SuperMax Tools debuted its new open end 19-38” drum/brush sander at the AWFS fair in July. It can eliminate tedious hand-sanding chores commonly done in small- to mid-sized cabinet shops, according to company president Bill Schroeder.

“Brush sanders have become more popular with small shops in recent years in that they’re particularly helpful with sanding contours on cabinets, moldings and face frames,” says Schroeder.

The sander features changeable heads, including a sanding drum, wire brushes and nylon abrasives and variable-speed control, which are integral to the machine’s versatility and function, according to Schroeder.t

“We came up with the idea of using a frequency inverter to be able to control the speed better, but yet we still have enough power to drive the unit. Lots of people say they just want to retrofit our drum sander to a brush sander, but we could never do that because of the different head size and because of the head speed. Over the past couple of years, we began to play with the design and this is what we came up with.”

The head speed can be adjusted from 200 to 1,800 rpm, with the top range needed for drum sanding and 200 to 1,000 rpm available for proper brush sanding.

Another new feature is a preset fast-leveling control to adjust the machine for 38” use. Also, the company’s patented SandSmart technology is incorporated into the drum sanding portion of this machine to make use of the conveyor auto-regulating feature. SandSmart senses the load on the main motor of the sander. It will automatically slow down the conveyor speed should a high spot be encountered in the stock. It is also useful if an inexperienced operator attempts to overload the stock.

The bench-top machine measures 40” long, 24” wide and 24” high and sells for $2,295. An open stand, closed stand with casters and infeed/outfeed tables are available as accessories.

Contact: SuperMax Tools. 1275 Corporate Center Dr., Eagan, MN 55121. Tel: 888-454-3401. www.supermaxtools.com

This article originally appeared in the September 2011 issue.