woodmaster drum sander - reersing feature question

[jd]

Hi folks, I'm geting ready to get a woodmaster drum sander (the big 50" model), and have been trying to figure out if it worth adding the reverse feature. All it does is reverse the feed belt direction - not the sanding drum. I don't know how that would effect the sanding action (havng the stock moving inthe same direction as the sanding drum).....

just wondering if anyone has this (or a similar) model, and if it really makes a difference. the theory is that it will make multiple passes easier (flip a switch and feed the stock back through instead of carying it back to the front of the unit)....

thanks

-_JD

[Leon]

I am in the market also however nothing that big. I noticed that this machine uses hook and loop sand paper. I wonder how that "cush" behind the paper works as far as sanding a knot or high and low spots.