Many thanks Steve for sharing that process, I especially liked the change of adjuster bolts 👍. Great video as always, keep up the good work, cheers, Mike.
I have the same tool and have experienced the same frustrations. My solution to drum alignment was to add a rod from the tool base below the motor and as far away from the drum as possible, then connect it to a bracket at the top of the iron frame that holds the drum/motor assembly. The top of the rod is threaded to accept a nut and passes through the bracket, which allows a more controlled tension adjustment than the knob included at the base of the frame.
Oh, yes. I had an old Jet 16/32 drum sander and I hated it for all the same reasons. I now have a Laguna 25/50 that is quite the beast. Still new and lightly used, but I anticipate that I will need to be adjusting it in the future. So, this video has been worthwhile and informative,
Wouldn't it be easier to start at the far end and work towards the near end to place the abrasive? It seems you have far better access to the clip at the near end, so it might be less fiddling when needing to tighten the abrasive on the drum.
I've tried both ways, but it's difficult to get the alignment right. When I start at the far end, I have much more control of the alignment of the strip, before it gets wound. There are pros and cons to each.
One of the many frustrations with this machine is that it doesn't stay put. You would think that all you have to do is tighten the bolts so that it doesn't move and then all would be well. I wish. But I hope that, this time, it will stay aligned for a long time, because I have got it spot on.
It a bad construction. For true alignment of the drum; the drum must be supported at the open end. This can be done by making an adjustable support at the open end.
It was done that way on purpose so you can sand panels wider than the drum. Setting the angle can be a bit finicky both ways it only takes about 10 minutes and I’ve only had to do it a few times in 20 years, not so bad.
I would share with everyone my thoughts on this machine but it is hard without expletives. I sold mine as it destroyed my projects in the final stretch of completion. I would never use anything finer than P80. I think the aluminum they use in the drum can’t take the heat of the finer abrasives without expanding and tightening the drum against the workpiece. Longer stock just aggravates the problem. This was a total waste of money and looking at the competitors to Performax I see the same thing being too temperamental.
Ne ho una anch'io della JET, il tappeto di trascinamento costituito da un nastro abrasivo mi ha creato problemi. Ho dovuto sostituire i rulli cilindrici con due autocostruiti biconici , con battuta di appoggio laterale. Tutti i nastri trasportatori al mondo sono fatti cosi' ma si vede che la Jet non lo sa'! Il funzionamento e' migliorato radicalmente, il nastro resta perfettamente teso e centrato riuscendo a carteggiare spessori inferiori al millimetro!
If I understand you correctly (my Italian is rather rusty), that sounds like an excellent upgrade. Do you have a video on how you did that? I would like to see it. Regards Steve
@@SteveMaskeryNon ho nessun video, ma e' un lavoro semplicissimo, si devono fare due rulli analoghi e proporzionati a quelli originali, BICONICI, ossia conificati dalle due parti, in modo che il centro sia più grosso delle estremità. Sulle due estremità bisogna mettere un anello di battuta per tenere guidato il nastro. Ovviamente se il rullo ha queste condizioni il centro e' più grande e sopporta bene la flessione e il rullo non si inflette come quello originale, di conseguenza il tappeto rimane perfettamente aderente permettendo il passaggio di pezzi molto sottili. Essendoci anche i due anelli alle estremita', quelle due calamite e la regolazione diventa superflua. Vai a cercare qualche nastro trasportatore ed osserva i rulli, vedrai che non sono cilindrici ma biconici e capirai perfettamente il problema! Buon lavoro e buona giornata!
@grilloascoltante300 I understand you perfectly. You are right, the cambered roller technique goes back at least a couple of hundred years! My turning skills are not good, but I think your advice is excellent, thank you. S
@@SteveMaskery rivolgiti a un tornitore e ti potrà preparare tutto il necessario. Il rullo collegato al motore bisogna zigrinarlo leggermente per aumentare la presa.
I have some sympathy with that assessment. Given that there are 4 bolts at the back, why not make it pivot on the pair furthest from the knob, rather than the pair closst to the knob? That in itself would double the ease of adjustment. Go figure...
Many thanks Steve for sharing that process, I especially liked the change of adjuster bolts 👍. Great video as always, keep up the good work, cheers, Mike.
I have the same tool and have experienced the same frustrations. My solution to drum alignment was to add a rod from the tool base below the motor and as far away from the drum as possible, then connect it to a bracket at the top of the iron frame that holds the drum/motor assembly. The top of the rod is threaded to accept a nut and passes through the bracket, which allows a more controlled tension adjustment than the knob included at the base of the frame.
Thank you, my machine has never cut true I will try your technique
Oh, yes. I had an old Jet 16/32 drum sander and I hated it for all the same reasons. I now have a Laguna 25/50 that is quite the beast. Still new and lightly used, but I anticipate that I will need to be adjusting it in the future. So, this video has been worthwhile and informative,
I made templates from mdf for cutting the belt.
@@murraypotts924 I did the same, but the template got lost in a house move.
Wouldn't it be easier to start at the far end and work towards the near end to place the abrasive? It seems you have far better access to the clip at the near end, so it might be less fiddling when needing to tighten the abrasive on the drum.
I've tried both ways, but it's difficult to get the alignment right. When I start at the far end, I have much more control of the alignment of the strip, before it gets wound. There are pros and cons to each.
Hi Steve, will the drum stay parallel to the bed or will you have to repeat the process every now and then?
Regards Mark
One of the many frustrations with this machine is that it doesn't stay put. You would think that all you have to do is tighten the bolts so that it doesn't move and then all would be well. I wish. But I hope that, this time, it will stay aligned for a long time, because I have got it spot on.
@@SteveMaskery Very frustrating, thanks Steve.
that was a very interesting video thank you
Thank you.
You're welcome.
It a bad construction. For true alignment of the drum; the drum must be supported at the open end. This can be done by making an adjustable support at the open end.
I have thoiught about that, but I use this so rarely that it is never high enough on my list to do anything about it.
It was done that way on purpose so you can sand panels wider than the drum. Setting the angle can be a bit finicky both ways it only takes about 10 minutes and I’ve only had to do it a few times in 20 years, not so bad.
I would share with everyone my thoughts on this machine but it is hard without expletives. I sold mine as it destroyed my projects in the final stretch of completion. I would never use anything finer than P80. I think the aluminum they use in the drum can’t take the heat of the finer abrasives without expanding and tightening the drum against the workpiece. Longer stock just aggravates the problem. This was a total waste of money and looking at the competitors to Performax I see the same thing being too temperamental.
Ne ho una anch'io della JET, il tappeto di trascinamento costituito da un nastro abrasivo mi ha creato problemi. Ho dovuto sostituire i rulli cilindrici con due autocostruiti biconici , con battuta di appoggio laterale. Tutti i nastri trasportatori al mondo sono fatti cosi' ma si vede che la Jet non lo sa'! Il funzionamento e' migliorato radicalmente, il nastro resta perfettamente teso e centrato riuscendo a carteggiare spessori inferiori al millimetro!
If I understand you correctly (my Italian is rather rusty), that sounds like an excellent upgrade. Do you have a video on how you did that? I would like to see it.
Regards
Steve
@@SteveMaskeryNon ho nessun video, ma e' un lavoro semplicissimo, si devono fare due rulli analoghi e proporzionati a quelli originali, BICONICI, ossia conificati dalle due parti, in modo che il centro sia più grosso delle estremità. Sulle due estremità bisogna mettere un anello di battuta per tenere guidato il nastro. Ovviamente se il rullo ha queste condizioni il centro e' più grande e sopporta bene la flessione e il rullo non si inflette come quello originale, di conseguenza il tappeto rimane perfettamente aderente permettendo il passaggio di pezzi molto sottili. Essendoci anche i due anelli alle estremita', quelle due calamite e la regolazione diventa superflua. Vai a cercare qualche nastro trasportatore ed osserva i rulli, vedrai che non sono cilindrici ma biconici e capirai perfettamente il problema! Buon lavoro e buona giornata!
@grilloascoltante300 I understand you perfectly. You are right, the cambered roller technique goes back at least a couple of hundred years! My turning skills are not good, but I think your advice is excellent, thank you.
S
@@SteveMaskery rivolgiti a un tornitore e ti potrà preparare tutto il necessario. Il rullo collegato al motore bisogna zigrinarlo leggermente per aumentare la presa.
It's just a crap design.
I have some sympathy with that assessment. Given that there are 4 bolts at the back, why not make it pivot on the pair furthest from the knob, rather than the pair closst to the knob? That in itself would double the ease of adjustment. Go figure...