Lathe Drum sander

[Dave M]

Those of us lucky enough to have a lathe can make a different version of the sanding drum plus fence on a pillar drill tool that many guitar builders use.

This is a simple box fixed to the lathe bed, with a hinged bed that is supported by bolts to adjust the thickness, with a cylinder turned on the lathe with a suitable grade abrasive glued to it. Since it is supported at both ends it is fairly good at maintaining the thickness of sanding across it's width. I have used it to do sides but generally it is good for the smaller components such as bone nuts and saddles and in this case feathering the ends of bridges.

[routout]

I like it and it does the job that's important was talking to a guy about cncing a bridge he said by the time I start it up I could sand one by hand ,and what you have there is repeatable accuracy .

[Max Taylor]

Dave,

I find your “Lathe Drum Sander” of particular interest as I also have Lathe (Shopsmith) capability and have considered doing the exact same thing. However having never used a “Drum Sander” of this type I have this question regarding its use.

Once you feed material into it, how do you keep the material from just being sucked into it by the rotation of the sanding drum?

I have a 12" planner that has feed rollers that grip the material as the cutter head rotates at high speed so the gripping rollers hold onto and feed the material at a constant (adjustable) rate to prevent it from being kicked out. Using your example setup how is that prevented?

I know it must work. I just don’t see the physics behind it from the photos but am sure you can answer that satisfactorily.

—Max

[kiwigeo]

Once you feed material into it, how do you keep the material from just being sucked into it by the rotation of the sanding drum?

I think the work is fed in against the drum rotation direction....this way the drum is never grabbing the work and pulling it through. This is certainly how I have my Luthiers Friend drill press sander set up when Im doing the wings on my bridges.

[jeffhigh]

Yes, Unless the lathe has a reverse setting you would need to feed in from the back.

[Dave M]

Max, apologies I have only just seen your question.

As others have said the material is fed in from the back against the rotation of the drum. You have to be careful of dangling sleeves and so on. If you have the space you could turn the lathe around for better access. I also didn't show that I dangle the hose from my shop vac just above the drum which catches most of the dust.

The reason I like this tool is that the drum is supported at both ends. If, as mine is currently, it gets a bit out of true it can re turned.

[Dave M]

I put up a pic of my lathe based drum sander some time ago but during my current build I realised it is a really good tool for creating the scooped side of the head block for a cutaway sided model.

You can do it at the front of the lathe as the block is fully supported by the table and with careful rotation can form the curved surface quite close to the final shape.