DELTA 31-260X 18-Inch-by-36-Inch Drum Sander Review
I have had this unit for over a year now and have been fairly pleased. It went together well and does a good job of sanding pieces flat. I had the same problem that an earlier reviewer had with the pressure rollers exerting too much pressure. There is a fix for this. Both roller bars are connected to the sides of the machine by a pair of brackets that pivot. The downward travel of the bars is limited by a bolt that the brackets rest against. I took some plastic tubing that just fits over the bolt and has a wall about 1/16" thick, slid some 1/2" long pieces over the bolts, and held them in place with nuts. This causes the bars to move down less and therefore exert less pressure. I also get about 0.004" of snipe and have not been able to fix this.
DELTA 31-260X 18-Inch-by-36-Inch Drum Sander Feature
- Large 18-inch drum for maximum efficiency
- Superior build-quality reduces vibration, eliminates loose drum movements, and last longer than other drum sanders
- Blow-molded dust hood with a positive lock secure seal keeps the work area free of dust
- Measures 28-1/2 x 24-1/2 x 46 inches (WxLxH); weighs 190 pounds
- Includes 5 80-grit sanding wraps, 4 120-grit sanding wraps
DELTA 31-260X 18-Inch-by-36-Inch Drum Sander Overview
The DELTA 31-260X 18- by 36-inch drum sander features enough power to handle heavy material removal, but also has the ability to handle intricate finishing jobs with incredible precision. The 1-1/2-horsepower induction motor features a six-groove belt design for maximum power transfer. The 18-inch, variable speed drum operates at 2,210 or 3,300 SFPM for fast or ultra-fast material removal. The large, sturdy steel base is designed to virtually eliminate vibration for more accurate sanding, and the cast-iron table construction provides a stable base that is precision-machined for greater durability and longer life. The 31-260X keeps the workspace clean and free of dust and debris with its blow-molded dust hood which is designed to extract dust without letting any escape into the work area.
Customer Reviews
Nice delta drum sander - Dr. Joseph S. Duval - Ashburn, VA USA
This is a nice sander for the home workshop but if you are into more serious sanding you might want something more powerful. I find that I have to make many small incremental passes to get the job done even with coarse sand paper. The hardness of the wood does play a role. The other problem for me is that the finer grits tend to burn the wood and seem to get worn too quickly. Maybe it is operator error ...
Snipe, Snipe, and more Snipe - Dremelman - Brampton, Ontario
I purchased the Delta 31-360-X Drum Sander on July 27, 2009. Two days later I assembled the sander only to find that the whole drum casing was actually warped. It was not parallel to the in-feeder. I had to dismantle the unit carry it upstairs and into my car. Busy Bee was very good about exchanging the drum assembly as it was perfectly clear the unit was defective. I then assembled the new unit and found it needed a few adjustments. No problem. Then came time to test the unit.First piece was 6" wide, 24" long and 1" thick. It came out with SNIPE at both ends. I have tinkered with it in hopes it would stop the Snipe but to no avail. I tried some finished panels I am using on a job and they also have Snipe at both ends. This causes more work sanding out the Snipe marks as well as some burn lines at the outer side because the panel is 23" wide.
I called Black & Deckers Head Office in the USA and was told to contact their service dept. in Mississauga. They had just closed when I called. Will try tomorrow. This machine could really use both an in-feed table and an out-feed table. Also the tension in the bars is too high when trying to start a piece of wood. I expected better from Delta. Unhappy customer.
All Hat, No Ranch - Kevin La Due - Southern Tier New York
I have owned an earlier version of this machine for six years and have also had several years experience with the Performax 16/32 and the Jet 22/44 drum sanders. I use these machines for several applications, but mostly for precise sanding of musical instrument parts.
I bought the Delta because it has a moveable cast iron table, which I thought would be much more precise than the Performance and Jet mcahines. I also bought it because of its 18 inch capacity. The machine is well built. Fit and finish is very good. The precision is there, but that's where it ends.
When feeding stock into the sander, it is very difficult to get it started through the infeed pressure bar, which is too tight and is not adjustable. When the stock comes up against the outfeed pressure bar it stops, causing the drum to dig into the stock, ruining glue surfaces or worse, destroying expensive instrument parts at critical thicknesses, unless you physically keep feed pressure on the stock to prevent it. This happens even when removing five or six thousandths of an inch from narrow material.
The motor stalls under loads when it clearly should not. I have experienced stalling when removing fifteen thousandths of an inch from oak, maple, etc 8 inches wide. Wider stock is obviously worse.
Changing sanding strips is difficult to say the least, given the inaccesability of the spring loaded clips that hold them to the drum.
The sander came with an accessory inflatable drum sander attachment, which I installed and imediately removed because its rotation didn't even resemble concentricity with the shaft that drives it.
My experience has shown me that I should not have underestimated the durability, strength and precision of the Jet/Performance machines and that I made a mistake when bought the Delta.
I would'nt buy the Delta machine again, at any price.
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