Replies

1. 
   dondownunder | Mar 22, 2003 07:20am | #1

   Davem

   If you want to dimmension rather than fine sand your timber try using a coarser grit (say 60), changing to finer for finishing. As for your passes/ feed question I have found that depends more on the timber species & the width of stock being sanded. 

   Don

1. 
   DaveMartins | Mar 22, 2003 11:41pm | #2

   Thanks Don

2. 
   wolfsbear | Mar 23, 2003 07:45pm | #3

   Davem,

   I have a 16/32 and I usually don't take more than .020" to .025" off at a pass. I found if I got  too aggressive with it, the motor would trip out. To make it easier, I installed a dial indicator so I could more accurately see my adjustments. If you have one, you may try installing an amprobe on one lead of the motor to see your amp pull. You'll know when you're about to trip the motor. Otherwise, lighter passes at 40-50 seems to work nice for me.  And definitely lighten up on your oak. I suppose it's the high tannin content, but too aggessive and you'll raise a ball of something that will screw up your sandpaper and smear a black streak down your board.( you may have already experienced this) :(

   Otherwise, I love my 16/32 and now only use my thickness planer to rough out my lumber.

   Good luck

   Mark

1. 
   DaveMartins | Mar 24, 2003 06:09am | #4

   Thank you Wolfear,

   I dimensioned about 100ft of lumber today and did basically what you suggested.  I'm the victim of the video tape that comes with the sander.  In it they say your going to get rid of your planer with no need to rough down to dimension???  Roughing out with my planer and then finishing with 80 then fine is working out well. 

   Thanks again,

   Dave

1. 
   Jeff | Mar 24, 2003 02:24pm | #5

   To all

   I'm thinking of buying the Performax for my shop.

   Since I know you own them, can you give anymore feedback on how well

   they work.

   Would you have bought something else if you could?

   Also, how good are they with flattening glued up panals?

   I haven't been able to find a website for them or any other feedback.

   Jeff

1. 
   DaveMartins | Mar 24, 2003 03:30pm | #6

   The performax is very well suited for what your looking to do.  With the open end, sanding a 32" panel is accomplished by sanding one side, spinning it around and sanding the other half.  I made my panel with pocket screws and smoothed out the minor difference between the styles and rails with no problem.  I did have to do a little adjusting to get the sanding drum perfectly level with the table.  This is done with one bolt.  I've only had the sander a month so I'm not sure if I'll need to readjust the drum again.  Changing the sandpaper is easy with spring loaded clips.  I'm glad I purchased the sander but its the only one I've used so I can't offer pros or cons on comparing it to other sanders. 

   Dave

1. 
   Julmer | Mar 24, 2003 10:04pm | #8

   Davem: Do you have any trouble with a line/seam showing when sanding boards wider than 16"?  My sander came with the drum and table flat, but I had to readjust it so the open end is a couple 100's wider that the closed end. That eliminated the seam/ine. And while my finished panel is not "perfectly flat, you can't detect the difference nor has it impacted any project.

2. 
   Julmer | Mar 24, 2003 09:59pm | #7

   Jeff: I too would recommend a performax 16/32. Had mine a couple of years and use it on almost all my projects. I do rough out with my planner and finish with the sander (unless working with species that has a lot of chip out if planned).

   I've contributed to several thread on the performax and drum sanders in general, if you do an advanced forum search in the "tools for woodworking" looking for "performax". There's over 50 items, I think you be able to make an informed decision after reading those.

   John Ulmer

3. 
   Eddy | Mar 24, 2003 10:52pm | #9

   Hi Dave,

   I have had then performax for about 6 months now and I think it is one of the most useful machines in my shop. I too had the problem with tripping the curcuit breaker if I got too aggressive with the amount I was trying to sand off. I just started taking less off with each pass and running through the grits from rough to fine. I have had no problem with it since then. I am running off a 15 amp breaker and an extension cord which doesn't help but by sanding lighter and making multiple passes no problem at all. I think you will really like it.

4. 
   GHR | Mar 25, 2003 12:00am | #10

   I have a Delta 16/32.

   All of my shop circuits are 20amp. I only use one machine at a time so my recommendations about power will not do you much good.

   As far as machining. I use 80grit paper for all but finish work. I put the drum on high speed, crank up the feed and take 1/4 turn (.015" = 1/64") per pass.

   I resaw to thickness + and then sand to finished thickness. Most of my sanding is limited to H.Mahogany and various burls. Most of my stock is 8" or less. (I did sand some furniture panels 18"x42" using the same techinque.)

   Neither machine is made to do heavy production work. So take it easy.

   I got the room built. How do I get outside?
5. 
   johnhardy | Mar 25, 2003 12:55am | #11

   The Performax 16/32 is vastly underpowered. I've got one and wish I had a more "industrial strength" sander. Grizzly makes several in the $1K to $1.5K range that are 5HP and look to me to be more of what I need. The only advantage the 16-32 has is that I can sand a panel up to 32 inches wide.

   The problems I have are mostly related to wide stock. I have to go extremely light on the passes ... about 1/128th at a time ... and even then the motor bogs down.

   You also have to be extremely careful to not get your sandpaper clogged. If you get too aggressive or there is too much heat you'll get what appears to be solid material in the middle of the paper, and it'll burn the wood. End of sandpaper at that point.

   Bottom line? This is a hobbyist tool at best and even then you need to be extremely careful. Takes the place of a planer? In no way is that remotely possible. Unless you have all the time in the world and all the money in the world to pay for ruined sandpaper.

   John

1. 
   DaveMartins | Mar 25, 2003 03:42pm | #12

   Consumer,

   Yes I did have a line down the center and that's when I adjusted the drum.  I may have done the same as you without knowing it as I adjusted for a clean front not a parallel drum.  I found it pretty hard measuring the drum height with the sand paper conveyer belt.  Although I didn't mic the distance my stock seems pretty parallel no matter where I run it though the sander.

   John,

   Yes I guess that's what sparked this thread.  I tripped the breaker when I thought the sander should be able to handle the pass.  Again from the video it sure looks like they are taking a whole lot more off than I was.  But then again its a $800.00 sander.  Just like anything else in woodworking the more power the more $ the easier it is.  Know I just finish boards at the end of the day when I'm too tired to really think.  The repetition of "put the board in" and "take them out"  sometimes soothes the brain....

   Thanks for all the replies,

   Dave