Replies

1. 
   BKCBUILDER | Oct 13, 2002 08:14pm | #1

    Hey JB...can't help you on the unisaw motor(why would you have an old unisaw laying around anyhoo?)........but I've read your posts about the grizzly dual drum sander you have, and was wondering how close to the one they sell now is yours? Although I've had horrid luck with a contractors saw and bandsaw from them, that was over 13 years ago, and things change. I don't think I could justify a really costly one, but do need one(okay I WANT one). I'm looking at the woodtek, and new General International, and the grizzly. Grizzly looks like the woodtek, but then again the woodtek has some identical features of the General(must come from the same Taiwanese factory).

     I see you've had to fuss with it, how bad was that?

   Thanks    Keith

1. 
   jimblodgett | Oct 13, 2002 09:46pm | #2

   "...I've read your posts about the grizzly dual drum sander you have, and was wondering how close to the one they sell now is yours?"

   I have the G1066 24" double drum, Keith.  I'm looking at their 2002 industial catalog right now, and if they've changed anything since I bought mine about 10 years ago, I can't see what it is.  

   "I see you've had to fuss with it, how bad was that?"

   I know I have posted several times about that sander, Keith, so I'm not sure what I might have said about fussing with it.  It was pretty much ready to sand, right out of the box, but I did have to learn how to use it, and that took a while.

   Luckilly I had a smarter guy than me working with me at the time I bought it.  He pretty much figured out what we were doing wrong or I might have never figured it out for myself.  First off, it's a sander, not a planer.  I thought we could hog 1/32", or maybe even 3/64" off the thickness of a panel, in a single pass, no sweat.  Truth is,  it might take 10, or 20 passes to take that much material off, depending on the grit paper, species of wood, sharpness of paper...

   Imagine taking a belt sander with 60 grit paper, turning it on and setting it down on the end of a board, then walking slowly to the other end of the board keeping the sander flat the entire time.  You will be sanding the board, but you won't be removing any 1/32", right?  Well, that's about how these drum sanders work, except they have a feed belt that propells the material past the sanding drums.

   Here's another thing it took me a while to figure out.  I thought that I could put different grits on the two drums - like maybe 100 on the front and 120 on the back - and out would come a surface sanded to 120 grit (this is where I always get confused...something about physics, I think).  Okay, so the problem is, the feed rate is consistant past both drums, but the 100 and 120 cut at different rates, so one or the other, or both, don't cut at their optimum efficiency when you try to have both at the same time.  Anyway, when I gave up and put the same grit on both rollers, the machine ran a whole lot smoother and more effieciently. 

   Okay, enough babbling.  Fact is, that's still about the best 1500 dollars I've ever spent on tools (they're down arond 1,000.00 now).  I can't imagine not having one in the shop.  They are not fast like a planer, but they are great for flattening wide stuff like face frames, window sash, door panels...anything that will fit into them.  I love mine.

   I have read lots of negative testimonials about Grizzly tools in general, but this drum sander is one they got right...or maybe I just got lucky with the particular one I brought home.

   Brinkmann for president in '04

1. 
   BKCBUILDER | Oct 14, 2002 03:04am | #3

   I'm going to call them and see if the Gizzly has the variable feed rate(not just 2 settings, but an infinite rate knob)

    I've got the planer for getting thicknesses right, but need the sander for after glue-ups of wider panels.

   Everyone advertises the fact that you are supposed to put two different grits on the drums....I seem to be lost in the logic that this does not work.  And I was looking forward to putting some 80 on one drum and 120 on the next for some quick touchups prior to final sanding.

2. 
   BKCBUILDER | Oct 16, 2002 02:42am | #7

    I went back to my old notes.....written in BIG RED letters, under no circumstance ever buy another grizzly tool, that and the 289 mile drive to get there got me thinking....so I went and bought the General local. 2 different papers on the drums, and variable speed and the thing sands like a dream and quiet as a mouse. Still $1500...but so was the grizzly Z series.

1. 
   caseyr | Oct 16, 2002 05:59am | #8

   Gee, Crazyl...er Jim, I thought I was the only one to have the distinction of a dead Unisaw lying around.  Given the prices on parts for it, I am still giving some thought to  converting it to a kitchen table...

   Anyhoo, my question is:  what is the advantage of the double drum sanders over the single drums?  I assume that in theory you could remove material faster at the cost of additional adjustment hassles.  I have been giving some thought to getting the Performax 16" model, listed at several sites for around $748.  The Performax was given high marks by a couple of woodworking magazines and, while I haven't read the reviews, also appears to have high marks at epinions - http://www.epinions.com/hmgd-Shop_Tools-All-Sander-Drum

   Of course, the 16" does limit one to something less than 32" of width and I may want to build some 36" doors, so may have to rethink things and pinch my pennies a while longer...

1. 
   jimblodgett | Oct 17, 2002 03:35pm | #9

   Thanks for all the leads, you guys.

   How's it going, Casey?  About the double drum - I'm thinking you get twice as much sandpaper rolling across the surface as you would with a single drum, but maybe that's too simple an answer.  At any rate, it takes so many passes with each grit to accomplish anything, I think it's quicker to use the same grits front and back.

   I've never used one of those open sided drum sanders, like the Performax, but it seems like a good idea - kind of like the W&H moulders.

   Brinkmann for president in '04

2. 
   jocobe | Oct 14, 2002 03:27am | #4

   Amazon has one...........

   http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000223WG/qid=1034555175/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/103-7585480-5488664?v=glance&s=home-garden&n=507846

    

3. 
   TKanzler | Oct 14, 2002 05:43am | #5

   You can make an adaptor to fit a footed motor into a Unisaw.  I've also seen them for sale somewhere.  Of course, that only pays if you have a motor laying around that you would want to use.  I think http://www.oldwwmachines.com has a link or two about adapting footed motors to the Unisaw.  I also see Unisaw motors on ebay all the time.

   Edit: By jove, here's one now - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2059904868  I see these Leesons all the time on ebay, but it's only 2 hp. 

   Be seeing you...

   
   

   ---

   Edited 10/13/2002 11:44:01 PM ET by TDKPE

4. 
   goldhiller | Oct 14, 2002 07:11pm | #6

   jim,

   Have you tried Plaza Machinery yet? NYC, if I remember correctly. Nice guy to deal with. 1-802-234-9673. Carries Leeson and Baldor motors, I think. Prices are really hard to beat. Beats the heck out of buying the few remaining single phase 3 HP motors that Delata has for $800. If you've got a really older Unisaw, you'll likely have to cut out the motor pass-thru just a tad to get these motors to swing all the way, but it doesn't really matter all that much as it gets covered by your dust collection enclosure anyway. He provides a template for this.

   Used three phase motors for these older Unisaws are fairly easy to come by around here. If you're interested in one of those instead of a new motor and can't find one in your area, post back and I'll see if I can run one down for you.

   Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 10/14/2002 12:15:09 PM ET by GOLDHILLER

5. 
   JohnSprung | Oct 17, 2002 10:45pm | #10

   Definitely check out http://www.oldwwmachines.com .  That's the best resource for anything Unisaw.  As for motors, unfortunately they're the only thing on a Unisaw that doesn't last damn near forever -- that and the switch.  The options are a rebuild, if you want historic restoration, or a new motor, if you just want a great solid working table saw.  I put a 2 Hp Baldor on mine, and re-located the starting caps to avoid modifying the cabinet. 

   BTW, if you do have that motor cover with yours, they were an option originally, and now are sought after by the restorers at oldwwmachines.  Mine never had one, and leaks more dust thru the door louvers than out the motor hole.  I went for a Biesemeyer fence, you can get their "blemished" ones for a better price direct from their web site.  I also lined up the table to the blade within half a thousandth, and with a new blade it now makes surfaces that look like they were done by a router. 

   -- J.S.

6. 
   BKCBUILDER | Oct 28, 2002 07:48pm | #11

   JB...my unisaw motor crapped out Sat. morning, lights dimmed and it kept popping the switch overload. I called around this morning, and found a few 3 HP 220V single phase unisaw motors  for $150. Brand new. It's from lumberyard/tool store that is in the heart of amish country, and they can't get them from Delta without motors, so they take them off when they get them and switch them to air motors. They sell the take-offs for $150, and the switches for $50. So I put on my straw hat and fake mustachless beard on ,and drove the 30 miles to pick one up. Got it on and it is fine(it came in the delta box) They are the marithon originals.

     I'm taking mine in to see what went wrong and have it fixed for a spare.

     I can give you a name and number if you'd like......Keith

1. 
   jimblodgett | Oct 29, 2002 04:24am | #12

   Yeah, I'd appreciate that Keith.  That sounds great. 

   I do have the old egg shaped motor cover, John.  I think I remember mine is a 1962, but it's been a while since I started in rebuilding it and I don't remember for certain.

   Brinkmann for president in '04

7. 
   migraine | Feb 28, 2003 06:28am | #13

   If for some reason you don't find one,  take yours and have the motor rewound.  Can't say if that will save you money or not.  Out here, prices vary from motor shop to another.  I think its supply and demand.