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Delta 18/36 drum sander (2004)

I purchased this drum sander used in 2004. After lusting after a drum sander for many years I finally found a used one in good shape. The sander has been a fantastic addition to the shop.

Likes:

Heavy. Rock solid. Keeps vibration and noise to a minimum.
Capacity. 18" in single pass, 36" in two passes. I've run wide glue-ups (table tops, etc) through in two passes and have had no problems with ridges in the middle.
Quiet. The induction motor and large mass keeps the noise to a reasonable level. When it's sanding wood the paper makes unavoidable noise, but at "idle" it's very quiet.
Adjustable table conveyor speed.
Powerful.
Smooth finished surfaces
Easy paper changes.
Rolls around easy on shop made mobile base (from the previous owner).
Effective dust colletion.

Dislikes:

Heavy. Was a challenge getting into the basement.
Large. Since it's a floor-standing tool I had to make a permanent home for it in a modest sized shop.
Dust collector is required. This isn't a problem for me since I have an effective DC system, but don't even consider running this thing without one.
Sandpaper is not cheap. A package of 4 replacement rolls (of one grit) costs $25 to $30.

This machine performs very well, but don't expect it to perform the same tasks as a planer/thicknesser. With light passes you'll get great results.