Please help me align sanding belts on my drum sander

[John Huber]

I have run a few hours on my new Performax 10-20 plus and I have a problem. No matter how hard I try to get the spiral sanding belts on tight, they seem to walk around. Eventually, it overlaps somewhere and leaves a score in the wood. I'm using Performax belts. What am I doing wrong?

[Steve Clardy]

Try backing off the amount of pressure. Takes lighter sanding cuts.

[Brian Hale]

I've got the 10-20 Plus and find the factory Performax belts are about 1" too long.

Start wrapping them from the left hand end and roll the drum as you go being sure the belt doesn't overlap the previous wrap. When you get to the right hand (motor) end there should be about 1" of belt left to stick into the spring loaded clip. If there is too much, it'll bind the clip which is supposed to keep tension on the belt.

You may need to trim both ends a bit (and maybe even some of the taper) so they don't bind against the slot in the drum. The key is to make sure the spring loaded clip can pull the belt into the slot without binding.

Does that make sense??

Brian :)

[Tony Falotico]

John, First Off I REALLY like my 10-20, great machine.

Back to your question, I load the left side using my fingers, carefully wrap the sanding strip, then use the TufTool that comes with it on the right side. I have a small plier that has a bent tip, after feeding the tip of the sandpaper into the holder, I grab it from behind and pull it tight then release the TufTool. Make sure your sandpaper tip is in the holder, it's hard to see and I have missed the holder. It's fairly obvious if you miss.

[Brent Dowell]

It took me a couple of tries to get the belts aligned right.

I really don't do anything special, just lock the left side in, wrap it around, put the tuftool on the right hand hold down, push the right side in and I'm done.

I do try and keep it wrapped pretty tightly as I wind it own.

Seems to work fine whether I use the performax belts or my homemade ones.