On 3/29/18 4:46 PM, Leon wrote:
On 3/29/2018 2:39 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet writes:
On 3/29/2018 12:38 PM, Jack wrote:
On 3/23/2018 8:55 PM, Meanie wrote:
I'm contemplating the purchase of a bench top planer. After looking
around for a used machine, I often thought about a vertical drum
sander
instead. Obviously, I know the difference between the two but they
basically do the same thing. Therefore, seeking the sage advice,
could I
get by with a sander instead of a planer?

I'd go for the planer. Moreover, I would go for one with a spiral
head
segmented cutter. Grizzly sells them rather cheap, and they work
well,
much better than a 2 or 3 knife cutter. A bit louder than a sander
but
still very quiet. Like a sander, they cut smooth regardless of grain
pattern/direction or knots. You can finish sand with a hand sander in a
minute, even large surfaces. About no need for a drum sander if you
have one of these as they come out ready for a quick finish sand.

But to be clear, a drum sander is hard to beat when sanding thin veneers
to a uniform thickness. Or for flattening the top and bottoms of the
sides of small/short drawers and boxes so that one side does not stand
higher or lower than it's mating piece.

A drum sander can also be useful for surfacing wider surfaces than the
15" a typical
planer will handle. The 16-32 will handle 32" wide surface and
the 22-44 a 44" wide (in two passes).


I know I was forgetting something obvious.

For my primary uses, a sander can do everything a planer can do, maybe
just not as quickly. This consists of frames, boxes, short items, and
boards up to about 36".

Surly there counter examples? I can't think of any off the top of my
head however.


I use my DS to surface rough lumber (short lengths) by starting with 36
grit. It takes about 1/32" per pass, but has no limitations for grain
direction and figured woods.

I'll still pull out my lunchbox planer when I need the speed (or the
extra 3" of thickness capacity over my DS), but I find I am using it
less and less nowadays.



-BR