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TWIN SANDING DRUMS give this enterprising woodworker 3 SANDING OPTIONS IN 1 SETUP

Published on May 31, 2016

TWIN SANDING DRUMS give this enterprising woodworker 3 SANDING OPTIONS IN 1 SETUP

Meet Edson Miller, woodworker and Woodmaster Drum Sander owner.

Meet Edson Miller, woodworker and Woodmaster Drum Sander owner.

Frankly, it’s fascinating to talk with hands-on guys (gals, too) who are building, making, and doing really interesting projects. We spoke recently with Edson Miller, woodworker, from Idaho. He tells us he “dabbled in woodworking” all his life. Looks like he’s moved well beyond that. Today, he’s got a healthy and thriving woodworking business.

And Edson’s discovered the little-known ‘hidden talent’ of his Woodmaster double-drum sander — 3 sanding options with 1 setup…….

Bet you haven't seen a Facebook page like Edwin's. He's posted dozens, dozens, and dozens of photos of his work. This is one busy woodworker!

Bet you haven’t seen a Facebook page like Edson’s. He’s posted dozens, dozens, and dozens of photos of his work. This is one busy woodworker!

“I got started woodworking as a young boy. My dad bought me some woodworking tools, a jigsaw. I got more tools over time, of course, and I’ve been dabbling in woodworking all these years. In the last few years, I started watching woodworking videos and reading woodworking magazines and got inspired to start serious woodworking.

I got my Woodmaster Planer in 2007 or so, then my Woodmaster Drum Sander in 2010. Later, I bought one of your dust collectors and I wouldn’t work without it.

I started making molding and made enough to pay for the Planer. I did quite well, actually, working part time. Meanwhile, I ran various businesses — a seamless gutter business, lawn care and maintenance businesses. About that time, we built a house and I made all the trim with poplar that came from my wife’s cousin who had a sawmill.

Here's a sample of the output from Mr. Miller's double-drum Woodmaster Drum Sander. Smooth as a baby's bottom!

Here’s a sample of the output from Mr. Miller’s double-drum Woodmaster Drum Sander. Smooth as a baby’s bottom!

Sander 80% faster than hand sanding…better, too

By the 2010, I was making custom furniture and I realized I could save sanding time with your 38” double drum sander. I use it to prep materials for bunk beds, Adirondack furniture, desk, tables, and other furniture I make. It’s worked out very well.

I make both ‘fine’ and ‘rustic’ furniture, a nice variety. I purchase rough or semi-rough lumber — oak, hickory, whatever. The thickness can be inconsistent. Some boards are thicker than others and rather than sand them all to the same thickness, I started planing every board with my Woodmaster Planer. I do both sides, down to 1-3/8” for example.

SAVE BIG NOW on Woodmaster Drum Sanders! – sale prices, online specials

SAVE BIG NOW on Woodmaster Molder/Planers! – sale prices, online specials

I got Woodmaster’s 38” Drum Sander 3875-X2 because I’d rather go a little bigger than I need and it’s paid off handsomely. For example the desks I build get pretty wide and I’ve never regretted having a 38” machine.

Edwin told us this picture is "a couple of grandkids enjoying fine furniture." Cute.

Edson told us this picture is “a couple of grandkids enjoying fine furniture.” Cute.

Picnic Table1 setup, 2 drums, 3 sanding options

Double drums - that's 2 drums, side by side. 3 sanding options: 1) Sand with 1 drum, 2) or the second drum 3) or BOTH drums for primary and secondary sanding in a single pass.

Double drums – that’s 2 drums, side by side. 3 sanding options: 1) Sand with 1 drum, 2) or the second drum 3) or BOTH drums for primary and secondary sanding in a single pass.

And the double drum? I wouldn’t want to go any other way. Here’s how I use the two drums. I put coarser, 100-grit sandpaper on the first drum at the ‘feed’ end of the machine. And I put finer, 180-grit paper on the second drum at the ‘exit’ end.

I can run wood through both drums in one pass. Or, when I want to, I can raise the finer-grit first drum out of the way and run wood through just the coarser-grit drum. Using the machine’s reverse, I can bring the wood back to me and feed it back and forth to dimension it. When I get it to the thickness I want, I lower the finer-grit drum back down.

Both drums can go up and down – actually, it’s the table that goes up and down but the effect is that you can sand with one drum, the other drum, or both drums.

Here's one of Edwin's elaborate, "double decker" bunk beds. Might just make kids (and parents) look forward to bedtime.

Here’s one of Edson’s elaborate, “double decker” bunk beds. Might just make kids (and parents) look forward to bedtime.

All that gives me quite a bit of sanding leeway. The primary advantage is you can do primary and secondary sanding in one pass. It’s so smooth it’s amazing. And it’s a huge time saver — I save at least 80% of the time it takes to hand sand. And then of course you can sand with just fine, just coarse, or both fine and coarse in the same pass.

(Editor’s Note: Readers, Woodmaster’s 3-way sanding option is totally unique. No other double-drum sander can sand with one drum, OR the other drum, OR both drums. More info? Contact us.)

Mr. Miller's got a Woodmaster Molder/Planer, too. But that's another story, for another post on the Woodmaster Planer blog!

Mr. Miller’s got a Woodmaster Molder/Planer, too. But that’s another story, for another post on the Woodmaster Planer blog!

Awesome quality

I’ve never regretted purchasing my Woodmaster machines. Both have worked very well and have been trouble free. They do awesome quality work. They don’t make trouble, they just work!”

— Edson Miller, Magic Valley Woodworks, Gooding ID — Woodmaster Drum Sander & Molder/Planer Owner

Visit Edson on Facebook

SAVE BIG NOW on Woodmaster Drum Sanders! – sale prices, online specials

SAVE BIG NOW on Woodmaster Molder/Planers! – sale prices, online specials

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