Looking to rent some time on a large drum sander in Portsmouth, NH

[jtpr]

This is my original post:

I made a bar/counter top out of birds-eye maple and paduk. It > involves 4 pieces of the maple and 2 strips of the paduk, all edge > glued together. Anyway, it is ~ 25" x 74" and now I would like to > sand it smooth. As I don't have a drum sander, and won=92t get one > past the finance committee, I am wondering what the most efficient way > would be. I do have a RO sander, but even with 60 grit on it, it is > taking a long time to get anywhere. Would a belt sander be a better > way to go? If so, what would be the best technique to use as I have > not worked with one before? > Thanks, > Jim

I just wanted to start a different thread and get some attention to it as I need to get it done.

Thanks,

-Jim

[Bill]

Jim,

First thing that I would try is looking up woodworking and furniture repair in the yellow pages. If the places you call can't do the work, they might be able to point you to someone who can. I've had pretty good luck with this approach to problems in the past.

Bill

[Bored Borg]

On Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:52:29 +0000, jtpr wrote (in article ):

Friend o'mine just flattened up a huge glue-up with a floor sander. Took off LOADS of stuff. Not my choice. Seemed to work well, though.

Anyway - how much stuff you wanna remove, i.e.is this a "planing" rather than a 'sanding job? If so, the old router-on-rails trick might do it of you don't mind the tedium

If it's just smoothing a flat surface.. wax on, wax off dear pupil. Elbow grease and patience. (personally I'd use a belt, but I'd go finer on the grit and KEEP IT MOVING. Diagonal to the grain.)

More cleverer folk may have more cleverer advice. Use their wisdom and profit by it.