Shop Fox W1678 Drum Sander Review

(This site is reader-supported. When you buy something using retail links on our articles, we may earn a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

My personal experience for the short time I had the pleasure to use the Shop Fox W1678 was terrific. Aesthetically, the design is pure bliss. Not just the looks, it blasts through any wood, and “sands” down your time significantly. I initially used it to sand down small wood panels, to create a central hub for my living room. It did this amazingly well, and surprisingly fast, leaving a perfect, flat smooth surface behind.

In a rush? Click Here to get Shop Fox W1678 at the Lowest Price online at Amazon

DesignSHOP FOX W1678 5 HP 26-Inch Drum Sander

Unlike many other drum sanders which merely have a dull, grey industrial design to them, the Shop Fox W1678 features an amazingly attractive powder-coated, white design – with a large logo emblazed in the center. In terms of structure, the Shop Fox W1678 is unbelievably sturdy, supporting even the largest of projects.

Dust Collection

The Shop Fox W1678 sports two large dust collection ports, a whole 4 inches in length. This allows the majority of the dust to be collected by the machine, keeping your work area, and workplace clean and tidy, saving you time. It also protects the life of the machine, keeping dust away from critical areas.

Motor

The motor within the Shop Fox W1678 is a 5hp, 25 Amp motor. This is one of the most powerful drum sanders currently on the market, with ample power for any chore. The 5hp motor outputs a total of 3,450rpm to the drum. Whereas the 2nd motor releases 1/3hp to the conveyor belt, allowing it to move at a steady speed.

Conveyor Belt

The conveyor belt within the Shop Fox W1678 is manufactured from industrial grade rubber, ensuring maximum durability. This is essential for a workplace environment, as conveyor belts can be costly to replace. The rubber design also grips the sanding material, ensuring 100% accuracy and safe user experience.

Drums

The sanding drum within the Shop Fox W1678 is a total of 26-inches long, giving it all the capacity you could ever need for your sanding requirements. The front drum also uses a higher grit paper, to roughly sand the wood, whereas the rear drum sports a lower grit paper, to finely sand the wood, leaving you highly impressed with the exceptional results this machine provides.

Load Meter

Another excellent premium feature within the Shop Fox W1678 is the load meter. This measures how much “strain” you are putting on the machine, so you can extend the life of it hugely, and not overheat the motors. It does this by measuring the amperage.

Check Price and Reviews on Amazon

Shop Fox W1678 Features and Specifications

  • Hinged Hood
  • Product Weight – 546 lbs
  • Product Size – 40.8 x 40.5 x 40.5 inches
  • Voltage – 220
  • 5Hp Motor

Shop Fox W1678 Customer Reviews

The build quality of the Shop Fox W1678 is much better than any comparable machine. It is unbelievable sturdy, ensuring accurate sanding. Even after extended use for years, this machine will still be as good as day one. Due to the huge dust collectors, productivity will be at an all-time high. Customers also liked it for the durability and performance

Click Here to get Shop Fox W1678 at the Lowest Price online at Amazon

Conclusion

If you are looking for an affordable drum sander for panel sanding, the Shop Fox W1678 is the best machine on the market, in my opinion. It’s aesthetically pleasing design is pure bliss to admire, along with the ground-breaking sanding quality this machine provides, you will be over the moon. I recommend this to industry professionals and hobbyists alike. As you would expect from a premium brand such as Shop Fox, you also get premium features such as a hood, to protect the drums from accidental damage, and also to protect the mechanism from dust build-up, ensuring reliability.