...
A good rule of thumb when sanding with grits finer than 80 is to place the stock to be sanded under the drum and lower drum until it contacts the stock. Drum should still rotate by hand. Without changing drum height, finish feeding the stock under the sander with the machine OFF. Start sanding drum and sand the stock at that same position. Do not start drum while in contact with stock.
For sanding with grits coarser than 80, you can lower the drum slightly. Always maintain control of stock. Through practice you will learn the proper depth of cut considering the variables above.
...
A faster feed rate allows faster sanding but fewer revolutions of the drum per inch of sanding. A slower feed rate provides more revolutions of the drum per inch of sanding to allow a greater depth of cut and smooth sanding. Begin experimenting with feed rate set to about 40% to 50% of maximum. The best feed rate will depend on a number of factors, including type of stock, grit and depth of cut used, and whether the stock is fed directly in line with the conveyor bed or at an angle. If the drum motor is lugging down, if the conveyor belt is slipping, or if you observe a ripple effect on the stock, slow the feed rate. If the finish is smooth and the machine is not overworking, you can experiment using a faster feed rate. The Feed Logic control continuously monitors the load on the drum motor, and automatically regulates the speed of the conveyor motor to maintain highest feed rate without overload. When “Feed Logic” flashes and “ON” illuminates on the display, the Feed Logic control has detected too great a depth of cut and/or too fast a feed rate. If load on the drum motor increases, Feed Logic will decrease the conveyor feed rate and will stop the conveyor under extreme conditions. If load on the drum motor decreases, Feed Logic will increase the feed rate but will not increase it faster than the speed the user has preset on the dial. The best and most consistent finish will be achieved if the conveyor does not change speed during operation. A change in conveyor speed may affect the finish surface. If the finish is affected, make another sanding pass without changing any settings. If the finish is still affected, make adjustments by slowing the conveyor and/or decreasing the depth of cut and run the stock through again. Also try a faster feed rate or less depth of cut if the stock you are working begins to show burn marks. With cherry, hard maple or other hardwoods, using a shallower depth of cut and a faster feed rate will help minimize burn marks.
Slightly angling the stock as it is fed into the machine will also help prevent burning the stock.
...
The versatility designed into the PM22-44 drum sander allows it to be used for a variety of tasks that will boost return on your investment. For example, it will speed up fine sanding work often done with slower, dust-generating hand sanders, and will achieve fine thickness adjustments not possible on some sanders. It can be used to surface figured woods – bird’s eye or curly maple, for example – which can be damaged if fed through a planer. Learning how to use its adjustments and controls will allow you to fine-tune the machine for maximum results. The best results come from experimenting with different abrasive grits and machine adjustments to fit the job at hand. Following is a list of useful tips which can help you improve performance of your sander.
...
When abrasive planing (or thickness sanding) a run of similar pieces that you want to have the same thickness, it is best to determine the thickness of the thinnest piece and process all pieces to that same thickness in one session. Be aware that the sander will remove cups and crowns in the workpiece; consider this when measuring and processing stock to the same thickness.
...
When edge sanding, the sander will mimic the opposite edge of the stock which is lying on the conveyor belt. Because of this, it is important for the stock edge to have been ripped at the proper angle to the face before the sanding process. When edge sanding stock that is less than 3/4” wide or more than 2” high, it is good procedure to stack and clamp several pieces together to prevent them from slipping or tipping on the conveyor belt.
...
When sanding stock with a cup or crown, place the crown up. This will stabilize the stock to help prevent tipping or rocking during sanding. After the crown has been removed and the top is flat, turn the stock over and sand the opposite side. To avoid personal injury, take special care when sanding stock that is twisted, bowed, or otherwise varies in thickness from end to end. If possible, support such stock as it is being sanded to keep it from slipping or tipping. Use extra roller stands, help from another person, or hand pressure on the stock, to minimize potentially hazardous situations.
...
Some pieces, because of their dimensions, will need to be fed into the machine at a 90° angle (perpendicular to drum). However, even a slight offset angle of stock will provide for more effective stock removal. The optimum feeding angle for stock removal is about 60°. Angling the workpiece for stock removal provides other advantages, such as less loading of certain areas of the drum due to glue lines or mineral streaks in the stock, more even wear of abrasive strips, potentially faster feed rates, and lighter loads on the motor. Note that to get the best final finish, however, the stock should be fed through the machine so it will be sanded in line with the grain of the wood on the final one or two passes.
...