Fretboard Radius Drum Sander

[immortalx]

Hi guys!

This is a fretboard radius drum sander i build some time ago.
It works just like a regular drum sander, the only differences being that the drum itself has a radius and the fretboard blank is guided with a drawer slide. It is constructed from two 20mm plywood boards with hinges on one end, a pair of pillow block bearings and a steel axis on which the drum is attached.
The upper board is raised by a threaded rod located under the lower board. The drum is made of teflon (PTFE) and was turned on the lathe.
By using an aggressive grit (P40) the fretboard is shaped in a matter of minutes and all it needs is some minor hand-sanding with higher grits.

[Hotz]

Nice job ....immortalx

[DIYer]

Nice! Haven't seen a sander like that before. I like it!

[Christophe Mineau]

Nice,
I will sooner or later redo the drum of my thickness sander (this one) and I was thinking to make a radiused shape at one end of the drum for the same purpose, but I was blocking on the way to fix the sandpaper following the radius...
How did you solve that ?
Thanks !
Christophe

[immortalx]

Thanks guys!

Nice,
I will sooner or later redo the drum of my thickness sander (this one) and I was thinking to make a radiused shape at one end of the drum for the same purpose, but I was blocking on the way to fix the sandpaper following the radius...
How did you solve that ?
Christophe

That's a very nice sander you build Christophe!
Wrapping the sandpaper was actually the most difficult task! I stack several, overlapping pieces of masking tape around the drum, trying to avoid wrinkles. When the whole drum was covered in tape, i cut the tape in a spiral fashion and unfolded it.
I made an MDF template of that shape so that I can easily change the sandpaper when needed.

Thanks !

[kbalch]

Thanks immortalx! I've added your Fretboard Radius Drum Sander to our Sanding category, as well as to your builder page: immortalx's Homemade Tools.

Ingenious idea, too, for creating an MDF template to aid in production of the necessary sandpaper spirals.

Your receipt:

Fretboard Radius Drum Sander by immortalx

tags: drum sander, luthiery, guitar

[immortalx]

Thank You! It's a honor being listed on Homemadetools!

[Christophe Mineau]

Yes, same thing as Ken, very clever how you developed the odd profile for the sandpaper, I will try that !
Many thanks,
Christophe

[DIYer]

That template is a homemade tool in itself!

[kbalch]

Hi immortalx,

An interesting and useful homemade tool! Your Fretboard Radius Drum Sander is the 'Tool of the Week'!

You'll be receiving one of our official HomemadeTools.net T-shirts:



Let me know (via PM) your size, color choice, and mailing address. We'll get the shirt in the mail to you directly.

Congrats!

Ken