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Supermax Drum Sander conveyor belt drifts to out side of conveyor.

12K views 33 replies 14 participants last post by  jgt1942 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
My Supermax is a little over a year old and been working great. About a week ago I notice the conveyor belt drifting to the outside edge until it start rubbing against the outside tracker kit. I was able to move it a little by adjusting the out side take up bracket but it drift it back again. I then tried loosing the belt all together and centering the belt on the conveyor I tighten the belt and the belt still drifted to the outside. I'm in the middle of a project and this problem has me held up If anyone has a suggestion I wood appreciate, thanks.
 
#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
I haven't contact customer service with this problem yet but I did have a problem when I got sander.
The digital reader wasn't working right when I contact customer service they were very helpful the problem was they keep shipping the wrong part. After receiving 4 wrong parts I finally got the right part. I love the sander I use it every day. I originally bought a Jet but the sanding belts were so hard to change I took it back and bought the Suprtmax.
 
#4 ·
I have an older 16×32 Jet and had a similar problem years ago. One of the bushings at the end of the roller wore to an oblong hole because there was too much tension on the roller. I was able to make a new bushing by using a silicon bronze bolt and drilling it to the diameter of the roller end. I did order a new roller and bushings, but the one I made is still working. My manual says to put a few drops of oil on them. I have been doing this and everything has been good for several years. I also bought a new conveyor belt from , https://www.fintechabrasives.com , and then adjusted it properly and never had a problem since. Conveyor belts do stretch and wear out.
 
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
I'm having similar issues - drift in the same direction as you. Seems like I have been dealing with this since it was new.

I have tried a full range of tension options. High on one side, High on the other - all the way down to slack on the opposite side.

I recently set the tension at fairly high on both sides. That seemed to slow the drift, but only slightly. I might check the bushings like 4wood did.

For now I reset the belt every week. Otherwise I'm just letting it rub. My suspision is that the belt is not the same length from side to side.

I'm going to try removing the belt and turning it around. If the tracking reverses it's the belt. If the tracking is now stable it is probably the belt. If the tracking still drifts to the outside it's not the belt.
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
You're going to have to get a new belt. Once the edge becomes frayed it will not track anymore. I experienced the same thing. I didn't pay attention to it and let the edge get frayed.

According to support, once this happens the belt won't track anymore.

I purchased a new one, installed it, and promptly found it tore on the inside this time due to getting hung up underneath - so be careful of this if you put a new one on.

I still have tracking issues even with the new one - I know if it gets frayed its fried so I watch it like a hawk if it starts to drift I adjust the tension. One thing I discovered was when you tighten on one side the screw was turning, on the other it doesn't.
 
#7 ·
MLK this may help you. I was having a time yesterday again with inconsistent tracking.

When I loosened everything up to shift the belt over, I noticed one of the brackets looked bent.

Long story short, the book says to tighten, not loosens to adjust tracking. I had the belt so tight it bent the bracket.

Tightened it up just enough to take out the slack and it's been working fine,

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#8 ·
I had similar issues with my 25/50 and my 6×48 belt sander. It just took time fiddling with those adjustment nuts.
The real problem is getting the conveyor table/belt aligned with the drum. That is a total PITA and I'm still working on it. Probably this next week I'll devote another day trying to get it properly adjusted.
 
#9 ·
General advice.. I have an older Supermax sander. Whenever you adjust the tension on one side of the conveyer belt, measure the distance between each bracket with calipers.. On mine, it's the amount of threaded rod between brackets. Write down the measurements and put in a safe place.
If you get drift again, loosen both sides, center the belt and use your previous saved measurements as a guide.
IF it drifts to the left, you need to tension the left more or loosen the right a little bit.

I bought mine used, it tracked horribly, over about 5 adjustments, I got it dialed in perfectly.
I haven't had to adjust in about 5 years now.
Sometimes it takes a month or two before a slight drift shows up (when you are really close).
 
#10 ·
Update - I bought a new conveyor belt from Highland. I was a little disappointed with the edge quality. The edges had 0.060 to 0.090 of uneven cuts. As a result the edges have threads hanging off them.

When I installed this belt the drift went the opposite direction of the original belt. I spent about an hour trying a full range of tensions with little success. I currently have high tension of the inside and nearly slack on the outside. The brackets have 0.070" of difference in their position. The belt still drifts to the inside, but much more slowly. Four or five revolutions of the belt has only seen it drift 1/2 way to the edge guide.

I might try flipping the belt - I never did try that with the original belt.
 
#11 ·
Sorry to say I own the original Performax…

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The exact same issues. I posted a blog some years ago here on LJ's I caught a lot of negative challenges…

I found this guy who claimed that I needed an expandable belt (white belt in the pic) Hyped it up as a solution. Then the Super Max people chimed in making claims that the New Super Max does not have the same problems… Just read the posts here. Guys, there is a problem - I plan on sending it to a used tool store, as is. Hours frustration, expense trying to believe in a machine that is a poor product.

Also the on and off switched failed years ago- I juried rigged a new switch…

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20 years ago $1000 grief and frustration- DO NOT BUY

Also, how many times do you have to adjust the cantilevered drum? Stay with a 4 post sander otherwise, you will be filled with frustrations. Hard feelings yes, but 20 years ago buying a $1,000 woodworking tool- a lot of $$$.

DO NOT PURCHASE
 

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#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
I think I've finally got my Supermax figured out.

1. Do not over tighten
2. Watch is like a hawk when you're doing an extended session
3. Make small adjustments the tracking is very slow to change
4. Make sure the other side of the adjustment rod is tightened down. I discovered when I was adjusting with the lever the whole rod was spinning.

Moving from a Grizzly dual drum to the Supermax was a big step up for me. I would not go so far as to say do not buy, but Supermax has its issues.

There is a poly conveyor belt I know nothing about, but maybe it does better?

Supergrit sells conveyor belts way cheaper.
 
#13 ·
DW - I'm not sure I can blame the machine. The new belt drifts in the opposite direction from the original belt. If it were a machine issue I would expect the drift to be in the same direction for each belt.

Robert - Low tension did not seem to solve this belt's issue. I had it so low that I could slip the belt easily by hand and it still would drift. Does the tension on your belt allow you to slip it by hand?

There may be a sweet spot where I'll get no drift if the overall tension is set right but I'm skeptical. Right now the belt is super tight on the inside and completely slack on the outside.
 
#14 ·
The belt will climb toward the higher tension side, same principle as a bandsaw wheel crown.

For installing my belt the first time, I started off by measuring and setting the wheels to have the same distance between axles on each side. When tensioning, I'd apply equal turns to each side to keep everything aligned until the tension felt correct. Only some minor tweaks after that to center and stabilize the conveyor.

I have a white poly belt on mine for two reasons. The original sand grit belt would always leave a very slight dip in my sanded surface due to the belts seam being ever so slightly thicker than the rest of the belt. The poly belt didn't have this problem and also proved to be a bit better on keeping the stock from slipping (as long as I keep it clean).
 
#19 ·
Spent more time with the Highland abrasive belt. I completely removed the tension on the outside. The inside had very high tension. with this set up I could get the belt to slowly drift to the outside - a first!

I have been slowly adding in tension to the outside. I have it nearly stable - still drifting to the outside very slowly. Maybe 1/32" of drift in 5 revolutions of the belt.

The belt feels under tension for about 3/4 of the width. The outside of the belt is still loose. There is enough traction that I can not slip the belt by hand.

I am getting hopeful :)
 
#20 ·
Boys and Girls I haven't read all the comments so forgive me if I repeat, repeat… and just in case I repeat.

I've had a 16/32 and now have a jet 22/44… While the jury is still out whther they all come off the same production line with some rebadging, I had tracking issues on both…

The way I solved my issue on advice of someone in the know, was to loosened both sides up max (or some may call that min)... and then gradually tightened by minute turns… several times when I came close I found that one more turn attempt was building up the tension so I backed both off and "started again"... several attempts and I had it perfect…

After a while (talking about a year) my original 16/32 started tracking again… back to first principles and after I cetered the second time it held till I sold it (upgrade to my oscilating 22/44) some 2 years later…

My latest has never been touched since the first attempt in 5 years.

Maybe I got a straight one before all this political correctness got bent out of shape.
 
#21 ·
I've had a Performax 22-44 since the early 90's and think I was one of the first to purchase one in Georgia. I bought mine from Highland Hardware at an IWF show in Atlanta.

My belt did the same thing and still does the same thing sometimes. I got tired of fooling with it and just let it wander when it wanted to with no sanding issues. I spent a couple of hours on their support with it and never came up with a fix for it. They offered to replace it with another one but I didn't want to have to drive to Atlanta again so we left with if it gets worse I'll exchange it.

In all the many years I've owned it and worked it almost everyday, I've replaced the belt on it one time and that was back in about 2004. The best I can remember the new belt cost me $64.00.

I used it today and it did it's wandering thing and I just kept on sanding.
 
#22 ·
LBD I've done that. Bruc101 The problem with ignoring it, if the edge becomes frayed it won't respond to tracking. This is according to Supermax support.

Personally, I think its a flaw in the machine. Maybe bigger rollers would help?

Not that big an issue, I just stay vigilant.
 
#23 ·
i have the 16 and the 22 wide, and have had issues with the tracking, its patience and fortitude to work it out, have replaced one belt due to one of the rocket scientist in the shop leaving it outside in the sun one summer day, the glue holding belt together let loose, who'd thought, any event, our problem seem to be on very small pieces run thru on an extended run, the bigger pieces never seem to create the issue, but after tighten, loosen, tighten, a few unsavory words floating around and a few months of trying (it wasn't used every day). finally figured it out, now if they only made the inside sanding belt keeper a little easier to set, for fat fingers, i'd love that
Rj in az
 
#24 ·
I used it today and it did it s wandering thing and I just kept on sanding.
This is what I was doing with my old (original) belt. I couldn't see any evidence of harm. The new belt is an abrasive surface. Just while I have dialing it in I can see residue from the rub blocks on the belt. If I can't get it to behave I'll go back to the old one and let it drift.
 
#25 ·
I have a jet 1632 drum sander; I noticed that MLK in this group was having the same problem with his unit as I am now having. The sand paper keeps flying off (even when initially it seemed tight on the roll). I have gone through 7 rolls now and it is frustrating. Any idea on why?
 
#26 ·
i've had it do the same, but i did not actually have it in the paper clamp on the motor size correctly, felt like i did the several times it happened, but its a pain with getting it in correctly at least it was for me, now i can see how i screwed up, hasn't happen since i used a little mirror to ensure i got it in the clamp correctly
rj in az
 
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