1. What is a drum sander?

A drum sander is a modern woodworking machine with high efficiency and large capacity. It is specialized in smoothing the surface of wooden products. The drum sander also has the ability to polish and enhance the aesthetic value of finished products.

Understanding the structure, principle of operation, and functions of the machine will help you choose the appropriate one and make full use of its features. What is the structure of the drum sander? And how to use it effectively? How much does a drum sander cost? All will be answered quickly below!

2. Structure of a drum sander

2.1 Details of sanding belts

Currently, there are many types of drum sanders with different sanding belt widths on the market. Here are the most popular sanding belt widths:

6-inch, 7-inch Drum Sanders

These are the smallest drum sanders, which can sand products up to a maximum width of 600mm or 700mm. They are suitable for processing small quantities of products and for workshops with limited space.

9-inch, 1-meter Drum Sanders

These are the most commonly chosen drum sanders by customers. They have a maximum working width of 900mm-1000mm, which is suitable for a variety of needs and workshop spaces.

1.3-meter Drum Sanders

With a maximum working size of up to 1300mm, this type of machine can process large products such as plywood, veneer wood, and so on. In addition, the machine has the ability to work with high capacity, pushing the progress faster.

Refer to the Unisand drum sanding machine series

2.2 Structure of the drum sanding shaft

The sanding shaft is made of iron or stainless steel, and is wrapped in a spiral layer of rubber. The diameter of the shaft will vary depending on the working size and capacity of the machine.

For the P shaft, there is also a leaded smooth bar to help sand the wood hairs on the sanding shaft beforehand.

Number of drum sanding shafts

Depending on the usage and production scale, you can choose a drum sanding machine with 1, 2, or 3 sanding shafts. Each shaft will be fitted with a suitable grit sandpaper.

Drum sanding machine with 1 sanding shaft

Only one type of sandpaper can be fitted. If you want to achieve a smooth and polished product, you will have to go through 2-3 sanding times. After the first sanding, switch to a smoother grit sandpaper for the 2nd and 3rd sanding. However, this method will take a lot of production time.

Sanding machine with 2-axis drum

This is currently the most commonly used type of sanding machine. It is popular due to its affordable cost, high efficiency, and high productivity. The first axis is used for rough sanding, while the second axis is used for fine sanding. Suitable for all types of workshops.

Sanding machine with 3-axis drum

This type of sanding machine is suitable for products that require a high level of smoothness. The first axis is used for rough sanding, the second axis for sanding to a fine finish, and the third axis for even smoother sanding. It has extremely high productivity.

Planing and sanding machine

The sanding machine is equipped with a planing axis in front, used for planing glued boards. After being glued, the surface of the board is not completely flat, so a planing axis is needed to quickly obtain a flat surface, then the sanding axis is used for smoother sanding. The combination of the planing and sanding axis helps to save costs and time.

3. Working principle of the sanding machine with drum

The sanding machine with drum uses a motor to create pressure on the surface of the wood through sandpaper to smooth the surface. The conveyor belt is responsible for feeding the wood into the sanding process. The sanding drums will continuously rotate in the opposite direction to the wood being fed in. The wooden product will go through each sanding drum one by one: drum 1, drum 2, and drum 3. Some machines will have a brush to clean the wood dust located in the position of the finished product.