help improve dual drum sander

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Stuart Kent

Stuart
Senior User
Hi all,

I have a 26" Steel City Dual drum sander; I have struggled to keep paper on it since the day I bought it. It really is a good machine when it works and I'd like to find a way to make it work reliably. I've tried tape. I've tried adjusting the clips (they are simply junk). The machine is aligned properly and sands flat and parallel to the feed surface, with no snipe. I do not use it as a planer - in fact I usually make 1/8th turn adjustments per pass, and I always scrape glue or run stock through a planer prior to using this machine so none of that is the culprit. Mine is a problem of poor engineering plain and simple, and there must be a fix.

The web is full of yays and nays about hook and loop conversion, which I have no experience with. One major problem I have found with that conversion is that it apparently requires tape to secure the ends of the rolls - meaning less maximum sanding width = not a solution for me. I'm also not enthused about putting another $200 clams into this machine - it was expensive enough. I am convinced that I'm missing something and that an inexpensive, simple fix is eluding me. I keep returning to the idea of improving the clips with something but...

at $65/box for three wraps I'm tired of wasting time and money. Help please!

thanks in advance,
Stuart.
 

Stuart Kent

Stuart
Senior User
Okay, here you go. The left clip is stationary, mounted on the inside of the drum. The paper slides through a slot and into the clip. It then wraps around the drum several times and then passes through a second slot on the right end of the drum, and into a spring loaded clip that (under the action of it's spring compression) pulls tension into the sandpaper wrap as it grasps. In theory the idea is good, in practice the clips are difficult to load and they slip. When they do, the paper gets damaged, sometimes beyond saving. As you can see in the last shot there is a whopping 5/8" clearance to get fingers through. There simply has to be a cost effective and simple way to improve this - we sent people to the moon in a green bean can with a few toggle switches and a radio.

IMGP6868.jpg IMGP6871.jpg IMGP6874.jpg IMGP6875.jpg IMGP6876.jpg
 

nn4jw

New User
Jim
Just a suggestion. When you put the sandpaper in the clips fold it across so that the abrasive is in contact with both the clip and the inside of the drum. With the added thickness and friction it might improve things.
 

Skymaster

New User
Jack
nudder crazy thought, NOT being smart a$$ check the manual for the proper rotation for installing the strips. I have a Jet 22/44 and there is a specific procedure for this. Also YES I hate those clips also, the bad one on mine is the rear which is right up against the support tower so to fix it all I have to do is disassemble the blasted critter :{:{:{:{ NOT motivated to do this
 

Tarhead

Mark
Corporate Member
I had the smaller ancient ancestor of this sander (Ryobi wds1600) and I had the same problem with the same type clamp. I fixed it by blasting the clamp mechanism out with compressed air and then a liberal amount of WD40. It made a big difference.
 

Stuart Kent

Stuart
Senior User
I have tried everything suggested at one point or another, none solved my problem.

1. yes the paper is installed correctly, checked that.

2. tried doubling the paper over in both ways, it actually slipped worse.

3. tried lubricating and cleaning the clamps, no significant difference.

thanks, still searching...
 

SubGuy

Administrator
Zach
Can the clips be removed? I would try to turn your spring another couple rounds if possible and blast the contact surface of the clip with an abrasive like garnet to rough it up. Probably also take 60 grit and rough up the contact point inside the barrel. I am not experienced in this machine. Just thinking.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Take the clamp apart, measure the spring, look for a stronger spring. Start with Grainger, McMaster-Carr, J&L Industrial.

all measurements will be the same except wire gauge, look for heavier wire.
 

Stuart Kent

Stuart
Senior User
Take the clamp apart, measure the spring, look for a stronger spring. Start with Grainger, McMaster-Carr, J&L Industrial.

all measurements will be the same except wire gauge, look for heavier wire.

I like where that idea is headed but it's already difficult to load because the spring tension is stiff. I will visit Grainger in the morning and let you know what I turn up.
 

chris_goris

Chris
Senior User
The clip arrangement doesn't appear to be all that different than whats on the Jet 22-44. How long of a tail are you inserting into the clip? Is your paper extremely rigid? does it work other paper in it?. When I install paper into my Jet, I push in until the width of the paper on the taper equals the drum slot width. I usually make sure I have a good crease at the exit point too. You might try applying a small piece of duct tape to the inside of the drum and on the clip face to give them something to grip to.
 

Stuart Kent

Stuart
Senior User
Can the clips be removed? I would try to turn your spring another couple rounds if possible and blast the contact surface of the clip with an abrasive like garnet to rough it up. Probably also take 60 grit and rough up the contact point inside the barrel. I am not experienced in this machine. Just thinking.

I will take the clips apart tomorrow to see about Mike's suggestion for heavier gauge springs, when I do I will definitely add these suggestions to the mix, thanks.
 

Stuart Kent

Stuart
Senior User
The clip arrangement doesn't appear to be all that different than whats on the Jet 22-44. How long of a tail are you inserting into the clip? Is your paper extremely rigid? does it work other paper in it?. When I install paper into my Jet, I push in until the width of the paper on the taper equals the drum slot width. I usually make sure I have a good crease at the exit point too. You might try applying a small piece of duct tape to the inside of the drum and on the clip face to give them something to grip to.

I crease mine like you suggest, and I also feed paper through the clip until it equals the width of the slot. Grit doesn't seem to matter, same problem in the entire range between 80 and 220. As for the duck tape I'll try it and let you know.
 

chris_goris

Chris
Senior User
I seriously doubt you're going to find the correct size torsion spring to fit in there. Looks to me like it takes up the whole width as it is.. they may not be removable either, the shaft is probably swaged to stay together. Maybe you could back it up with a coil spring?
 

chris_goris

Chris
Senior User
Have you tried a tech support line or customer service? Many times if these problems persist GOOD companies actually improve their designs… not all though. But this is what My life revolves around, fixing field related problems. Its worth a call, maybe they have new improved clips.
 

Stuart Kent

Stuart
Senior User
Have you tried a tech support line or customer service? Many times if these problems persist GOOD companies actually improve their designs… not all though. But this is what My life revolves around, fixing field related problems. Its worth a call, maybe they have new improved clips.

agreed but tried that, nice people, no luck with a fix.
 

Tarhead

Mark
Corporate Member
I just looked at your photos again and I think you need to blast out and lube/WD40 the area where the red arrow is pointing until the clip freely rotates between the tabs:
sander take up clip.jpg

The dust gunks it up and it sticks in the wrong position. This should reposition the clip at rest and make it much easier to load.
 

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