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This happens to be BRW. Just a head plate that I had to remove about 1/16th inch from. One little head plate did all this. None of the other plates I sized up did this under the same settings. I think I remember reading some trick to preventing this sort of thing but I forgot what it was. Anyone?

I get the same thing from Indian Rosewood. I’ve come to terms with the fact that sandpaper strips are consumables. I buy in bulk and replace when an eraser won’t clean it.

Yep

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

It helps to run resinous hardwood like that through the drum sander sideways to the grain until you get very near the desired thickness. Then, run a very light pass with the grain to sand the sideways scratches out.

I'll have to try that sideways thing. Doing very light passes helps. I think it reduces heat buildup which reduces oil transfer to the sandpaper. Another is using something like 80 grit (and light passes) but I don't do that because I hate the 80 grit scratches. I try to get as much non-rosewood sanding done as I can on a sandpaper strip before going to the rosewood.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

I tried chalking my drum. It made a HUGE cloud of chalk dust. It was marginally effective- it did make the resin easier to chip off with a scribe.... I think the root of the problem with oily wood is heat, which melts the oils into a hard polymer. I have Klingspore stearated paper but haven't used it yet. K;ingspore BLue is said by some exotic wood users to reduce the clogging. I'll give it a spin after Christmas.

Also wondering if reducing the drum speed would reduce the heat and clogging (if the drum speed could be easily changed)? Lighter passes would reduce the heat as well.

Just read that polycarbonate applied to the spinning paper will help remove stuck on particles.

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Measure Twice,

Karl Borum

Yes they are consumables and not terribly expensive but they are an absolute PIA to put them on

Use the very coarsest paper you can tolerate.

Is that a Performax/Jet 10-20 you are using? Yeah, the spring loaded clips can be hard to work.

Yeah it's a Jet 10/20. I use 80 grit paper and typically feed on angles and finish off straight. I didn't try totally sideways. Of course I would not be able to do that with sides as they are a bit too long. What's interesting though is it was just that one piece. This is very old BRW too so would have thought it would be dry.

take the belts & wet them with warm water & Dawn dish detergent.
DO NOT soak them in it !
Just use a mix of the 2 & a heavy cloth towel & your belts will be much better!

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Mike Collins

I dont have a lot of experience, but on the advice from a pro I used 60 grit. Along with the rubber eraser I didn't have any problems with coco.

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Wake up and smell the rosewood!

I've never personally done it, but I have read of many folks using spray-on oven cleaner to remove the resin. I would assume that removing the sandpaper from the machine would be a necessary first step.

I tried oven cleaner recently and it didn’t work for me…

I’ve been experimenting with the Alumina Zerconia (Blue) paper from Klingspor. Gotta say, I’m pleased so far. It lasts about twice as long as the standard aluminum oxide we are used to. When running rosewood I’m taking no more than an 1/8 turn per pass, running the stock through on the bias when possible and using an eraser to clean the paper after each pass. This is using 120# on Supermax 19-38, running at a little over 1/2 speed. They say that the blue paper runs cooler which makes a big difference.

M

I know this won't help and I am saying it for informational purposes only, but ever since I switched from my drum sander to a wide belt sander the belts last a very long time even with resinous woods-
Obviously more surface area contributes- also the oscillating motion of the belt as well...

I’d love to have one again! Unfortunately, I don’t have the real estate, nor room in the panel or an extra $7k (for an 18” Grizzly on sale, so serviceable junk). I will be over here being envious of your machine though….

Best, M

When I have wood sanded down at Armstrong Millworks, they rough with one belt, then turn off the power, open the door, release the tension, switch belts, shut the door, tighten the belt, turn on the power, check for the belt being central; and 2 minutes later they are sanding again. For production it is a beautiful thing.

That said, I plane or scrape everything to size! It's just easier to start with something flat on the actual plates. I don't want to spend a grand, let alone 7 grand! If I was a lot younger, and doing it for a living, it would be different.

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Why be normal?

interesting, I always assumed running at a slower speed would cause more heat buildup. Are others doing this?

The biggest improvement I've found is running the grain at an angle until I get close.



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Pat

Rosewoods are bad but so are some others.

I think the benefit of wide belt is that the belt goes from flat to being drawn over 2 small cylinders every cycle and the resins tend to come loose in the flex process.

I've had some success with my drum sander by increasing feed speed and reducing depth of cut to try and keep things cooler.

I tried 60 grit but I found errant grooves in my work that were extremely hard to spot until finish was applied, one high piece of abrasive? Don't know but I won't go with 60 again. Tried about every color and composition of belts too and I seem to prefer cheap belts thrown away more.

I do know I spend an inordinate amount of time cleaning sandpaper rolls with everything from erasers to wire brushes and putty knives mixed with cussing for effect.

I cut most all my plates and sides from billets and realized there was a way to cut the sanding in half. The last batch of backs and sides I did I ran both sides of the billet through the planer then sawed 2 slices and repeat. You can put the pieces back in bookmarked order and you are starting with one side close to perfect. With only one side to sand and if you do it right the planed faces can be the show faces.

I know it requires a planer but that is more affordable than a wide belt.

I can't say too much good about a planer with the Byrd Shelix carbide head for an ultra smooth finish, low noise and superb results even on figured wood - nothing compares.

I want to experiment more with power planing thin wood to thickness. In an earlier attempt I had a EIR back blow up in the planer and quit. I want to try double stick tape to hold them to a sled next time I need some. I'd like to reduce the drum sanding to the bare minimum.

I suppose, even if you have to make a drum strip a single guitar consumable, $10 a pop is reasonable but I hate the waste too. And the time in changing belts.

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Brian R, Wood Mechanic
N8ZED

Are you using the floor roll? If so, looks like it’s 12” wide so I suspect you’re cutting to size both width and length to fit the machine?


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I sure do miss the TimeSaver 36” wide belt that used to occupy my lunch break.

Michel, are you saying the Grizzly machine is basically junk? I’m see a lot of Grizzly machines in build videos…

In my experience, yes. We have owned a lot of grizzly tools over the years. They were kind of ok once you spent a bunch of time messing with them. After my dad died in 07 I got rid of all of it. I mostly gave it away to the guys on the crew - it was basically valueless. After that we switched to older Powermatic and similar. I no longer have the large shop space I once did so it all got sold off - at least it was worth something.

Best, M

I used to use CA and glue the corners down to some nice flat MDF board and run it through the planer. It did work pretty well but I had a few accidents too.

I agree with you mostly about Taiwanese tools,(there is nothing like good old American iron machinery) however I have owned this 18" Grizzly wide belt sander for 20 years and it has been a most faithful servant. Other than a few small parts that wore out from heavy use that were easily replaced this thing hasn't missed a beat! It is also highly accurate.