Thickness sander

Joined
Nov 30, 2021
Messages
153
Points
213

Hello everyone, Happy new year, question I'm interested in getting a thickness sander , I'm looking at the Bynes model machine, it is not self feeding, or the jet that is self feeding, I'm looking for something small does anyone have any suggestions, thanks
 
Hello everyone, Happy new year, question I'm interested in getting a thickness sander , I'm looking at the Bynes model machine, it is not self feeding, or the jet that is self feeding, I'm looking for something small does anyone have any suggestions, thanks
Are you going to be doing woodworking? (Build things other than models?) Do you have other woodworking machines? Go Jet or PerforMax. Models only - Bynes.
 
I'll be building scratch built ship models, so I'll be doing quite a bit of resawing , I have everything else, band saw , table saw , exctra, thank you for your reply, have a great day
 

power fed and hand fed makes a big difference check the link.

Bynes is a good tool but it is a small hobby tool and you will be pushing it to its limits which is not good for any power tool.

Go Jet or PerforMax

i have been using one of Performax larger double drum sanders for 30 some years.

a 3/16 scale frigate takes around 1,000 linear feet of deck and hull planking small hobby tools are not built for that kind of work. you have to carefully feed and handle each and every plank running through the machine in and out, a power feed you just adjust and feed the machine.
 
First Thank you for your reply, I'm starting my first navy board model, (the Sussex) 1/48 scale , Thank you for your info I greatly appreciate it, I was thinking about the jet 10/20 ,Dave are you from the (lumber yard) I was wondering what size pieces,s of wood I should buy for the hull , for example 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 4 foot long , & do my resawing, thanks for your time..
 
First Thank you for your reply, I'm starting my first navy board model, (the Sussex) 1/48 scale , Thank you for your info I greatly appreciate it, I was thinking about the jet 10/20 ,Dave are you from the (lumber yard) I was wondering what size pieces,s of wood I should buy for the hull , for example 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 4 foot long , & do my resawing, thanks for your time..

the company is not mine but yes i work at the Lumberyard
what wood are you thinking on using?
 
Personally, unless you are going to produce a large amount of parts i see no reason to need something bigger than the Jim Byrnes. I use an old Proxxon which when it dies will be changed for a Jim Byrnes. The Jet looks like a wonderful machine but is nearly 3 times the price. Better to use that money and get other stuff from Jim.
 
I have not used any other brand but I love using my Jim Barnes machines. Top quality and excellent service.
 
I have the Byrnes sander and it's a bit more than the average hobby tool. It's well built, has a decent powerful motor, simple to use and there really isn't a lot to go wrong with it. I think it will be fine for model shipbuilding. I've used mine extensively for the last 15 years and it's still going. It takes up a lot less space then that Jet one as well.
 
When I was researching, I found out quickly that the ones that are used for "Woodworking" have a limit on how LOW the sander or cutting wheel will go - and it is something like 1/2 inch or 1/4 inch - therefore, for ship modeling, I think you need a thickness sander that can get a board down to very thin like veneer thin. The usual "Woodworking" thickness sanders will not go that low. Now, unless someone else here knows something that I do not know. I have a Micro Mark sander and it is fair. The Exhaust port is a little in the way of the wood exiting out. Also, I am not sure if there exist a Modeling sander that is going to be self fed.
 
i have a large double drum performax sander and i can sand down to .030 (1/32 of an inch) it will go down to zero i have glued sandpaper to a pieces of wood and used it like a sled by placing thin veneer on it and run it through the sander. It is not how thin i can go it is if the wood can withstand the sanding and not come apart.

Also, I am not sure if there exist a Modeling sander that is going to be self fed.

i do not think there is a self fed modeling sander
 
A full size woodworking sander, like a Jet, is to a Jim Byrnes thickness sander, like a full size table saw is to the Jim Byrnes table saw. Different machines for different jobs. For model ship building you should go with a Byrnes thickness sander. You can sand wood too 0.001” accuracy. It’s a top quality power tool, like all of Jim Byrnes’s products.
 
what Donnie was thinking when he said

When I was researching, I found out quickly that the ones that are used for "Woodworking" have a limit on how LOW the sander or cutting wheel will go - and it is something like 1/2 inch or 1/4 inch

i know a thickness planner that has knives are limited to how low they can go and it is true some thickness sanders migh have a thickness limit.

it is difficult to recomend tools to anyone, you do not know how much room they have in their shop, what they plan on doing with the machine, what other power tools they have for something like resawing, if they plan on using the tool for model building or other woodworking projects.
One person may say i love that tool and someone else will tell you they woud never buy the tool.
Personally i think you can always cut wood down with a larger tool but you can not cut bigger with a small tool.
example my thickness sander will sand up to 24 inches wide and 3 inches thick or down to 1/32 x 1/32 can a Byrnes thickness sander do that?
 
  • Like
Reactions: JGR
what Donnie was thinking when he said

When I was researching, I found out quickly that the ones that are used for "Woodworking" have a limit on how LOW the sander or cutting wheel will go - and it is something like 1/2 inch or 1/4 inch

i know a thickness planner that has knives are limited to how low they can go and it is true some thickness sanders migh have a thickness limit.

it is difficult to recomend tools to anyone, you do not know how much room they have in their shop, what they plan on doing with the machine, what other power tools they have for something like resawing, if they plan on using the tool for model building or other woodworking projects.
One person may say i love that tool and someone else will tell you they woud never buy the tool.
Personally i think you can always cut wood down with a larger tool but you can not cut bigger with a small tool.
example my thickness sander will sand up to 24 inches wide and 3 inches thick or down to 1/32 x 1/32 can a Byrnes thickness sander do that?
The Jet 1020 will go down to 1/32" per their specs. My DeWalt planer goes down to 1/8". You can build a sled for little more planing too.
 
Hello Bird
Well its all been said here already, for my 2 pence worth I make models as well as small bits of furniture and boxes and I treated myself to a second hand jet 10-20 as my workshop is small and I have to say I've not looked back, they are an amazing bit of kit. I've done half a mill using a sled easy if the type wood allows, the only thing with a drum sander (jet type) is you MUST have some sort of filter to attach it to. I'm now thinking of selling my planner thicknesser and getting a Dewalt planner and a larger sander.
 
The Jim Byrnes fits my bill to a "T", I have been a scratch builder for years and the addition of the Byrnes saw and thickness sander made things much more available for me. No longer do I have to await orders for premade woods, I can make my own planks made to measure. My band saw reduces the billits to workable size and the table saw and sander do the rest, perfectly shaped planks for each task.

Bob
 
Sorry for not getting back to you all sooner, I've been busy with things, I appreciate all of your opinions, I ended up getting the Bynes thickness sander, I am very happy with it, I have the saw so I knew it would be of great quality, thank you all ....
 
I have the Byrnes sander and it's a bit more than the average hobby tool. It's well built, has a decent powerful motor, simple to use and there really isn't a lot to go wrong with it. I think it will be fine for model shipbuilding. I've used mine extensively for the last 15 years and it's still going. It takes up a lot less space then that Jet one as well.
Hallo @ColinB
we wish you all the BEST and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Birthday-Cake
 
COULD USE A LITTLE HELP, HAVE BEEN TRYING NTO GET TO BYRNES TOOLS TO ORDER THE THICKNESS SANDER BUT GET NO RESPONCE TO MY MESSAGES, I UNDERSTAND THEY WERE ON VACATION UNTIL 1/16/2023 IS THAT6 THE CASE. GOD BLESS STAY SAFE YOU AND YOURS DON
 
Back
Top