Drum Sander Grit

[turnertj]

FOr those of you using a drum sander to thickness your soundboards and backs...what grit are you using? 120 or finer?

Thanks!

[tippie53]

actually 60 to 80
too fine a grit will glaze over. A drum sander is a thickness tool not a finish.. the finer the grit the more heat you build up. Once the heat builds, this often glazes the belt and can make them useless.
If I am sanding rosewood I use 36 to get to 150 60 grit to within .010 of final and then 80 to final. In most cases you can use 60 all the way.
When sanding feel the wood , if it is heating up use a faster feed setting or coarser paper. You are better off fast small bites that heavy cuts.

[turnertj]

Awesome, thanks John. Totally counterintuitive, but your explanation makes perfect sense. I was thinking I was going to have to go get some super fine paper, but I guess not! I like it.

Just as a procedure question...do you have multiple drum sanders or are you swapping out the paper on the drum during your thicknessing? I'd imagine that would be a pain.

[tippie53]

I used to use a double drum sander now I have a wide belt sander. Here is a tidbit for you. Save a crepe soul shoe , you can hold that on the sand paper to clean the belt .