Portable drum sander

#This invention relates to a portable drum sander, particularly designed to be inexpensive and useful for a wide variety of sanding projects, such as scroll work and other small pieces, as well as larger projects where no limitation on the height of the workpiece is a condition. The sander operates in a manner similar to a jointer or planer, i.e., the workpiece is fed across the feed table and over an exposed sanding drum while applying sufficient pressure to maintain the workpiece firmly on the feed table. A simple height adjustment mechanism reduces cost and permits fast and accurate adjustment. The drum can be relatively wide, for example, 18 inches, and is sufficiently wide that as many as three different grits of sandpaper can be applied to different widthwise segments so that coarse, intermediate and finish sanding steps can be carried out in sequence without stopping the sander to change sandpaper. In many respects the drum sander operates like a belt sander.

#Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a drum sander that operates like a jointer or planer.

#It is another object of the invention to provide a drum sander that operates like a belt sander.

#Some of the objects of the invention have been set forth above. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the invention proceeds when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred portable drum sander according to the invention;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the preferred portable drum sander shown in FIG. 1, with the feed table in an upright position;

#Referring now specifically to the drawings, a preferred portable drum sander according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 and shown generally at reference numeral 10. The sander 10 comprises a base 11, a rotatable sanding drum 12 mounted on the base 11, and a feed table 13 having a rectangular slot 14 through which the drum 12 is exposed. A sheet of sandpaper 15 is wrapped around and attached to the drum 12, as shown in FIG. 3.

#As shown in FIG. 2, front plate 16, left side plate 17, right side plate 18, and rear plate 19 are interconnected by machine screws 20 and lock nuts 21, or other fasteners, to form the base 11. A motor base 22 is connected to left side plate 17 with fasteners such as socket head screws and lock nuts. The base plates 16, 17, 18, 19 and the motor base 22 are attached to a support surface 23, preferably made of wood. Pillow block support brackets 24, 25 are attached at the center of the interior sides of side plates 17, 18, respectively. Pillow block bearings 26, 27 are mounted on top of support brackets 24, 25, respectively. An elongate shaft 28 runs through the center of drum 12. Opposite ends of the drum shaft 28 are positioned within the pillow block bearings 26, 27.

#A motor 29, preferably ⅓ horsepower, is mounted on motor base 22, which is attached to wood surface 23 and left side plate 17 by socket head screws 30. The motor 29 includes a shaft connector 31 into which the left side of the drum shaft 28 is positioned, enabling the motor 29 to rotate the drum 12. The drum 12 is preferably 18 inches long and has a plurality of closely-spaced flexible hooks 32 adapted for receiving a sheet of sanding paper 15 that has a plurality of mating filament loops 33 on the backside, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a.