22-44 Drum Sander Troubleshooting

[Matthew Ferreras]

Hi Guys,

Maybe someone can help me.

I just bought a used Performax 22-44 and went through the normal setup process but when I run a board through it only sands the middle of the length. For example if I take a 24" x 2" board and run it though only the middle 6" will get sanded. I will lower the sander and same will happen. This will keep happening until it's very obvious that the edges are much thicker.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt

[James Baker SD]

please clarify middle. middle side to side (sanded at the same moment in time) the entire length of the board (sanding progressively in time as the board feeds) could be due to the sanding belt overlapping itself toward the middle of the drum. Carefully inspect the sanding belt, a little gap in the spiral winding is OK, but an overlap makes the belt thicker at that point and it will sand deeper.

If your problem is the beginning of the feed does nothing and the end of the feed does nothing and only the middle (time wise) gets sanded, then that is a tougher problem. Sort of like the opposite of snipe.

[John Coloccia]

I think the only way that can possibly happen is if the board is cupped. Even if the sandpaper was overlapped, you'd only be off by the thickness of the sandpaper.

Maybe take some pictures?

[Matthew Ferreras]

please clarify middle. middle side to side (sanded at the same moment in time) the entire length of the board (sanding progressively in time as the board feeds) could be due to the sanding belt overlapping itself toward the middle of the drum. Carefully inspect the sanding belt, a little gap in the spiral winding is OK, but an overlap makes the belt thicker at that point and it will sand deeper.

If your problem is the beginning of the feed does nothing and the end of the feed does nothing and only the middle (time wise) gets sanded, then that is a tougher problem. Sort of like the opposite of snipe.

I sent it through with on the 2" width of the board touching at any given time. "If your problem is the beginning of the feed does nothing and the end of the feed does nothing and only the middle (time wise) gets sanded, then that is a tougher problem. Sort of like the opposite of snipe."

I don't get it... The board is relativity flat. I have even tried with plywood. \

FYI the sand paper is not overlapped.

[James Baker SD]

Matt,

OK, here is some wild speculation. Maybe your feed belt table is not flat. If the very beginning and very end are elevated relative to the area just under the drum, maybe that could create what you are seeing. At the beginning the board is sloping downward from the infeed side of the table to the drum maybe sanding a little. when the board is touching both the high infeed edge and the high outfeed edge, the board is lifted into the drum creating much more sanding. As it exits, it is sloping upward from the drum to the high outfeed edge, again maybe sanding a little.

Trying raising the drum as high as it goes and putting a straight edge across the entire length of the feeding belt, front to back and seeing if there is a valley under the drum.

I have that same model sander and have never experienced what is happening to you, so I am guessing here.

[Matthew Ferreras]

James that sounds like good hypothesis. I will check that in a few minutes and get back to you.

[John TenEyck]

I agree with John; I think your board is convex end to end. If the problem goes away when you flip the board over, so the belly is concave, then that was the problem. Happens all the time with me and it doesn't take much bow for it to be noticeable.

John

[keith micinski]

If it was convex the feed roller would pretty much flatten it out and allow it to sand pretty evenly. When it came out of the sander the piece would be sanded across the width of it but would still have the convex shape. That doesn't appear to be what he is describing.

[John Coloccia]

If it was convex the feed roller would pretty much flatten it out and allow it to sand pretty evenly. When it came out of the sander the piece would be sanded across the width of it but would still have the convex shape. That doesn't appear to be what he is describing.

There's no feed roller on this sander.

[Bradley Gray]

I used to own one of these sanders - Mine had support rollers on the infeed and outfeed ends. If these outrigger rollers were set too high a 24" long board might only contact the drum when supported on both ends.

[Matthew Ferreras]

Thanks for the help guys. I will check the sander and get back. hopefully I can fix the issue.

[Tim Rinehart]

I'm kinda with James on wondering about the flatness of the feed belt table also. I also bought one of these used, and was careful looking at how 'unstout' the table was not to try too much lifting of that beast by it. As said, easy enough to check flatness of it.
Be sure you go thru all the setup instructions for the infeed/outfeed rollers. I didn't even realize there was adjustment to them when I first got the sander till I started going thru the setup and alignment which I needed to do since the belt was shot on mine and had to be replaced.

[John Coloccia]

I used to own one of these sanders - Mine had support rollers on the infeed and outfeed ends. If these outrigger rollers were set too high a 24" long board might only contact the drum when supported on both ends.

It does have rollers to apply a little pressure to the piece and keep it in contact with the feed belt, but they're very very weak. It's not like the feed roller on a planer that will mash a board flat. Even so, at best all they could ever accomplish, even if they're extremely powerful, is to flatten the board, and then the entire board would simply get thinner, but the cup would remain. It's really difficult to imagine how a flat drum could possibly only take material away from the center of a board unless the board is significantly cupped to begin with.

[Bradley Gray]

The rollers I suspect are the rollers that are mounted on both ends of the feed table as extensions. If the sander is lifted by them they can end up higher than the conveyor.

[John Coloccia]

The rollers I suspect are the rollers that are mounted on both ends of the feed table as extensions. If the sander is lifted by them they can end up higher than the conveyor.

Oh...the problem is from end to end? I guess I didn't get that from any of the OPs posts, but having those roller's you're talking about too high will definitely give entertaining results, as you say