Performax drive belt, What to expect?

Haven't

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

Touched mine in well over two years. Runs very nicely on the outboard side on the 22/44; doesn't really need to be centered on the plattan. I suspect if you have to keep fussing with yours you're likely running with too much tension and the belt is stretching. It will keep doing that until the joint fails and unzips. Mind you I have my belt set so that it sometimes needs a bit of help from me to keep the board moving evenly. This is a sander, not a heavy drive planer.

Re: Performax drive belt, What to expect?

Paul Blackwell

I have had my Performax 16-32 for more than eight years, and after the initial adjustment, I haven't had to touch it at all. My belt is getting close to requiring replacement, but other than that, no problems.

That's kinda what I thought....

Barry Irby

I've had this machine ten or twelve years. Bought it used. The belt that came on it lasted about five years and tracked without adjustment. Another belt I bought for it tracked the same way and lasted abut five years. The one I got from Klingspor had plastic film backing and was very slick on the back. Had to be very tight or the drive roller would just slip. It tracked fairly well but still had to be adjusted occasionally. One I bought from WoodCraft and tried before and after the Klingspor one Is a bastard.

I am looking forward to getting one on there I can just use without have to fiddle with it every five minutes.

Re: That's kinda what I thought....

John C Lucas

Barry let me know what one you buy that works because the one i bo7ght from Klingspor doesnt.

Re: Performax drive belt, What to expect?

John K Jordan

Same as others. I adjusted the Performax 22-44 about four years ago. It was tricky since the manual was wrong. Once adjusted the belt has tracked fine and doesn't need tweaking.

I did readjust the drum once for to make it parallel to the bed. Nothing else except sand with it and change the sandpaper when needed (rarely)

JKJ

Got the new belt and...

Barry Irby

Installed it early this morning. Snugged it up and turned one. Put a piece of tape beside it to watch for movement. It moved toward the motor. Tightened the belt o n the opposite side. It moved toward the motor. Fiddled with it for an hour. It continues to move toward the motor. Left and came back in a hour. Turned the belt around and it continues to move toward the motor.

Time to call Jet.

Have you Checked

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

to see if the conveyor frame is twisted or bent? If the drive and tension rollers are not exactly co-planer, that belt will run with the twist but never track properly. Check the mounting brackets on the conveyor assembly and use a straight edge to check both roller's registration to the plattan surface across the full width. Also check the bronze roller bearings on the "new-to-you" machine. A worn bearing will mess you up just as well.

So I called Jet.....

Barry Irby

talked to Bobby in Technical Assistance. Told him I had a belt form Woodcraft. He said "It ain't our's, Our's come form 3M and that ain't one of them.'

He told me he would not even try to get it to track, that they have spent hours on the phone with people trying to get the WoodCraft belts to track and they can't do it. Talked me into ordering one fo there's at about $93 with shipping. It's on the way.

I am about as pissed as I get with WoodCraft. They told me over and over their belts came from Jet. The problem now is I have two of them. One I bought two or three years ago and could not get to track and the new one. I will be making them take back the new one and try to get them to take back the older one.

I hate this crap. I want to work with my tools, not on them.

thanks for information

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I have not touched my belt in 3 years. I didn't even know it had tracking. If I needed a belt I probably would have ordered from Klingspor presuming they would know how to make one. .

Re: thanks for information

Barry Irby

I tried a Klingspor belt (as you know if you read this saga) and got it to track fairly well, only had to adjust it about once a day. You are doing MUCH better than that if you did not even know there was and adjustment. My Klingspor belt got away from me under a 20 inch wide piece and shredded itself. A small piece of wood, about twice the size of a wallet, fell on the belt and hit corner first perfectly on the space between the drive roller and platen and punched a little hole in the belt. I was afraid that was the end of it, but it survived that insult.

The Klingspor belt had polyester film backing that is very slick. The rollers had to be very tight or the drive roller would just spin and the belt sat still. Mine were so tight I bent the tensioning brackets. They bulge outward slightly.

I really don't like working on my machines. I want to work with them.