For the large drum sander, we used about 12 sheets of 24 grit, 8 sheets of 40 grit paper, 8 sheets of 80 grit paper and 5 sheets of 120 grit paper. For the edging sander, we used about the same amount of each grit again.
How will I know when to change the abrasive? The abrasives we sell at Pete's have very distinct lifespans; drum sander belts should last between 250 and 300 square feet each and edger discs should be changed every 20 linear feet.
Most times, I have either 80 or 120 grit paper on the drum. This grit is perfect for removing milling marks from the planer. And although I recommend against heavy thicknessing, these lower grits will certainly allow you to sneak up on the exact thickness you are looking for.
For a floor in better condition, you should get three P80 grit sheets. These numbers are for an average sized room, so if the room is exceptionally large, you should consider increasing the amount of sandpaper to four or five sheets.
The amount of sanding paper you'll require will depend on the size of your room. However, as a guide, for the 3m x 4m room I sanded, I used around 6-7 sheets at the roughest grit and 2 or 3 of the finest, and the same again for the edging sander. You'll need fewer sheets the finer the sandpaper gets.
The Golden Rule of Sanding
The golden rule for choosing your sequence is to never skip more than 1 grit. For example, if you start with P80, and need to finish at P240, rather than using every grit from P80 – P220, you can do P80 – P120 – P180 – P240.
A standard estimate is that a DIYer will need about 48 hours to sand down a room, while a professional will need one. That being said, let's take a look at the factors that can affect how long the process takes. Home Layout: The layout of your home and rooms makes a big difference in how long the sanding job will take.
The most common reason that a sander will side-cut is the sander is not set up to cut flat. This leaves lines on the floor on one side of the cut path. It's a good idea to take some time to level the machine at the start of your job.
DON'T: sand against the grain, UNLESS you feel skilled enough to sand diagonally or across the grain. DO: start with 20 grit paper and work your way up to 120 grit paper. DON'T: Go too high in grit or it can cause you to over sand your floors leaving them unable to absorb stain or poly adequately.
In the initial stages of planning a trade or furniture making workshop, it's our view that it's very worthwhile considering the inclusion of a drum sander. If space can be found then one of these machines is without doubt one of the best that can be added to any workshop.
The drum sander you described will remove about 0.005" to 0.007" (five to seven thousandths of an inch) per pass. Even a small 12" portable planer will remove 0.125" to . 250" (one hundred twenty five thousands, or one eighth of an inch to one quarter of an inch) per pass.
Once the drum has been raised and the device is at the end of its path, you'll sand the same surface again, but this time by moving backwards. Again, you will lower the drum gently as you begin to reverse and raise it before you get to your original starting point.
Claude, the usual suspects for burning are improper depth of cut or feed rate for the grit being used, loaded abrasives, and overlap in your abrasive strip, all of which build up heat. Here are a few things you can do to counteract the excessive heat that causes burn marks: Finer grits require a reduced depth of cut.
Bad sandpaper alignment, uneven wheels, incorrect drum pressure, imbalanced drums, loose V-Belts, failed bearings, or even poor subfloor construction are all common issues that could produce chatter marks on the floor.
Don't press down on the sander very hard at all; only press down hard enough so that it stays flat on the surface. Pressing down too hard can cause those dreaded swirl marks, as well as cause unevenness in the wood.
18" drums should have a motor running at 1725 RPM (the balanced drive system will cause the speed to encrease to 2250 RPM). the 24" and 30" drums require a 1/2 HP motor running 1725 RPM. Under NO circumstances should the 24" or 30" drums run any faster.
It is better for the drum sander to go first, finish that grit in the first room and proceed to the second, and then let the edger begin, alone, in the first room once the drum sander has moved on.
A typical first cut with an edger is 60 or 80 grit, then completed with 100 grit after the floor has been filled. To soften the cut of the abrasive, there are edger pads that are used under the bolt with an abrasive disc for the final edging.
An average-sized room (bedroom, lounge or hallway for instance) should take a day to sand and a further day to hand finish and varnish/wax or oil. However unforeseen circumstances such as repairs to the main body of the floor or the replacement of some boards may mean the job will take longer.
SANDING TIMES:
In general, we can sand about 1,500 – 2,000 sq ft in one day. Newly installed, unfinished hardwood is easier to sand, while a re-sand of treated and/or older hardwood flooring is a slower sanding process.
After sanding a piece of wood, you'll need to clean it before adding a stain or paint. You can use a variety of tools and techniques to remove sanding dust from your wooden surface. Just make sure you get the surface of your project as clean as possible before adding any paint or stains to finish the piece.