Router with sanding Drums for Metal Work

CDHumiston

CDHumiston

KNIFE MAKER
I saw this table mounted router at Home Depot for $99. It has a 1/4" collet. Foredom sells some 1/4 shaft sanding drum mandrels and they have real nice Ceramic Purple and Trizact sanding drums in many grits. The speed is 25,000 RPM, to fast?

My question is how do you all think this would work for grinding curved areas on knife blades and scales?
 
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Chris they run fast and I have burnt drums up. I have now put in a speed control for mine. But yes it will work.
 
I'm not sure about the Dremel foot control but I use an inexpensive speed control for motors with brushes, It works great as does the inexpensive router I use to do inside curves on metal bolsters for my folders. Good to have course and fine drums in the same size. Frank
 
OK, I have a router,and I have the table.I also have a set of sanding drums.
Would someone show a pic of what else I need? Thanks.

God bless,Keith
 
Harbor Freight has a router speed control for around $20. I walked in and told them what I was needing and they took me right to it.
 
There are several oscillating drum sanders out there for the same money, but are much slower and not as many sanding rolls available. I use a jet oscillating drum and love it- accurate but slow. I know all of my routers are open air and the metal shavings may do damage to the motor. The oscillator is sealed and gear driven. $.02
 
Harbor Freight use to have the tables too. But you have to order them online. True Value has the table for about 40.00. I think i have seen the table at Lowe's. 100.00 is a lot. I think I would shop around. What I found out the drums don't fun true. It wears the paper on one side. I still use a Dremel for my tight radius. Spend a little money here.
Cheap Dremel won't last long.
 
I'd look for an oscillating spindle sander if I were you. Without oscillation you are just wearing away one small part of the drum (two if you flip it over) and will burn though them pretty fast. I've been using a 1/4 hp spindle sander that runs at 1750 rpm for the last several years and I would be really leery of running sanding sleeves at 25,000 rpm.
 
Thanks for all the input. I think I'll buy an oscillating spindle sander and a new Foredom to replace my old Dremel.
 
Chris,

I think you could do everything you want to do with just the Foredom. I don't have one but if I need to replace my Dremel, that's what I will get.

Carey
 
I'm a big fan of the RIGID oscilating drum sander and use mine every day that I'm in the shop. The drums can be had cheaply in bulk from woodcraft.com and it also comes with 4x24 oscilating side sander.

just my .02

Steve
 
Steven Janik said:
I'm a big fan of the RIGID oscilating drum sander and use mine every day that I'm in the shop. The drums can be had cheaply in bulk from woodcraft.com and it also comes with 4x24 oscilating side sander.

just my .02

Steve
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Steve,

Does it do OK cleaning up the curves in blade steel as well as wood work?
 
I have had good luck with cleaning up the steel with mine. It is much slower and hard on drums. I am hoping to find the blaze ceramic in drums. I think they make them, just harder to find.

I bet if there is enough interest in them and they are out there, Boss Dog could get them. Boss if you see this I could use the 12" blaze discs from Norton as well.:D
 
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