Lookin fer Wood

[Fla._Deadheader]

Well, there you have it !! We have boiled this sucker down to a definite possibility of maybe buildin sumpin that will remove excess wood from a cant of some sort.  : :
  Only reason that I am thinking drum, is, TRACKING !!!!!!
  If anyone thinks that tracking a blade is tricky, try tracking a wide belt. Ther is NO, NONE, NA-DA, crown on the bottom roller-drum thingy. If yer cant has a high side and the belt gets very warm, the belt can cut the side out of yer frame. We use small flat belt (6" X 48") sanders in our welding shop. Sometimes, it is near impossible to keep one running straight, AND, both rollers are crowned.
  I still believe I will make a double drum sander. 2 drums to remove twice as much from light cuts. Color me hard-headed. : : ;)

[D._Frederick]

Fla._,
I was doing some brain storming about getting the lumps off of your water soaked board. I don't think that sanding wet boards is the answer. I think that I would try and find a planer head that uses a spiral knife. This type of planer head does not have the problems of tear-outs. Some of the big planers were set up with quick change heads. The mills had extra heads, with some hunting and luck, you may be able to find one from a mill that went belly up. Building a one head planer wouldn't be anymore work than a drum sander.

[EZ]

Holy smokes, wet wood for a drum sander, I must have mist that some where. No-way you can use a drum on wet wood, unless you like them big head aces(sp). We only use the drum on hardwoods that are air or kiln dry. I tryed kiln dry pine and the knots will gum up the paper. Sorry.
EZ

[Fla._Deadheader]

I believe "D" is a little misty on this one. I never mentioned sanding wet wood. When we saw the Cypress through and through, it dries with the Pith raised a little on one side and the slabs will cup a little, about 1/16 or so. All I want to do is flatten out the surface SOMEWHAT. I don't want to make these ready to finish, UNLESS the price is there. The Cypress is slightly fuzzy and the grain shows MUCH better if the surface is smooth. Every one I use the hand belt sander on, sells. It just takes about 4 hours and it ain't flat smooth !!

[woodhaven]

FDH,
You probably read one of my previous post that I was looking at building a drum or belt to. I had the same problem with my 6x48 sander until I figured out what the factory had done wrong and fixed it now it is easy to track. My question is how are you going to variably change the height of the second drum? If you have the first drum set to take off 1/16" then your second drum would have to be 1/16 lower to just touch the board then another 1/16 lower than that to remove another 1/16. This is the part I am working on now.
For my use I would be using differant grits on each drum at differant times so one drum or the other would always have to be easily adjustable. You would have the same thing to work out even if you use the same grit on both drums. The second drum would have to be lower than the first.
Thank goodness for AutoCad I can work all this out before picking up a wrench.

Another issure I have is what size drums to use? I have seen them anywhere from 4" to 12" I know it makes some sort of differance but what, where and when?

[Fla._Deadheader]

I figger I will just mount both drums and 1 will automatically be lower??? ;D ;D
  I plan on building my sander a$$ back'ards. I am making the table go up and down and the drums will stay put. Just mount the bearing 1/8th" lower than the first drum bearings. ???

[D._Frederick]

Fla._,
I guess that I was reading between the lines from past posts, about "selling as fast as I can process to lumber" and "How heavy the boards are" ,this is what I recall from memory, in my old age I may be wrong. If you are air drying, what moisture level are you shooting for?

[Fla._Deadheader]

So far, everything we have sold has been 12% MC. Figgered it would be higher this close to sea level and 3 miles from the ocean??? If I can maintain that, I would be very happy. The customers seem pleased with it. I sell directly off the mill also.
  THAT stuff is HEAVY !!! The last load I sold, there was still water standing in the "peck" holes. :

[woodhaven]

Ok, Sounds like you have it worked out for your use. For me the table elevator and the first drum are no problem. It's that second drum thats got me thinking.