Replies

1. 
   Hempstalk | Oct 22, 2002 12:08am | #1

       Hi there Chester.  I've had a dual drum 37" performax for around 10 years now.  It gets a lot of use in my shop for sanding table tops, thickness sanding bandsawn veneers, ect.  I like the fact that all the parts are stock items.  New bearings, adjusting rods, and other items can be had from any local supplier.  Since I purchased this sander the only thing I've done to it is to realign the drums and table a couple of time as well as routine matience like oil and grease on moving parts.  The newer models also have a feature call smart sand which controls the feed rate and takes a lot of the learning curve out of using these machines.  With a 5hp Leeson motor it has plenty of power. 

      The other sander you mentioned is a General International which is a import machine and not a item manufactured in Canada.  I haven't used the 24" model but I know another woodworker that purchased the dual drum 37" sander.  I've only used it briefly so I can only offer my first impressions.  The sander is large and heavy with a completely enclosed stand.  I like the openness of the Performax so you can see what the sander is doing.  Once you push you piece into the General you have to wait till it starts to emerge from the other side to see what's going on.  That's just a personal preference though.  The wheel used to adjust the height had to be removed to open the top of the sander and access the sanding drums which I thought was a little strange.  Why not mount the wheel in a different place?  Once inside the unit the back drum had to be adjusted by loosening some bolts and then adjusting a few set screws which proved to be a little awkward and inaccurate.  A trial and error process. 

        A few other differences included the conveyor material.  Performax uses a sandpaper type belt similar to those found on large belt sander type units.  As a matter of fact I think you could probably use one but I'm not sure on that.  The general uses a type of textured rubber surface that held the material very firmly.  I find that sometimes the material being feed into the sander needs to be adjusted and the Generals conveyor does not allow that.  Drum rotation is also opposite.  The General rotates the same way the stock feeds where as the Performax rotates against the feed direction of the material.

       The woodworker that purchased the General found that there was a little bit of snipe on the ends of the board which he gave up on trying to eliminate totally after a lot of messing around.  It seems the 4 page manual was a photo copy with diagrams of a different unit and a fair amount of hand written info that was of little help and when the wheel to adjust the height broke off after a month of use he returned the unit and cut his losses.

       This was just his experience and I wouldn't say the machine in not good because of one persons experience but it does make you think twice.  This coupled with what seems to be poorly thought out design would make me avoid these sanders.  There are many other brands out there which I am sure are better thought out than the General and less expensive than the Performax but I've had little to no experience with these.

   Hope this helps.

1. 
   Chester1 | Oct 22, 2002 12:14am | #2

   Thanks.  I appreciate your info.  I didn't know it was an import.

1. 
   riverr1 | Oct 22, 2002 02:42am | #3

   Chester,

   I'm looking at the General Int. also. If I get one, I will be getting it out of Canada with delivery to the US. Price, $1225. I think even toolsplus has a much better price then you've quoted. I did talk to the dealer about some concerns others had mentioned, and he assured me that one of the problems, paper coming of the drums was due to people not knowing what they were doing. It was a common problem at first, and since solved with generic dissemenation of the info. The problem of snipe, was never brought up. The manual I saw was well laid out, and the index was more then 4 pages. What I imagine will be the clincher for me was when the dealer offered to put in writing that if I'm not happy with the machine, he will take it back. He said he has sold over 2- of the machines in the last couple of years, and no complaints once they know how to use them.

   I've posted my problems with the performax. In and of themselves, they are fine machines. I just think they should offer options that they don't. If you need mobility, they are the cat's meow.

   Don

2. 
   BKCBUILDER | Oct 22, 2002 05:18am | #5

   I bought the General about a week ago, and have been pleased. I glued up 6 walnut panels to 22" and they came out great, with the paper that was supplied.

     The paper is pretty easy to change, the manual was good, and the drums DO NOT turn in the same direction as the belt(where did that come from?)

    I got it at Hartville Hardware, which is local for me. List is $1699, they got it out the door for $1499(picked up).

    Pull the crate off, mount the switch with 2 bolts, and plug it in.......10 min. tops.

1. 
   Adrian | Oct 22, 2002 05:26am | #6

   Don't know anything about the General....if it is Internatonal, I know there have been some safety concerns with Asian sanders, though....I did have a double drum Performax once. Long enought ot know, I will never by Performax again.

   6K for a Woodmaster? That's weird....here, they are a lot more machine for a lot less money than Performax.cabinetmaker/college instructor. Cape Breton, N.S

1. 
   camel | Oct 22, 2002 05:38am | #7

   Adrian- I agree It is wierd.  Straight from the brocheure they sent me, the 38" double drum-Price after Nov. 1 $7,019.  The Bridgewood 25" wide belt w/ 10 hp motor- $4995 always.  John E. Nanasy

2. 
   Adrian | Oct 22, 2002 06:50pm | #10

   An extra 13" makes a heck of a difference in how beefy the machine has to be built...cabinetmaker/college instructor. Cape Breton, N.S

3. 
   Hempstalk | Oct 22, 2002 08:37pm | #14

   Adrian

      Your earlier post indicated you weren't at all impressed with the Performax.  I'm curious as to what you didn't like about the machine.

4. 
   Adrian | Oct 22, 2002 09:27pm | #15

   Too light and Rube Goldbergy....not too accurate, and on the double-drum I had, the system they had to raise and lower each drum....one at each end of two drums, for a total of four....was not very good, and it was next to impossible to align them parallel. With a machine like that, you really need to be able to adjust the speed of each drum independently, unless you are running the same grit on each drum. I know that's too much to ask on a machine in this price range, but I ended up justing raising the second drum up and not using it....not worth the hassle. Issues with burning, and a motor, and conveyer belts....it's just not designed for a working shop.

   Left that one behind when I moved east; bought a Woodmaster for the school shop here when I was teaching last time, five years or so ago. It's still going strong; none of the issues I had with the Performax.cabinetmaker/college instructor. Cape Breton, N.S

5. 
   Hempstalk | Oct 22, 2002 10:35pm | #16

   Thanks for the info.  Very interesting.

2. 
   camel | Oct 22, 2002 04:52am | #4

   Hey Hemp-  I've also been extensively looking into drum and smaller wide belt sanders.  Are you sure that the General Int. drums turn the same way as the conveyor?  Don't take offense, I'm hoping this was a typo on your part.  It seems assnine to me.  I inquired about the Woodmaster and they sent me some info.  and a video.  They seem like a nicely built machine, but for almost 6k for the one I want, I could get the Bridgewood 25" wide belt sander.  Or the Bridgewood 15" open end w/ platen for $3400.  The thing that got me about Woodmaster was the marketing ploy about buy before Nov. 1 2002 and save because our cost of steel has skyrocketed.  Sorry about their luck w/ the steel, but for that price I'd rather have a wide belt sander.  John E. Nanasy

1. 
   Hempstalk | Oct 22, 2002 08:32am | #8

     I thought the drum turning the same as the belt was silly as well.  When I asked the owner what was up with that he showed me the manual indicating that that was the way they were supposed to turn.  Others say differently so what can I tell ya.  Another post indicated a good instruction manual as well which this guy didn't get.  I suppose they've gotten better since then.

3. 
   JeffKurtz | Oct 22, 2002 07:05pm | #11

   Hempstalk,

   I understand your desire to be able to see what's "going on inside" as a board is being sanded.  However, rather than this being a benefit of the open-ended, "cabinetless" machine such as the Performax, it is in reality a serious shortcoming, indicative of poor safety design.  Any machine with a power feeding system should be as closed as possible, allowing nothing access to the machine's moving parts other than the board which is being fed into it.

   Jeff

1. 
   Hempstalk | Oct 22, 2002 08:20pm | #12

       Jeff,

       Your right about that and safety is always a concern.  The unit I an referring to is not an open ended unit so the space you can see through is small and one would have to stick your fingers into this space to hurt ones self so the danger is quite low in my opinion.  The same as not sticking your fingers into a planer when it's running.  It's not a large space where clothing or anything like that would get caught so I've never really thought of it as a danger but you never know I guess.

1. 
   Biscardi | Oct 22, 2002 08:25pm | #13

   I used a performax once. I do not thonk it was set up correctly. It made a terrible mess.

   I had to surface the entire thing by hand with a plane to clean it up

2. 
   DennisS | Oct 22, 2002 09:12am | #9

   Don't know what kind of sander you're refering to but given that this is a sander thread, ....

   Brand X publication (not FWW) carries ads for Fisch tools. Don't recall seeing them in FWW. I'm in the market for a combo disk/belt sander ala the Delta 12+6x48 variety. Will be doing some price/feature comparison shopping pretty soon and wonder if the Fisch is worth taking a look at. I've had an opportunity to use the Delta mentioned and like the solidity and lack of vibration but haven't compared it to anything yet.

   Thanks....

   Dennis in Bellevue WA

   [email protected]