Having a drum sander is essential if you set up your workshop or update it with better equipment. Are you tired of sanding small pieces of wood and struggling to get them flat while they come in large numbers? You need a drum sander like the Jet 16-32 drum sander. Investing in this user-friendly sander will give you the efficiency and accuracy to handle any kind of sanding job. The Jet 16-32 drum sander review will help you out with the necessary information to figure out why it is in so much demand nowadays. Make sure to read it thoroughly to know every detail about it.
But if you are new to these drum sanders and have no idea how they work, you can check the setup guide below.
Contents
Setting Up The Jet 16-32 Drum Sander Easily
The drum sander comes in quite a big size, so they come in pieces to fit the box. After opening the box, you need to follow some steps to get the drum sander ready before it can get to work. Here are the steps-
- You will need help if you are alone while getting this sander out of the box. This sander is quite heavy and will need at least two persons to hold it up. It has a metal base which is why it is heavy. The sander also comes with adjustable feet that can help to get it level. So if you have to work on a place with an uneven floor, you can still work well as your sander will still be stable.
- The next step is the sandpapers. The drum sander comes with standard grit paper like 80,120 and 220 to sand the workpieces. Adjusting them to the drum can be a little tricky. As the drum has a little locking system inside that will keep the sandpaper in place. This system is great for keeping the sandpaper tight and secure, but it will be difficult when the belt needs a change.
- Adjusting the belt is somewhat easy and self-explanatory. The sander comes with two bolts that help the tensioning and fixed wrenches that stay with the machine. To remove the belt, you will have to release the tension so that it can slide out.
Sandsmart Controlled Jet 16-32 Drum Sander Review
This article will have almost everything you need to know about the Jet 16-32 drum sander. We have also added the parts we liked and did not like about this sander to help you get a better in-depth view. Reading the article till the end will give you all the necessary information about this popular drum sander.
Effective Dust Collection System
The Jet 16-32 drum sander comes with a big 4-inch dust port located on the top of the sander. This works really well at collecting all the dust from the surface. However, when you connect the dust collection system with the port, it can take a lot of space which can be a matter of concern if you have a small workplace, to begin with. If you connect the drum sander with a Jet Cyclone dust collector, it can work 25% better than any other drum sander in the market.
Jet 16-32 Drum Sander Offers Depth Adjustment
The Jet 16-32 drum sander comes with a depth scale that is attached with the large handwheel situated on top of the sander. That adjusts the height and decides how much material will get removed. The scale helps the user to reset and measure the depth setting for different projects. However, the height can be adjusted by 1/16 inches if you do a full turn of the crank. This gives you control over your workpiece and the sander to ensure you get the depth you want from it.
Impressive Motor Power
To power up this huge machine, it needs a powerful motor. The Jet 16-32 comes with two TEFC motors. One of them is a single-phase, 110V, 1-1/2 HP with a 14 amp motor that turns the sanding drum at the speed of 1725 RPM. The second motor drives the conveyor belt separately by a direct drive dc motor. This two-motor combination helps the sander by providing consistent power and speed.
Strong Construction
The drum sander is one of the heaviest sanders weighing about 156 pounds. Its metal body gives it a strong and sturdy body to work with. The drum of the sander is 16 inches long and 5 inches wide. It runs smoothly without any heat dissipation, which makes it different from other sanders. The aluminum drum has a self-cooling property that prevents any type of heat damage on the workpiece and the abrasive sleeve. On the inside, the ball bearings are sealed and well lubricated to give you the smoothest work experience as well as a long life. The drum is easily removable.
Control Panel of Jet 16-32 Drum Sander
The sander will get its power when the power cord gets power from the electric socket. It has a simple control panel that is quite easy to understand for everyone. It has a green button that turns the sander on and a red button to turn it off. There is another rocker switch that turns on the rollers of the sander. Also, you will notice another rotary control that can set the speed of the conveyor. It has marks from 0 to 100 in percent so that you can have full control over the speed.
Short Feature Review of Jet 16-32 Drum Sander
- Has strong metal base
- The unit is lightweight compared to Powermatic 2244 drum sander
- It comes with a stable and sturdy stand
- It has a Sandsmart control that monitors the load of the drum motor and adjusts the conveyor speed accordingly.
- Separate drum motors and feed give independent control
- The aluminum drum does not heat up
- A better dust collection system than the Supermax 16-32 sanding unit
- The stand has predrilled holes for casters and a storage shelf
- Prevents crowning
- The conveyor uses a pulling method instead of pushing the workpiece giving a more smooth finish.
- It comes with a five-year warranty
What We Did Not Like About Jet 16-32
- causes high vibration
Final Overview
If your work needs a tool like a drum sander, then the Jet 16-32 drum sander is the one for you. It is an affordable, accurate and versatile sander that comes in a medium size. So it will not be too big to take up a lot of space or small enough not to cover big workpieces. However, this sander is an updated version with unique features like depth scale, drum height adjustment wheel, and advanced dust hood design. Purchasing this drum sander will make your work a lot easier than before.