Replies

1. 
   Wingdoctor | Aug 02, 2009 06:48pm | #1

   I don't have the Grizzly, I have a Performax, but the 1/8" limitation does not apply if you use a sled. Use a piece of 3/4" Baltic Birch plywood as a base for the veneer strips and cover the plywood with sandpaper, or use thin double stick tape, so that the veneer doesn't slide off of the sled. Do not use a large amount of the tape or you could have trouble getting the veneer off of the sled without damaging the veneer. The limitations on thickness are there so that you do not have contact between the sandpaper on the drum and the feed belt. The feed belt and sandpaper can make contact if a little loose and the results could be costly. I have sanded down to 1/16" with no problems.

   Bruce

   "A man's got to know his limitations." Dirty Harry Calahan
1. 
   Frank Vucolo | Aug 03, 2009 05:49am | #4

   Thanks Bruce,

   Good to know it can work. I've never owned a drum sander, but what you say makes a lot of sense and explains why the manufacturer would spec a 1/8 minimum. The sled saves the day.

    

2. 
   WillGeorge | Aug 03, 2009 06:55am | #7

   I have a Performax

   I do also.. My daughters bought one for me.. I should have bought one years ago!

   I for one agree a drum sander is a wonderful tool! And the slead is a good thing to make. Although I think the width exact is most important. Thickness, cut off with a card scraper!

2. 
   joinerswork | Aug 02, 2009 07:58pm | #2

   frank,

   Ditto what wingdoc said.  I have a performax (25") and have no trouble making veneers 1/16" or a bit thinner, using a sled to carry the stock.

   There was an article a while back in FWW on making a smallish thickness sander for small pieces of veneer.  The shop made  drum was fixed, and the table was hinged on one end, and had a screw adjuster to raise the other end.  An adjustable ramp, if you will.  The stock was fed by hand under the drum.

   Ray

1. 
   Frank Vucolo | Aug 03, 2009 06:13am | #5

   Ray,

   Sounds interesting. I'll have to search out that article. Was it powered off a drill press?

   Frank

1. 
   joinerswork | Aug 03, 2009 02:51pm | #9

   frank,

   I don't recall the details.  Think it was made by a luthier for thicknessing guitar sides etc.  It'd be simple enough I guess to turn it sideways to run off a drill press.  Anchor the off end of the drum to the table.

   Ray

3. 
   mbholden | Aug 02, 2009 08:21pm | #3

   Frankfive,
   google "luthier's friend" this is a drill press accessory designed to thickness veneer.
   After looking at the pics, I made my own very easily.
   Mike

1. 
   Frank Vucolo | Aug 03, 2009 06:18am | #6

   Mike,

   Very cool. That's very similar to the home made jig I'm trying to get to work. I'm incorporating a couple of hold-downs to keep the stock against the fence.

   I didn't want to wait until next week, so this afternoon, I took the 40+ mile drive each way to Woodcraft and bought a better drum to mount to the drill press. The results are much better. I still have some tweeking to do, but I think it will work.

1. 
   Taigert | Aug 03, 2009 08:50am | #8

   Take a look at the Jet 22/44 OSC Drum Sander. It does a fantastic job with being able to oscillate.

   Taigert

    

   
1. 
   Frank Vucolo | Aug 05, 2009 01:18am | #13

    

   Take a look at the Jet 22/44 OSC Drum Sander. It does a fantastic job with being able to oscillate.

    

   Taigert,

   Beautiful and I'd love to have one.... but it's out of my price range and there's no space for it in my shop.

   One of these days!

   Thanks,

   Frank

4. 
   Jfrostjr | Aug 03, 2009 05:09pm | #10

   Check out the Driftmaster fence -http://www.lagunatools.com/bandsaw-driftmaster#.

   I got mine about a month ago and am well satisfied. It produces repeatable veneer thicknesses - as long as you turn the handle at the end the same amount each time. That "crank" advances thefence. I haven't sliced veneer for about two weeks, but as I recall, I had no trouble matching the thickness of commercial veneer.

   I purchased mine with a new saw and also bought Laguna's 1" veneer blade. Using that blade it was not necessary to finish-sand the slices, they were usable as they came off the saw.

   Installation was a pain in the neck but doable. I had to use the process described for non-Laguna saws, so it should work on any saw.

   Frosty

   "I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922

1. 
   Frank Vucolo | Aug 05, 2009 01:35am | #14

   Frosty,

   I just watched the video on the Laguna site and that's one nice fence.  If I ever upgrade my bandsaw, I'd consider it. Not sure I can justify bolting it to my 14" Jet.

   The ability to slice off thin veneers, repeatably, with the beef of the stock against a stable fence is very attractive.

   Frank

1. 
   Jfrostjr | Aug 05, 2009 04:03pm | #17

   Bear in mind that the unit has a 'universal' mounting system. It can be moved from saw to saw. (NOT on a daily basis but with a new purchase.Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922

1. 
   WillGeorge | Aug 09, 2009 01:40am | #18

   "I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922

   And I had a very sad experience this morning..  Putting out bird feed.. A new baby robin was snatched up by a BIG mother garden snake.. I think both mothers were sad but one had food and one less mouth to feed!

1. 
   Jfrostjr | Aug 09, 2009 04:37pm | #19

   That must have been a scary, upsetting sight. I am sorry.JerryFrosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922

2. 
   WillGeorge | Aug 10, 2009 07:42pm | #21

   Not.. I have been without snakes in my yard for many years...  I piled up alot of rocks and they came back. Not a big fan of snakes but they should be allowed to live.

   Last week, my old Yellow Lab brought me a baby rabbit.. ALIVE... in his sloppy wet spit filled mouth..... When he was younger he would have torn it to shreds!

   I guess all of us mammals get soft in old age...

3. 
   Jfrostjr | Aug 11, 2009 12:49am | #22

   "sloppy wet spit filled mouth"Will,In my youth I would taken this as an 'ad hominem' attack and started started a nasty thread. Now all I will do is wipe my chin.JerryFrosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922

4. 
   WillGeorge | Aug 14, 2009 09:26pm | #23

   Now all I will do is wipe my chin. I drool when I sleep.. No hate here!

5. 
   Jfrostjr | Aug 14, 2009 09:40pm | #24

   I hate sleeping on a wet pillow, don't you?Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922

5. 
   DonC | Aug 03, 2009 06:43pm | #11

   2 methods

   1.) Check out Sand Flee site. No burning of sandpaper drum.

   2.) I made a vaccum fence for the table saw. It sucks the veneer tight and no sanding required. This jig is jsut a simple box attached to the factory fence with 5/16" holes drilled 2 inches apart. Connect to a shop vac at the end.

1. 
   Frank Vucolo | Aug 05, 2009 01:37am | #15

   Don,

   I browsed the sand flee and recall seeing it at the Woodworking Show a couple of times.

   Is it good for precision thicknessing? I can see it's merits for smoothing a face, but how can it work to ensure two parallel faces?

   The thickness is the thing. That thickness becomes the face when the stringing is sliced off, so it has to be consistant.

   Frank

1. 
   Don01 | Aug 05, 2009 05:16am | #16

   Frank,
   You put track on each side. The height of the track or ledge would be to the thickness you want. You might need to make a sled for veneer, you would run it upside down. The veneer could be attached with 2 sided tape, hot glue. You would need to attach the work to the sled on a conventional drum sander as well - I think.
   To ensure consistency you would want something with consistent feed and a larger sanding face - a big belt sander, rather than any type of drum.. The two tools I have referred require manual feed.Don

   Edited 8/5/2009 11:57 am by Don01

6. 
   Don01 | Aug 05, 2009 12:03am | #12

   Frank,

   Take a look at the V Drum sander. Similar to the Sand Flee. I have a 30" for coarse - 60 grit, and an 18" for finish sanding - 120 to 180.

   http://www.stockroomsupply.com/

   Don

7. 
   Frank Vucolo | Aug 10, 2009 06:42am | #20

   Thanks to everyone for the ideas.

   Sometime down the road, I'll have a bigger shop and a bigger budget that will allow me a more serious bandsaw and a real thickness sander. I like that Laguna fence system, too.

   In the mean time... I got my homemade drill press drum sander to work today!

   I made some 1/32 holly  veneer that I was able to slice into very consistant stringing.

   Here's a look at it...