Replies

1. 
   riverr1 | Jan 07, 2003 10:24pm | #1

   Bear in mind we're talking opinions here, but I don't much care for the stand on either machine. Performax doesn't have a stand at all that I think much of, and between the two machines you have mentioned, I think the Delta is a little more beefier. Performance between the two is about the same from what I've seen. I'm not sure where you live, but if it's close to Canada, you can pick up a 25" GI for around $1100. Duty seems to run by the mood of the agent, but it won't be more then 3 or 4 percent if you do pay it.

   Don

2. 
   patternmaker | Jan 07, 2003 10:34pm | #2

   Joe: I have been using the 16-32 for several years. It is by no means a production machine,but my production shop days are over. I build blanket chests of Tennessee red cedar.This is a difficult material to work because of the many knots and the difficult grain pattern. However,this is what makes the final product,to many people,so attractive. I had literature at the time on several other sanders,but this seemed to be the one to which extension tables could be easily mounted.I also use it to sand bandsawed veneers from the same material. As to sanding wide boards. The widest that my chests use is 26".In order to be sure that turning the board end for end would not produce a slight groove or offset where the two cuts come together, I set the end of the drum opposite the motor .005" higher than the other. This produces a slight ridge where the two cuts meet.However a quick swipe with a card scraper removes this. The panels are flat and of even thickness when they come from the machine. Ignore the .005" taper across the width,I can`t measure a wide panel any closer than that anyhow. For me this is not a final finish sander.I do the final polish by conventional methods. Thank you Mr.Croney,wherever you may be. ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬PAT¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

   Joe,I might add that I bought my machine minus the stand. I did buy the extention tables.My own stand is of oak and has a place to store extra abrasives and accessories.

   
   

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   Edited 1/7/2003 2:43:34 PM ET by Pat

3. 
   Julmer | Jan 07, 2003 10:49pm | #3

   I've made a few posts regarding my performax 16-32 in the last few days. You might search/read those.

   But here is some feedback.  I bought my sander used, it was not setup correctly which was probably why it was being sold. It was leaving visible lines in the middle of boards that were over 16" wide and had to be passed thru the sander twice. I had about 1-2 hours in research and 1-2 hours resetting the drum alignment. That solved the problem.

   Next I would question what you want to use the sander for.  If you expect it to replace your planer and/or abrasive plane lots of long rough boards, I wouldn't recommend it.  But, I have a small personal shop and sand boards  up to 28" wide, 6 to 8 foot long and 1 inch thick out of white oak.  Feed rates are not as fast as my planer, but are fine for the small amounts I'm doing. I do have to help these heavy boards thru (hand pressure) and I have full length support both in and out for long boards (I don't use the infeed/outfeed tables that came with the unit. (makes storgage easier). 

   I really appreciate the drum sanders ability to flatten my glued up boards. Other benefits are producing lots of pieces of exactly the same thickness with no snipe and getting thru the majority of sanding grits on all my flat surfaces (I hate sanding).  But, even with 220 grit belts, the scratches are deep and require finish sanding by hand/ROS

   My shop setup dictated the performax over the delta. The support I mentioned for long boards is provided by two side by side workbenches in my shop. My portable tools (including the sander) mount in an open space between them.  I mount the performax sander feed table so its level with the work benches, making them 8' long infeed and outfeed tables. But the delta has a fixed drum and moveable feed table which would mean adjusting my workbenchs or the sander height  for each thickness change.

   Sand paper is expensive - (get the best you can), but lasts a long time if kept clean (get the big rubber eraser they sell). But when I figure what I would spend on other sandpaper and the timesavings I don't mind using up a roll or two per project.  I do have some problem with yellow glue clogging up rolls, no solutions yet. (have not tried poly glues yet)

   The performax is not junk and I've bought some of that before -(but I'll leave those kinds of posts to others).  Maintenance has been zero for the last 2 years. Hope this helps.

4. 
   johnhardy | Jan 08, 2003 01:21am | #4

   I'll put in my 2 cents worth. I don't have a prodction shop, but do lots of weekend woodworking, and as I near retirement I'll be doing more of this work. Just so you know how I use it.

   The 16-32 is a very accurate sander, if it is properly set up. It's major flaw is that is is grossly underpowered. I say this as it has trouble sanding wide boards in hardwood. To take even a small amount of wood off of a rough board takes forever, because you can only turn the crank about 1/128th of an inch each time. Sometimes you have to make 2 passes before turning the crank.

   And the moveable bed, which uses a 16 inch wide piece of sanding belt, is very picky. It wants to track to one side and when you slightly adjust it it starts going to the other side. If you're not careful, the belt can move too much to one side and then it self destructs (rips apart). At about $25 apiece, this is expensive and aggravating. You're out of business until you replace the belt.

   In terms of mechanical problems, my sander actually ate up the bolt that is used to adjust the height. All of the threads were stripped clean as a whistle. I had to spend about 4 hours taking the sander apart and putting it back together, and had to have Performax send some parts. A real pain the the butt.

   If I had it to do over again, I'd spend the extra money for a Grizzly drum sander (5 hp vs. 1 or 1.5 hp, can't remember) and the extra cost would have only been about $100. True, it wouldn't have been as wide, but 24 inches wide is plenty for what I usually do.

   The Performax isn't junk, but it is definitely not a production machine. As long as you know its limitations you'll be satisfied.

   By the way, a friend of mine makes guitars and he thickness sands his guitar fronts and backs on his Performax. He loves it and for what he uses it for it's fantastic.

   John

1. 
   Julmer | Jan 08, 2003 01:31am | #5

   John: regarding the problem you have with the feed belt tracking and tearing.

   I had this problem when I first started using mine, but the guy I bought it from had given me some "guides" that performax had sent him. He never took the time to open up his machine and install them. I installed the guides and have never had to adjust the tracking since. (over 2 years). You might want to check with Performax.

   They install inside the area that the feed belt runs around.

   Edited 1/7/2003 5:34:10 PM ET by JOHNULMER2

1. 
   johnhardy | Jan 08, 2003 01:38am | #6

   Thanks. I'll check this out. Now that I'm used to watching the belt, I simply readjust the side tension bolts and haven't torn a belt in several years. But it's been constant vigil. If this works it'll be something else I can forgot to worry about.

   John