Thickness Sander — Lutherie Encyclopedia

Thickness SanderType: toolA drum sander that reduces guitar tops, backs, and sides to precise, uniform thickness with smooth, tear-free surfaces.## Description A thickness sander (also called a drum sander) uses a rotating cylindrical drum wrapped with abrasive paper to sand workpieces to a precise, uniform thickness. The workpiece passes on a conveyor belt or feed table under the drum, which removes a small amount of material with each pass. The drum height is adjustable in fine increments, allowing the operator to sneak up on the target thickness. Drum widths range from 10 to 36 inches, with 16 to 24 inches being ideal for guitar work. ## Use in Lutherie Thicknessing guitar tops, backs, and sides to their final dimensions is one of the most critical operations in acoustic guitar building. A thickness sander handles this task with precision and consistency that is difficult to achieve by hand. Spruce tops are typically sanded to 2.5 to 3.0mm, rosewood backs to 2.0 to 2.5mm, and sides to 1.8 to 2.2mm. The sander produces a uniform thickness across the entire plate and leaves a smooth surface that minimizes hand sanding. It is also used for sanding veneers, headstock overlays, and binding strips to thickness. ## Selection Guide The Performax (now SuperMax) and JET drum sanders are popular in lutherie shops. A 16-inch or wider drum handles full guitar plates without requiring the two-pass method needed on narrower machines. Open-end designs allow plates wider than the drum to be sanded in two passes. Look for fine height adjustment (0.001 inch per increment) and a variable-speed conveyor. Budget 300 to 1500 dollars. A…