Replies

1. 
   mike4244 | Jul 01, 2004 12:52am | #1

   I made one last year. Consists of a plywood cabinet with mdf infeed and outfeed tables. 1 hp motor, homemade 3" drum. Boards are fed on top of spinning drum with a power feeder for longer stock. The infeed table is adjusted with a crank and gear from an old table saw, that's where the motor came from too.The infeed table rides on matching maple wedges similar to the way a jointer adjusts. Outfeed table is fixed, but can be adjusted with some trouble. The drum was made with a 5/8" solid steel round bar, I cut 3/4"x 3" disks with a 5/8" hole in the center.I glued up 4 disks at a time and pressed them on the round bar. They went on tight, had to pull them on with a pipe clamp. If try this ,get pillow block bearings first. Make sure round bar will go in bearings. I had to put shaft in drill press and sand the metal while spinning to fit. Took about 10 minutes of sanding on each end to remove slight amount of steel.

   Most things went well, did have a few problems that I solved. I used a sand paper backed board to completely round the drum. Then put on two coats of epoxy. Sanded epoxy with 100 grit paper while spinning. I figured the epoxy will prevent any humidity changes from distorting drum.I take light cuts, about 1/64" , anything heavier and I bog down motor.I had a problem at first with the psa sand paper roll coming undone at each end. Solved this by cutting a piece of pvc pipe 1/2" long, made one cut thru ring and screwed thru predrilled and countersunk holes into drum.Three screws in each ring did the trick.Also added outfeed roller that drops down out of the way when not being used.

   mike

1. 
   bones | Jul 01, 2004 12:58am | #2

   Got any pics?

1. 
   mike4244 | Jul 01, 2004 09:45pm | #6

   No pictures as of yet. I'll get around to getting a digatal camera one of these days.

   mike

2. 
   bones | Jul 01, 2004 05:51pm | #3

   Could there be more to this link or a typo? The link will not work?

1. 
   jcousins | Jul 01, 2004 05:54pm | #4

   i tried it too - unsuccessful

   try this one - the ".html" fell off

   http://www.rockslide.org/drum%20sander.html

   jerry

1. 
   bones | Jul 01, 2004 08:05pm | #5

   Thanks. The site had a lot of info and the unit looks like something I can make. It will definately be cheaper. 

3. 
   MichaelPB | Jul 03, 2004 07:10am | #7

   Taunton in its glory days did a great article, one of many on building machines, one of which is a thickness Sander.  The entire article is reprinted in the book called:

    Making and Modifying Machines.

1. 
   bones | Jul 03, 2004 03:16pm | #9

   Thanks to everyone who replied.

4. 
   OneofmanyBobs | Jul 03, 2004 01:52pm | #8

   Look on the musical instrument maker;s forum (http://www.mimf.com)  They have several plans free.  I think its more trouble than its worth.  I built one myself once.  Worked pretty well but hard to change paper.  Eventually just bought a Delta

5. 
   PlaneWood | Jul 05, 2004 07:07am | #10

   Here's one I made.

   http://pages.sbcglobal.net/mike_in_katy/ds1.jpg

   Do ds1.jpg thru ds6.jpg.

   I had no plans, just made it from scratch.  14" wide and will sand pieces up to 2-1/2" thick.  I have a 1/2 HP Baldor motor on it.  3/4 HP would be better.  Drum was made of 3/4" mdf glued together with poly glue.  Was sealed with about 8 coats of Poly varnish.  Shaft is 5/8" and should have been 3/4".  I have sanded to 1/32" thickness.  Honduras Mahogany was used for the base for stability and thoroughly sealed.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
   PlaneWood

1. 
   SCFrankland | Jul 05, 2004 02:01pm | #11

   Mike I started to build one like yours then I got lazy and bought the Delta X5.

   Here are somemore pics of Mike's sander that he sent me a couple of years ago. Mike I put them on my website so I could post them here with out useing up your bandwidth. They are only viewable here and no where else.

   View Image

   View Image

   View Image

   View Image

   View Image

   View Image

   Scott C. Frankland

   Scott's WOODWORKING Website"He who has the most tools may not win the race of life but he will sure make his wife look like a good catch when she goes to move on."

6. 
   SawdustSteve | Jul 06, 2004 04:06am | #12

   You may want to try http://www.poormanspubs.us

   They have a whole pile of plans for 'build your own' woodworking and metalworking machines. You know those famous last words 'One day when I have time I'm gonna build that...........' and the rest is history.

   SawdustSteve

1. 
   RickL | Jul 06, 2004 09:04pm | #13

   Poorman's Pub is a questionable outfit. I think the plans have been lifted out of old Popular Mechanics magazines. Plus he's posted on other sites in their free classifieds for sale to individuals only and has no sensitivity about their request of no spam as he is running a business he should be paying for ad space like any other so called reputable business.

    

   Doing a search on google should turn up a bunch of free things on building a sander. Plus FWW published quite a few things over the years and I'm pretty sure they have been republished it their "Building machines" reprint

1. 
   bones | Jul 06, 2004 11:18pm | #14

   Actually, I did a Google search and found some things but not a lot.  One of the posters to my request seems to have a very doable plan (for my skill level). His request for remuneration was simply a self addressed stamped envelope so he could return a copy of the plan to me. I am grateful, and its on its way. 

   I thank all who replied to my request just the same.