Delta 31-250 18/36" drum sander parts

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Randy Roberts
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Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2012 9:11 pm
Location: Omaha, NE (a suburb of Iowa)

Delta 31-250 18/36" drum sander parts

Post by Randy Roberts »

This may be a hopeless quest but...

The front pressure roller on my Delta 31-250 needs to be replaced and the part apparently is no longer made.
It looks like same part was used for Type 1,2,and 3 of this model, which is just an 18 inch long steel cylinder with a smaller diameter on each end that fits into a hole in a spring loaded plate on each end.

Anyone know if any other brand might use the same part, or would you have some other solution to this problem?

I know wood, but don't know beans about machines or machining metal.

I could still use the sander, but would probably be battling quite a bit of snipe. And Jeez I've only been using it since 2002....
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Bob Gramann
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Re: Delta 31-250 18/36" drum sander part

Post by Bob Gramann »

I have the 31-255, Type 2. I’m sorry to hear that some of the parts are unavailable. That part looks like it would be pretty easy to make at a machine shop. Take them the rod that is still good to copy. They could put a threaded hole (for a bolt with the upper part of the shaft unthreaded) in each end of a steel rod, and you would be done. I don’t think the exact diameter of the rod is all that important. A wooden rod would even work for a short time until wear against the drive belt did it in.

I had a machine shop in my town that seemed to love my projects because I would bring them interesting things to make. Then, the head machinist retired. The new guy is much more concerned about the profitability of the shop. All of the fun is gone.
Clay Schaeffer
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Re: Delta 31-250 18/36" drum sander parts

Post by Clay Schaeffer »

What went wrong with the original? You don't think of a steel cylinder as something that would wear out. There is another discussion about the 1020 sander that no longer has some parts available, but offered some solutions and links to other forums where people had solved the problem. Some of the tool user forums (Sawmill creek, OWWM, woodweb) may know how to fix the problem.
David King
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Re: Delta 31-250 18/36" drum sander parts

Post by David King »

A photo of the roller axles might help explain what has happened.
Randy Roberts
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Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2012 9:11 pm
Location: Omaha, NE (a suburb of Iowa)

Re: Delta 31-250 18/36" drum sander parts

Post by Randy Roberts »

Thanks you guys,

As I can't get the roller out of the mounting bracket, etc., and can't get decent pictures in situ, I'll need to disassemble the whole mounting apparatus, spring etc.
I'll try to get that done sometime in the next week or two and post pictures then.
Please check back occasionally, as your advice is much appreciated.
I just remembered my brother-in-law's best friend is a machinist that builds all sorts of hill climb competition motorcycles, so I may be able to con him into milling something for me.
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