fine "truing up" anything. If you want a finer grit for less scratch marks in stuff, consider going to a 100 now which will make a nice clean-up grit to 60. I'll be surprised if down the road you still want to go finer for bow making.

[LittleBen]

Just a couple thoughts.

I've seen some incredible deals out there on Craigslist and such for drum sanders at outrageous discounts. Like a jet 16-32 for $300. but new is always the best so...

I think Dave is right on with the sanding grit. A pass at 100grit and you'll have very little hand sanding to do.

Lastly, if you have access to a non-CNC vertical mill with sufficient table travel, I'd think you could make a simple jig to hold an aluminum stock at an slight angle and just mill the top surface down flat to create your taper. Wouldn't take very long, and I imagine the accuracy will be far beyond anything we need. So .... Any friends with an old Bridgeport? I'm only suggesting it cause time on a CNC is expensive, and so is setup.

[Pheonixarcher]

Thanks gents. As far as the sleds go, we have some pretty big mills at the shop, and can probably do a 74" or 76" sled for one solid one piece lams. The shop time should be free if I can get one of the opporaters to stay a little late after their shift. And we do also have a Bridgeport that I can use if the cnc turns out to be too expensive.

[David Flanrey]

Love my baby drum.  You are going to need some dust collection.  I started out with a shop vac but later bought a real dust collector from Grizzly.  You will need the hoses and attachments.

Pretty sure Big Jim sells sleds.

[mikkekeswick]

+1 on the dust!
180 is way fine. Just load yourself up with 60 and 80 grit.
Ben a 16-32 for $300......my car's tyres would have got hot heading to that address!! What a steal!

[beachbowhunter]

I have the other one on the wheeled cart and love it. I use 80 grit for everything and it works fine.

[Tim Finley]

I had aluminum blocks made for sleds one inch thick at the butt and they warped they got just a little warm and bent, wood is much better. Also don't use the drum sander to tru up limbs of either take downs or one piece bows you will have crooked limbs.

[kennym]

Just got a Griz sale catalog, will be on sale from Apr 15 to July 31 for $450   :D  

JUST KIDDING!!


Seriously, actually it is on sale then for $550 and $79 shipping

[Pheonixarcher]

Thanks everyone! I have a dust collector, just might have to do a little rigging to get the hoses where they need to be.

The price of steel is down right now, so I might use that... But I'm not even sure yet if it's going to be a cost effective means for a sled yet, even with my access to the equipment. Just something I'm looking in to.

Why would truing up the limbs on the drum sander make them turn out crooked? I was thinking of building a sled with posts to hold the limb in one place as a put it through the sander.

[kennym]

I like sleds about 1/4" thick made of a-boo or a-wood.

Thin enough if they bow a bit the pressure rollers will hold em down with the work and not make a lam thin in middle .

Have a set of milled alum. to check the everyday sleds once in a while.

[Roy from Pa]

I had an old guy from Linneus, Mo make me up some pattern tapered lams with different taper rates. I lay one on a piece of oak and lay my lam on top and run it through the sander. Does a nice job. I think his name was Kennym or somepen like that..  

[beachbowhunter]

Originally posted by Roy from Pa:
I had an old guy from Linneus, Mo make me up some pattern tapered lams with different taper rates. I lay one on a piece of oak and lay my lam on top and run it through the sander. Does a nice job. I think his name was Kennym or somepen like that..      

That guy sure got around back in the day..   :D

[kennym]

Man was that a pain too.      

Trying to make my sleds work with 1/16" per 3 feet measurements when sleds were in thousandth per inch.

But being respectful to my elders, I made something, knowing he couldn't tell any difference......  

[Pheonixarcher]

You guys are too much! Lol