You're rocking my tools. First my Laguna BX14 and now the SuperMax. This is a GREAT drum sander. I am a professional luthier and I am using both all the time. I added a 4' outfield table to mine for sanding longer wood. Very helpful. I started converting my drum sanders to using Abranet years ago instead of the typical bandsaw drum paper. Too lengthy description to describe here, but I can get 40 passes of Cocobolo through the Abranet without clogging.
I was just at Rockler's to buy one. The 19-38 is now $2000 plus tax and $170 shipping back ordered 4 months minimum. The 16-32 is in there show room and is $1500 & tax no shipping. as a hobby shop a coupe days a week I think that one would be just fine for me. # inches difference in sanding with and I can reverse the sanding and run it again. I think Im goin back tomorrow and pick it up' Thanks for the great video it really helped me. I was looking at a jet but this did it
You Know Thomas, I almost purchased that one too. I like the quick level for adjusting the bed. Either way, I think both are better than the jet (which I also looked at when I was shopping. I don't like how much plastic there is on it).
I’ve had mine for several years and I’m ready to get rid of it. I’m constantly having to adjust the head so it’s parallel to the table. Attaching the paper is a huge pain. The clip on the motor side is way too difficult to operate. The manual that came with it is poor at best.
Used a friends to whittle away at an Endgrain cutting board. Turned a 4 hour sanding job into 30 some minutes. Was fast. Clean. Simple. Fortunately I can keep going to my friends. However, if I were to be tasked with making say… 50 cutting boards. I’d swipe the credit card for this immediately.
I just bought one. Let me tell you that thing is heavy! Lots of metal. And while it’s too new to me to actually make a valid review. I can see huge benefits of this tool.
Very nice review. I have the Jet 16-32 and agree that it does have a lot of plastic parts but it has served me well for about 8 years. I would have been interested to see the spring clamps that the SuperMax uses to hold the sandpaper. The Jet can be a little cumbersome to change and I’ve never figured out how to use the tool they give you. I too am a segmented woodturner and a tip I can offer is that when your belts get gummed up with glue, take them off and soak them in a 50/50 mix of Simple Green and water for about 24 hours. While the sandpaper isn’t necessarily as good as new, it’s close. I take the soaked belt to my utility sink and scrub it with a brush and the dried glue comes right off. This isn’t my invention and I don’t recall where I first saw it, but it works. Also, keep the Simple Green mix for future use the sediment will settle to the bottom and you can dispose of it. Another good thing is that Simple Green is pleasant to work with and non-caustic. Hope this helps. Enjoy the channel 👍👍
That is a very great tip Greg, thanks. Segment turning is a lot of fun and it looks like you do some nice work (judging by your icon photo). The spring clamps on the SuperMax don't require tools but are are bit tricky. But, I have to say they work well and can be changed quickly. Take Care.
They ARE a great additional tool for sure. I had (and still have but rarely use) a performax, the original. Having such a thickness sander really improves one's woodworking ability. I admit that it takes quite a bit of time before you really feel you have the machine working just right. Being able to change paper quickly, (ok MORE quickly), to get the experience to know how much you can hog off at a time, on different grits. Also the table feed is a bit of a PIA sometimes. So after running many thousands of lineal feet, you get pretty good at it. However, it is NOT a replacement for a wide belt. I finally bought a small open ended wide belt. PM, Grizzly, etc make them. I think the drum sander CAN leave a pretty decent finish, but it still needs final sanding, but as he says, it is a lot easier once finished with the sander. As I said, I bought a small wide belt and the difference is huge. The wide belt changes paper in 15 seconds, the belts are more easily cleaned, And there is a lot more "power" so you can take off much more wood in one pass. When I bought my wide belt, about 15 years ago, it was about $4K. Now they are closer to 8K. Still, it is the most important machine in my shop, for sure, as it saves me more time than any other machine. And yes, if I had an hour meter on every machine in the shop, it would get the most hours on it too...
You are a lucky man Paul. I agree with you the big belt sander are fantastic and are better than the drum sander. Especially for production work. Thanks for watching.
Great video. I really appreciate a true review from someone who has owned and used a tool for sometime. Maybe in a future video you could share some comparisons between you thickness sander and your thickness planer. For example, is snipe an issue with thickness sanders like it is on a thickness planer?
That is a Great suggestion WoodShop Nerdery! I was actually going to do a review on my Planer next. Spoiler alert, snipe is not an issue with the sander. Thanks for watching!
Yes, snipe can be an issue especially on longer heavier boards. The infeed and outfeed tables are pretty good but not rock solid. But if they are adjusted properly to support the board, they can control or eliminate snipe. I have found on larger projects like >2' x >4' river tables that weight 60 lbs or more, I have to adjust the tables to the project. I start by loosening the side adjusting bolts on the tables and lower them so they're out of the way. Then I center the table or board under the drum and lower it until lays on it with a slight amount of pressure to mimic what would be seen when sanding. With the table/board now hanging over the infeed and outfeed tables, I raise them up until they are flat against the table/board. At the same time I'm also pulling down on the support arm just a bit to take up any slack. Now with my third hand I tighten the tables side bolts. 🤦♂️ It sounds a bit fiddly, and it is the first time or two, but it really isn't too bad and the benefits are well worth it. I think the 19/38 is a great sander and I love mine, but you have to realize it is a "open drum" type sander and with that come some limitations. Another solution is to adjust the tables for a "normal" or an average board and get a couple of Expandable Roller Conveyors SKU: SUPMX-875600 for $250 and use these for large boards, you know because money and space is no object, right. 😒 All the Best, Chuck
It would, but I find that it leaves rather deep cut marks that are sometimes difficult to remove. But if you need to get rid of material fast, that is the way to go. Thanks Nosajjao.
I own the 25-50 Supermax and love the machine - but their outfeed tables are absolutely garbage. Pisses me off to no end that they have not invested the engineering to fix these.
Ok, great to see yours working smoothly. I have had the same model for a few years now, but have had a HECK of a time with the feed belt slipping, and there are times when I have to force pieces through - even on light passes. Do you have any tried and true suggestions to get it dialed in? Your demo shows your various pieces going through no sweat!! I even get uneven sanding at times due to the belt not pulling through. FYI, I keep everything very clean and dust-free as well. Help!! 🤞🙏
Not sure how to help on that one. I was luckly, mine was set up correctly from the factory. The only think I can think of is to adjust the tension at each end of the feed belt, maybe they are too loose. Sometimes if I am feeding in a number of pieces to save time, some of them will slip and need a little push to make it through. But most of time it all feeds through just fine.
I already have one of these but I watched in hopes of picking up some tips and wasn't disappointed. A friend has a slab that needs flattened and it fits width-wise. I'll whip up a sled and shim it so it is solid, then run it through. Thanks for that tip! One question though - did you need to use hot glue, tape or anything to hold the shims in place?
Hello, The coworking space i recently joined has this tool, and I noticed a slight dip in the middle of the 19 inch planks I was sanding for cutting board, which made glue-up imperfect. Did anyone had this issue? Does it need to be tuned-up in some way? Greatly appreciate any advice 🙏
I personally have not had this problem. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the spring on the in-feed and out-feed rollers need to be tighten. Maybe, they are letting the boards flex under the sanding drum. But, to be honest, I am not really sure that is the problem.
I keep leaving lines on what I sand. They are really hard to get rid of. 220 grit left lines that it took serious time with 60 grit on my random orbit sander to get rid of. This was on some end grain cutting boards I made. I thought I was taking light passes (
Check to make sure your sandpaper is clean. I found that when using 150 grit and above, if the feed it too slow you get burn marks (black lines) on the wood. You can clean some of that off with the sandpaper cleaner stick, but not all of it. I set my speed to a faster setting and take lighter cuts (
I agree with Mr. Nerd, but here's something else you can try. Don't line up the sanding lines back in line with the drum each time you make a pass. What can happen, especially with finer grits, is once the board is sanded with lets say 220 grit grooves, you aren't sanding anymore, the grit is just lining back up with the grooves previously sanded and generating heat from friction. This is true with any grit but the fine grits are much more susceptible to it. Try running the board through at a 5-10 deg angle, then when swapping it end for end (not turning it over) and run it through at 5-10 deg angle in the opposite direction. This will give you a 10-20 deg offset which will allow the grit to cut across the grooves previously cut. If need be you can make your last pass at 0 deg angle to run with the grain if applicable. I think, as Mr. Nerd pointed out, 1/4 turn on 80 through 120 grit is one thing, but a 1/4 turn on finer grits like 180, 220 or above is a lot, even an 1/8 turn could be aggressive. But why are you sanding end grain cutting boards to 220 grit? If they are going to be used as cutting boards, 150, or 180 should be more than enough IMHO. End grain (depending on the species' of the wood) really doesn't like to be sanded, the fibers at especially at finer grits just kind of bend and fold, and oftentimes you'll end up burnishing it instead. All the Best, Chuck
I have a Jet drum sander and in need of parts. Jet has discontinued some of the parts and I’m trying to figure out if Supermax parts are interchangeable. Can you please measure the overall length of the driven roller for me so I can measure mine and see if it’s the same length?
Have you tried eReplacementParts.com? They seem to be a place where Jet, and other companies as well, send their discontinued stock. I see a drum for a 10-20, 22-44, discontinued for a 16-32 though. All the Best, Chuck
I wish I see your video 5 months ago, I have bought ShopFox 18,36 drum sander, its a horrible sanding machine, motor belt machin ring broke, plus the belt unstable always tracking right and left and belt adjusment is very complicated ,, for the more ShopFox after sales services are extremely bad. Are you facing belt tracking side in this machine?
Sorry to hear that Mohtadi. So far so good with the SuperMax, Everything is still running well and the machine does a great job. Just used it today. Take care and thanks for watching.
Yes they do, but mostly on the cross pieces. I always give a final finish sand on all the pieces with the orbital sander using 180-220 grit. The nice thing is it doesn't take much to remove the little sanding marks left from the sander.
I just purchased this sander and love it, great time saver. Besides trying to get the belt to track straight, works great. Thanks for the review.
I agree Bob, It is one of the biggest time saver in my shop too.
You're rocking my tools. First my Laguna BX14 and now the SuperMax.
This is a GREAT drum sander. I am a professional luthier and I am using both all the time.
I added a 4' outfield table to mine for sanding longer wood. Very helpful.
I started converting my drum sanders to using Abranet years ago instead of the typical bandsaw drum paper. Too lengthy description to describe here, but I can get 40 passes of Cocobolo through the Abranet without clogging.
Both good tools, Abranet is some nice sandpaper, very durable. Thanks for watching.
Hey, I like that you reply to the comments.
Thank You, I try. Thanks for watching
I was just at Rockler's to buy one. The 19-38 is now $2000 plus tax and $170 shipping back ordered 4 months minimum. The 16-32 is in there show room and is $1500 & tax no shipping. as a hobby shop a coupe days a week I think that one would be just fine for me. # inches difference in sanding with and I can reverse the sanding and run it again. I think Im goin back tomorrow and pick it up'
Thanks for the great video it really helped me. I was looking at a jet but this did it
You Know Thomas, I almost purchased that one too. I like the quick level for adjusting the bed. Either way, I think both are better than the jet (which I also looked at when I was shopping. I don't like how much plastic there is on it).
I’ve had mine for several years and I’m ready to get rid of it. I’m constantly having to adjust the head so it’s parallel to the table. Attaching the paper is a huge pain. The clip on the motor side is way too difficult to operate. The manual that came with it is poor at best.
I do agree with you about the clips on the motor side a not easy to get to. Which other one are you looking at?
@@MadNerdWorkshop haven’t looked yet may consider a belt surface sander depending on their footprint
Nice one, I have the Laguna 16/32 and it is a dream machine... Cheers Paul in the UK
Thanks Paul, the Laguna is a good choice and the same as out Supermax :). I also have a Laguna band saw and lathe. Take Care!
Used a friends to whittle away at an Endgrain cutting board. Turned a 4 hour sanding job into 30 some minutes. Was fast. Clean. Simple.
Fortunately I can keep going to my friends. However, if I were to be tasked with making say… 50 cutting boards. I’d swipe the credit card for this immediately.
it is perfect for that type of work.
I just bought one. Let me tell you that thing is heavy! Lots of metal. And while it’s too new to me to actually make a valid review. I can see huge benefits of this tool.
You will wonder how you got along without it. Great machine.
Very nice review. I have the Jet 16-32 and agree that it does have a lot of plastic parts but it has served me well for about 8 years. I would have been interested to see the spring clamps that the SuperMax uses to hold the sandpaper. The Jet can be a little cumbersome to change and I’ve never figured out how to use the tool they give you. I too am a segmented woodturner and a tip I can offer is that when your belts get gummed up with glue, take them off and soak them in a 50/50 mix of Simple Green and water for about 24 hours. While the sandpaper isn’t necessarily as good as new, it’s close. I take the soaked belt to my utility sink and scrub it with a brush and the dried glue comes right off. This isn’t my invention and I don’t recall where I first saw it, but it works. Also, keep the Simple Green mix for future use the sediment will settle to the bottom and you can dispose of it. Another good thing is that Simple Green is pleasant to work with and non-caustic. Hope this helps. Enjoy the channel 👍👍
That is a very great tip Greg, thanks. Segment turning is a lot of fun and it looks like you do some nice work (judging by your icon photo). The spring clamps on the SuperMax don't require tools but are are bit tricky. But, I have to say they work well and can be changed quickly. Take Care.
There are a million reasons to get a drum sander, in fact it's my favorite tool besides my table saw and Hilti vacuum.
I agree with you completely Troy. Thanks for watching.
A very helpful review. Well done!
Thank you kindly!
I agree I have the 25/50 I would like to see super max make a easier leveling adjustment same for out feed tables
I am always adjusting the out feed tables. but other than that, everything else is still as it was when I purchased it.
They ARE a great additional tool for sure. I had (and still have but rarely use) a performax, the original. Having such a thickness sander really improves one's woodworking ability. I admit that it takes quite a bit of time before you really feel you have the machine working just right. Being able to change paper quickly, (ok MORE quickly), to get the experience to know how much you can hog off at a time, on different grits. Also the table feed is a bit of a PIA sometimes. So after running many thousands of lineal feet, you get pretty good at it. However, it is NOT a replacement for a wide belt. I finally bought a small open ended wide belt. PM, Grizzly, etc make them. I think the drum sander CAN leave a pretty decent finish, but it still needs final sanding, but as he says, it is a lot easier once finished with the sander. As I said, I bought a small wide belt and the difference is huge. The wide belt changes paper in 15 seconds, the belts are more easily cleaned, And there is a lot more "power" so you can take off much more wood in one pass. When I bought my wide belt, about 15 years ago, it was about $4K. Now they are closer to 8K. Still, it is the most important machine in my shop, for sure, as it saves me more time than any other machine. And yes, if I had an hour meter on every machine in the shop, it would get the most hours on it too...
You are a lucky man Paul. I agree with you the big belt sander are fantastic and are better than the drum sander. Especially for production work. Thanks for watching.
Great video. I really appreciate a true review from someone who has owned and used a tool for sometime. Maybe in a future video you could share some comparisons between you thickness sander and your thickness planer. For example, is snipe an issue with thickness sanders like it is on a thickness planer?
That is a Great suggestion WoodShop Nerdery! I was actually going to do a review on my Planer next. Spoiler alert, snipe is not an issue with the sander. Thanks for watching!
Yes, snipe can be an issue especially on longer heavier boards. The infeed and outfeed tables are pretty good but not rock solid. But if they are adjusted properly to support the board, they can control or eliminate snipe. I have found on larger projects like >2' x >4' river tables that weight 60 lbs or more, I have to adjust the tables to the project. I start by loosening the side adjusting bolts on the tables and lower them so they're out of the way. Then I center the table or board under the drum and lower it until lays on it with a slight amount of pressure to mimic what would be seen when sanding. With the table/board now hanging over the infeed and outfeed tables, I raise them up until they are flat against the table/board. At the same time I'm also pulling down on the support arm just a bit to take up any slack. Now with my third hand I tighten the tables side bolts. 🤦♂️ It sounds a bit fiddly, and it is the first time or two, but it really isn't too bad and the benefits are well worth it. I think the 19/38 is a great sander and I love mine, but you have to realize it is a "open drum" type sander and with that come some limitations. Another solution is to adjust the tables for a "normal" or an average board and get a couple of Expandable Roller Conveyors SKU: SUPMX-875600 for $250 and use these for large boards, you know because money and space is no object, right. 😒
All the Best, Chuck
I've seen the supermax offer pre-cut as fine as 36 grit, which should do a better job of grinding down a rough surface than 60 grit.
It would, but I find that it leaves rather deep cut marks that are sometimes difficult to remove. But if you need to get rid of material fast, that is the way to go. Thanks Nosajjao.
Very good I enjoyed that
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching.
I own the 25-50 Supermax and love the machine - but their outfeed tables are absolutely garbage. Pisses me off to no end that they have not invested the engineering to fix these.
I agree, they do take some work to get them lined up (if your are like mine). Thanks for watching.
The one at our shop works okay... just feels like it takes 9 years to do one pass on a 1×12×10
I always run it at the fastest speed with a shallow cut, less than 1/4 turn. Come on, I would say only 6-7 years at the most :). Thanks for watching.
Great review. Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Ok, great to see yours working smoothly. I have had the same model for a few years now, but have had a HECK of a time with the feed belt slipping, and there are times when I have to force pieces through - even on light passes. Do you have any tried and true suggestions to get it dialed in? Your demo shows your various pieces going through no sweat!! I even get uneven sanding at times due to the belt not pulling through. FYI, I keep everything very clean and dust-free as well. Help!! 🤞🙏
Not sure how to help on that one. I was luckly, mine was set up correctly from the factory. The only think I can think of is to adjust the tension at each end of the feed belt, maybe they are too loose. Sometimes if I am feeding in a number of pieces to save time, some of them will slip and need a little push to make it through. But most of time it all feeds through just fine.
I already have one of these but I watched in hopes of picking up some tips and wasn't disappointed. A friend has a slab that needs flattened and it fits width-wise. I'll whip up a sled and shim it so it is solid, then run it through. Thanks for that tip! One question though - did you need to use hot glue, tape or anything to hold the shims in place?
You are correct T.Rob Wyatt, I used hot glue on the shims and the edge of the slab to keep everything in place.
Very cool…. Looking to get one… does it leave snipe?
I have not had any issues with snipe on this. I still am very glad I purchased the and still use it every day.
Hello,
The coworking space i recently joined has this tool, and I noticed a slight dip in the middle of the 19 inch planks I was sanding for cutting board, which made glue-up imperfect.
Did anyone had this issue? Does it need to be tuned-up in some way? Greatly appreciate any advice 🙏
I personally have not had this problem. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the spring on the in-feed and out-feed rollers need to be tighten. Maybe, they are letting the boards flex under the sanding drum. But, to be honest, I am not really sure that is the problem.
I keep leaving lines on what I sand. They are really hard to get rid of. 220 grit left lines that it took serious time with 60 grit on my random orbit sander to get rid of. This was on some end grain cutting boards I made. I thought I was taking light passes (
Check to make sure your sandpaper is clean. I found that when using 150 grit and above, if the feed it too slow you get burn marks (black lines) on the wood. You can clean some of that off with the sandpaper cleaner stick, but not all of it. I set my speed to a faster setting and take lighter cuts (
I agree with Mr. Nerd, but here's something else you can try. Don't line up the sanding lines back in line with the drum each time you make a pass. What can happen, especially with finer grits, is once the board is sanded with lets say 220 grit grooves, you aren't sanding anymore, the grit is just lining back up with the grooves previously sanded and generating heat from friction. This is true with any grit but the fine grits are much more susceptible to it. Try running the board through at a 5-10 deg angle, then when swapping it end for end (not turning it over) and run it through at 5-10 deg angle in the opposite direction. This will give you a 10-20 deg offset which will allow the grit to cut across the grooves previously cut. If need be you can make your last pass at 0 deg angle to run with the grain if applicable. I think, as Mr. Nerd pointed out, 1/4 turn on 80 through 120 grit is one thing, but a 1/4 turn on finer grits like 180, 220 or above is a lot, even an 1/8 turn could be aggressive. But why are you sanding end grain cutting boards to 220 grit? If they are going to be used as cutting boards, 150, or 180 should be more than enough IMHO. End grain (depending on the species' of the wood) really doesn't like to be sanded, the fibers at especially at finer grits just kind of bend and fold, and oftentimes you'll end up burnishing it instead.
All the Best, Chuck
I have a Jet drum sander and in need of parts. Jet has discontinued some of the parts and I’m trying to figure out if Supermax parts are interchangeable. Can you please measure the overall length of the driven roller for me so I can measure mine and see if it’s the same length?
The drum itself is 19-inches, the pipe that extends on each side for the bearings is 24-inches over all. Good luck on the repairs.
Have you tried eReplacementParts.com? They seem to be a place where Jet, and other companies as well, send their discontinued stock. I see a drum for a 10-20, 22-44, discontinued for a 16-32 though.
All the Best, Chuck
I wish I see your video 5 months ago, I have bought ShopFox 18,36 drum sander, its a horrible sanding machine, motor belt machin ring broke, plus the belt unstable always tracking right and left and belt adjusment is very complicated ,, for the more ShopFox after sales services are extremely bad.
Are you facing belt tracking side in this machine?
Sorry to hear that Mohtadi. So far so good with the SuperMax, Everything is still running well and the machine does a great job. Just used it today. Take care and thanks for watching.
@@MadNerdWorkshop good luck buddy, my next choise will be for sure Supermax.
Thank you 🙂
Does the sander leaves lines that need extra sanding? Thanks for making video
Yes they do, but mostly on the cross pieces. I always give a final finish sand on all the pieces with the orbital sander using 180-220 grit. The nice thing is it doesn't take much to remove the little sanding marks left from the sander.
have you replaced the bearings yet?
I have not had to replace them yet. So far everything is working perfectly on this machine. I take it you had to replace them? Was that hard to do?
It is really expensive. 😐
It is expensive, but at least in my shop, used all the time.