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Sanding drum or spindle sander

Updated: October 2026

Three machines get called a sanding roller, and they do not do the same job. A rubber drum in a drill chuck costs £9.60 to £23.99 on amazon.co.uk. The Draper 90469 is a corded handheld at £57.28. A bench bobbin sander has a table, and it is not in our set. Twice a year, you probably do not need a machine. Every week, you probably do. Unlike [best sanding roller](/hub/sanders/sanding-roller/sub/sanding-roller-best), this page can say that none of the six listings is right for you. Prices are on the [sanding roller comparison](/hub/sanders/sanding-roller). A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Three machines get called a sanding roller, and they do not do the same job. A rubber drum in a drill chuck costs £9.60 to £23.99 on amazon.co.uk. The Draper 90469 is a corded handheld at £57.28.

Our top picks

LINE10 LINE10 16-piece drums

Best overall

LINE10 LINE10 16-piece drums
8.6/10about £17.96
View offer
beststar beststar 338-piece drum kit

Rank 2

beststar beststar 338-piece drum kit
6.9/10about £12.99
View offer
FreeTec FreeTec 25-piece drill kit

Rank 3

FreeTec FreeTec 25-piece drill kit
7.4/10about £15.95
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Three machines, one round abrasive
  2. 2.When the drill drum is enough
  3. 3.What the Draper 90469 actually is
  4. 4.When you want a bobbin sander
  5. 5.Which one, on what condition

Three machines, one round abrasive

A drill drum is a rubber mandrel and a sleeve, driven by a drill, a pillar drill or a rotary tool. It has no motor, no dust port in our listings and no table. You bring the speed and the support. The Draper 90469 is a corded roller: 310 W at 240 V, 1600 to 3000 rpm no-load, a 45 mm 80 grit drum, 5 mm and 60 mm flap wheels, and a dust port. A bobbin sander, as UK owners describe it, oscillates the spindle so wear spreads along the sleeve. Typical bench models have a table, several bobbin sizes and a dust port. We do not review one here.

When the drill drum is enough

For occasional curves, a drill drum is enough. LINE10 at £17.96 states a 1/4 inch shank and 60, 80 and 120 grit, which covers a few chair legs and shelf edges. The sleeves wear and you replace them. It costs less than a machine and takes no bench space. A drum also puts sideways load on a pillar-drill quill. UK woodworkers disagree on whether the bearings cope. We do not settle it, so treat a drill drum as an occasional tool. The concave-edge technique is on sanding inside curves.
LINE10 LINE10 16-piece drums

Testsieger

LINE10 LINE10 16-piece drums
8.6/10about £17.96
View offer

What the Draper 90469 actually is

The Draper is a handheld spindle with a motor. It does not oscillate and it has no table. You hold a powered roller, with a drum and two flap wheels, a dust port and variable speed. That suits you if you want a corded tool for this job and do not want to tie up a drill. The amazon.co.uk listing shows one 5.0 rating and no review text, so nothing here covers sleeve life, vibration or how well the port picks up dust. Only 80 grit is supplied, and the port diameter is not stated, so check that a hose fits. The listing says 3.1 kg and the maker's page says 2.1 kg, so we do not quote a weight as fact. It is 240 V, so a sound UK plug matters. A damaged plug or housing is a job for a competent person. Draper lists 24 months on parts and 12 months on labour.

When you want a bobbin sander

You want a bobbin sander when concave edges are normal work. Oscillation spreads wear and reduces burning. A square table keeps the work square to the drum. A dust port lets you connect extraction. HSE guidance WD14 is written for that machine, and says you should enclose as much of the drum as the guard allows. Typical UK listings describe 450 W, 230 V models with bobbins from about 13 to 76 mm. One maker states a 38 mm dust port, which is more detail than the Draper listing gives. UK woodworkers describe a pillar-drill drum first, then a bobbin sander once the job is frequent.

Which one, on what condition

Choose a drill drum if you sand a curve a few times a year and already own a drill or pillar drill. Check the shank first. Choose the Draper 90469 if you want one corded spindle and you accept that its record is a single rating. Choose a bobbin sander if concave sanding is regular work and you have bench space. In that case none of our six listings is the right machine. If you are unsure, start with a kit that states its shank, such as LINE10. Wear eye protection with all three.

Common questions

Is the Draper a bobbin sander?
No. The Draper 90469 is a corded handheld roller with a 310 W motor, a 45 mm drum and flap wheels. It does not oscillate and has no table. A bobbin sander is a bench machine with a table, oscillation and several bobbin sizes.
Can I leave a drum in the pillar drill instead of buying another machine?
Yes, for occasional curves. UK owners often start this way. A drill drum puts sideways load on the quill, and owners disagree about whether the bearings cope, so it suits light, infrequent use. For regular work, a dedicated machine is built for the load.
What does oscillation change?
Oscillation moves the sleeve up and down while it spins, so wear spreads over a larger area and heat builds less in one spot. The result is a cleaner cut and a longer sleeve life. Drill drums and the Draper do not oscillate.
Does the Draper extract dust?
It has a dust port, a guard and a spark deflector, but it does not extract on its own. You need to connect an extractor. The listing does not state the port diameter, so check that a hose fits before you buy.
Will a chuck drum damage the drill?
Drum kits are made to run in a drill, and many reviewers use them in pillar drills and cordless drills. Sideways load is the concern, and owners disagree on it. Take light passes, keep the work supported and use drum kits for occasional jobs.
What should I buy if I only sand a curve twice a year?
A drill drum kit. Choose one that states a 1/4 inch shank if your chuck takes it, such as LINE10 at £17.96, and check the grits are printed. A machine would cost more than you would get from it at that frequency.

Related pages

Sanders

Sanding roller

Best sanding drum set: one listing for each job type

Sanding drum kit for a drill: shank, size and grit

How to use a sanding drum: fit the sleeve and stop

Sand inside a curve with a drum: size, setup, pass

Sources

Public UK sources on wood dust, fixed drum sanders and the plug on a mains lead. Listing prices and star counts are from the amazon.co.uk extracts kept for this comparison on 15 October 2026. Prices move.

  1. HSE, Wood dust (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  2. HSE, WD7 Hand-held sanders (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  3. HSE, WD14 Drum and bobbin sanders (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  4. HSE, Sanders (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  5. GOV.UK, Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  6. Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, regulation 35 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  7. Draper, 90469 sanding roller 310 W (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  8. UK Workshop, spindle sander vs drill-press drums (retrieved 16 October 2026)