Supermax tracking issues

[Robert Engel]

The tracking on my 16/32 is all over the place. I constantly have to watch it, as I've already found out if you let it go too far the the edge gets frayed, you have to buy a new conveyor belt (according to tech support).

Got a new conveyor belt, same issues, to I loosened everyting up and started from zero. I thought I figured out the problem that I was tightening it too much (because the manual says tighten, not loosen to adjust tracking) and it seemed to do fine through a couple sanding sessions, but ever since and again today, it was tracking to one side.

Seems every time I use it I have to adjust the tracking. It just seems to me something is not right.

[Steve Demuth]

I don't have the same machine you do, but I have long had the same problem. No answers, but some suggestions:

1. The two rollers have to be co-planar. It should be impossible for them not to be, but I discovered on my machine that there was some warp in the cast iron bed that held the bearings, and until I addressed that, nothing made a real difference.

2.The driven roller needs to absolutely square to the belt path you're trying to achieve.

3. Belt material matters. Cloth belts are hard. Film based belts, although more fragile, are more forgiving.

Good luck. I know folks that have never had a problem with this that a quick adjustment on one of the adjusting screws couldn't solve. I know others, myself included, who never really achieve stable belt tracking. Something about these wide belts on small diameter rollers leads to quite a few impossible machines.

[Randy Heinemann]

Have you tried starting from scratch with all the setup steps outlined in the user manual? I have a newly purchased 16-32 that tracked perfectly from the start, but I think it's possible that something else might be contributing to your problem.

Also, I have had great success emailing Supermax support. I had some questions with regard to zeroing out the gauge which were responded to within 1-2 days by email with excellent answers, also referencing and clarifying setup steps that might alleviate my problem. I know that if I had any problems I couldn't resolve I wouldn't hesitate to email them again.

[Robert Engel]

Thanks Randy, yes support was very responsive on the first issue I have not contacted them about this one. I have learned I am not alone with this issue.

When I installed the new belt of course I started from scratch, and even loosened every thing again, repositioned the belt and re tensioned. I will check the manual, but it seems pretty straight forward.

[glenn bradley]

I just swapped the feed belt on my 19-38 and assume the process is similar (?). I tightened each side till the slack was out and then went a little more. After a while I saw that I was tracking “left” a bit and added a 1/4 more turn on that side.

The tracking doesn’t change rapidly like on a belt sander. Small changes seem to be the best and that was my only adjustment. It may be best to loosen the rollers all the way as if you were just putting the new belt on and start from scratch. The Laguna produced video recommended throwing away the ceramic guides calling them unnecessary. This I did NOT do.