This is a Good Buy - If Woodmaster Drum Sanders are Good Quality??

[Barry W]

I found this drum sander, http://raleigh.craigslist.org/tls/5571739210.html, on CL today. It is priced, $1825.00, at one-half of retail. I am not familiar with this brand, are any of you? Here is the Woodmaster web site, http://www.woodmasterdrumsanders.com/NS/accessdetail.cfm?PID=3.

Thanks.

 

[garymuto]

I don't know about that particular model but woodmaster sanders are USA made and have a good reputation.

 

[Woodmolds]

I can't speak to cost, but I had a cabinetmaker friend who purchased one new several years ago. He was pleased with the performance and he was very, very picky.

Tony Joyce

 

[Barry W]

Gary and Tony, thanks for your replies. The specs of this sander indicate it is reasonably heavy duty, has ample horse power and good features. But closer inspection reveals it is a single drum sander and would take a lot of floor space in my shop.

I'll have to pass on this one.

 

[walnutjerry]

I found this drum sander, http://raleigh.craigslist.org/tls/5571739210.html, on CL today. It is priced, $1825.00, at one-half of retail. I am not familiar with this brand, are any of you? Here is the Woodmaster web site, http://www.woodmasterdrumsanders.com/NS/accessdetail.cfm?PID=3.

Thanks.

I own one------------the single drum 38" wide drum. That is a good price for that sander. Be aware though that you will need a good dust collector to use it.

Jerry

View attachment 19426

Love using mine

 

[walnutjerry]

Gary and Tony, thanks for your replies. The specs of this sander indicate it is reasonably heavy duty, has ample horse power and good features. But closer inspection reveals it is a single drum sander and would take a lot of floor space in my shop.

I'll have to pass on this one.

Even with 2 drums you will still have to use a ROS to get a streak free finish----------I do not think it is worth it to have 2 drums. If I did not already have one I would jump on it in a heart beat. You are passing up a good deal----but if it is not what you want you are making the right decision.

Jerry

 

[Barry W]

Even with 2 drums you will still have to use a ROS to get a streak free finish----------I do not think it is worth it to have 2 drums. If I did not already have one I would jump on it in a heart beat. You are passing up a good deal----but if it is not what you want you are making the right decision.

Jerry

Jerry,
If you were looking at this to buy, what would you check closely before closing the deal?

Thanks.

 

[mkepke]

Gary and Tony, thanks for your replies. The specs of this sander indicate it is reasonably heavy duty, has ample horse power and good features. But closer inspection reveals it is a single drum sander and would take a lot of floor space in my shop.

I'll have to pass on this one.

I have had one in my shop for a number of years. It appears to be the same 38" model as I have - no way around it: that makes for a big sander.

The nice thing about having a 38" wide drum is I often put one grit on 1/2 the drum and a different grit on the other. Then I can only sand stuff 18-19" wide

My sander only gets light use but it has never given me a lick of trouble. If I had to level some criticism at it, I find it tends to dub the edges of the workpiece, so it shouldn't be used if the pieces will *then* be edge-joined. Fine for finished glue-ups, etc.

And I would reiterate what Jerry said: with drum sanders, even's Jet's sorta/kinda oscillating drum sander, you'll always need to finish sand with a ROS.

-Mark

 

[walnutjerry]

Jerry,
If you were looking at this to buy, what would you check closely before closing the deal?

Thanks.

Plug it up and make sure it runs and the reverse switch works. Inspect the conveyor belt for wear and tear, I believe they said it had new velcro on the drum-------look for "blisters" or raised spots. The velcro wrap should be firmly against the steel drum. You may want to call the company and ask them what to look for.

Keep in mind this machine works in thousandths not sixteenths ---- trying to take off too much will ruin the velcro.

Good luck making the decision.

JERRY

 

[pviser]

http://www.amazon.com/Delta-Woodworking-31-481-26-Inch-Sander/dp/B00812REL2/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1462628067&sr=8-16&keywords=Drum+Sander

Your time is worth something, so factor in the cost of giving up a day to pick up the machine, not to mention gas and wear and tear for a truck. If you bought the machine at the link above, your could spend the same $1,800, yet get a new machine with two drums and free shipping to your front door.

 

[sawman101]

I will only add that Woodmaster is a company that has been in business for many years, here in America, building high quality woodworking machines. I am more familiar with their molder/planer, which is a great, but expensive machine. It may be more expensive than the China made machines, but it is of superior quality. :rolf:

 

[McRabbet]

I have the baby brother to this unit (the 26" model) and it is an excellent drum sander. It has a Leeson 5 HP motor and a separate 120 VAC motor on a variable speed controller to run the rubber belt. It must be used for finish sanding, taking very modest passes or the hook & loop media will get overheated and clog up (this is true for any drum sander). I have used it for sanding raised panel doors and it does a superb job. Klingspor carries the 6" wide paper for the drum.

 

[Barry W]

. . . .
Your time is worth something, so factor in the cost of giving up a day to pick up the machine, not to mention gas and wear and tear for a truck. If you bought the machine at the link above, your could spend the same $1,800, yet get a new machine with two drums and free shipping to your front door.

Paul, although it is very tempting to contact the sell about his Woodmaster sander, you are correct that it is probably not worth driving 180 miles to Rocky Mount for a used machine. The Delta sander looks like a good machine, but when I'm ready to buy a drum sander I am going to look closer at a Supermax Pro 25 or a Supermax 25-50.

Thanks to everyone for your opinions.

-Barry

 

[red]

I had that one years ago and it worked great. I loved having it in the shop. I would purchase a woodmaster again if I needed one.

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