Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm looking to buy a drum sander and I want to know if anyone has bought and used the G0458 18" open end drum sander from Grizzly? The Performax 10-20 looks like a good option if I want to go small but I'm wondering about the Grizzly, too. Does the dust bag really work? How accurate is it? Does it really sand 18" boards? What about oily woods? How does it hold paper? Is it easy to change?Thanks for any answers.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

I have the Craftsman version that is the exact same thing with a few trim differences. The dust bag is alright, not great, but what do you expect for a passive dust collector. I never bothered setting it up using blocks. I just ran a MDF backer board through and stuck PSA sandpaper on that board. Accuracy is just fine. Yes it does 18” boards. Uses a drum like all the other drum sanders with a 3” sandpaper wrap. Look at the manual online, it shows the parts and paper changing instructions. Its kind of a PITA to change, but that’s the trade off with price compared to a belt sander. I have Klingspor paper that is a hair too wide, so at the end of the wrap its 1/8” too far. I have to trim the edge to get a good fit.

Thanks for the info Zach.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

I have had the Griz 18" sander for a month, less two weeks when the start capacitor died and had to be replaced. I live 15 minutes from the a Grizzly store so it was not a hassle. The bag does not do much as it hangs down even while inflated - this limits the amount of dust going in.

Maybe it is something I can still adjust but it maxes out at about 2.1mm or .095" thick so a sled is needed to getting thinner pieces. And EIR clogs the belt as it will with any sander even the big furniture shop belts. The gummy clog remover works on part of it but a good stiff steel brush will take off most of the rest of the clog.

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GEO
perpetual beginner

Something must be wrong. My bag inflates pretty firmly. I get a little poof of dust off the bag when it starts, but works alright when running. I do get some shooting out the backside of the sander it I make an aggressive pass. But all in all, not too bad for what it is.

Thanks again guys.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com