What is up with Performax?

[Matt Meiser]

The links to Performax Power Tools that were posted back in February no longer work. And WMH has rebanded the drum sanders that used to be Performax to Jet. There is nothing about Performax on the WMH site anymore other than one empty accessories category. Somewhere I read speculation that WMH doesn't even own the name anymore. I'm wondering if the Performax line seen at Menards is already dead?

[John Scherzinger]

As I understand it(I'm in the industry), WMH decided a couple years ago to do some "brand re-assignments". Looks like to they wanted consumers to see the Performax sanders for what they really are, and have been for quite some time- JET. That left the brand Performax unused, so I imagine their marketing dept decided it would go well on their low-end bench-top tools which formerly carried the Wilton brand. As for Supermax Tools, they're the same guys that started Performax then sold to WMH. They're now back in the game with high-end drum sanders. *this is not represented as gospel, just what I see from my perspective*

[David Weaver]

Here's the lathe I saw. Everything that is red in the picture is plastic. Also notice the 2.3A motor. I returned a bigger drill because it was too weak.

It looks like this line is to compete with the low end Craftsman and Delta stuff. Also, if you click the "find a retailer" button, it goes straight to Menards, so I would say this is a Menards-only deal.

That lathe is all over the place with different brand names on it. Last I could tell, I saw one at Harbor Freight, who is notorious for making machines that you could only reason have serious power issues because they didn't want to spend the money to put more copper in the motor or something. There are boatloads of them on ebay, too - absolute pieces of crap. First I have heard of the performax name being on anything like that, though - we don't have menards around here (in pittsburgh).

I was at rockler a couple of weeks ago after seeing that HF wanted $160 for that thing, and fortunately, Rockler was selling the delta midi lathe for $199, which I think is about 6 amps. I wouldn't want any less power. I couldn't really bear to spend much more because the only thing I want it for is making chisel handles, but I wouldn't want to put a chunk of lignum in the lathe down the road to make a mallet head and have to take whisper thin shavings. HF calls 2.3 amps 1/3rd horsepower

It's a shame they sell tools like that for people to get and almost guarantee failure with, unless they're only going to turn pens.

[michael tosel]

I have a performax router and table combo and the router plunge lever wont lock the router. When I feed a board thru the router slowly slips down causing the bit to go below the surface of the table. ANyone know how to adjust the lever so it grabs tighter.

[Bob Willing]

I have been using this oscillating sander since Sept 2007. I use it on a production basis to make gun racks and It still performs GREAT. It is now more expensive than when I bought it back then. I would not trade it for any of the other available sanders.