Replies

1. 
   jmc | Dec 24, 2004 11:55pm | #1

   Dan- Not to hijack your thread but I have been wondering the same thing. Has anyone tried the Woodtek 13 wide belt sander? Its open ended like the Shop Fox so you could sand up to 26" and has a 3 hp motor and looks like variable speed (0-12 fpm). This seems like it would solve my problems with the proformax 16-32, lack of power and after an hour of continous use the motor gets so hot it shuts down. The price is $1150 vs almost $3000 for the Shop Fox, anyone with any input??

   Thanks

   John

1. 
   patternmaker | Dec 26, 2004 03:17am | #4

   I had the clone of the 13" sander that you are considering.It did a fine sanding job but I never was able to master the belt tracking system.In the midst of a cut,the belt would shift into the column and sparks would go everywhere. You might check to see if this problem has been corrected.Thank you,Mr.Croney,where ever you may be.
   Work safely ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬PAT¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

   Edited 12/25/2004 7:18 pm ET by Pat

1. 
   saddletramp | Dec 26, 2004 08:50am | #5

   You may want to check out woodmaster inc. They are a company based in Ks City Mo. Everything is made there in the good old U S. I have had excellent luck with their machines. Very well built and solid. Some one mentioned something about a cantilevered sander, open end, my advice is to stay away from those. They never stay square and in adjustment. woodmaster machines are a combo type, planer, sander, moulder, gangsaw. But dont let that scare you. You can get all of this for close to your $1600.  The best of luck in your search.

1. 
   cloctor | Dec 26, 2004 10:02pm | #6

   Save yourself the time and trouble, buy the Woodmaster. I bought the 26 inch one I think it is and absolutely love it. Change the paper in just minutes. Great people to deal with.

1. 
   dsp75070 | Jan 04, 2005 07:49pm | #10

   Thanks for taking the time to respond to my request about drum sanders.   I was about to order the Grizzly but received so many positive responses about the Woodmaster that I changed my mind and will be ordering it instead.   Take care and thanks again.

2. 
   patternmaker | Jan 05, 2005 01:27am | #11

   Dan: Some years ago I bought and used the early edition of the woodmaster.It was an excellent machine and as a sander,I thought the results were first class. My only fault was that it used sticky back abrasives and I never was able to remove one grit without tearing it up. This made the changing of grits an expensive matter. This fault may now be corrected.
   I added a pair of internal partitions to the inside of the dust hood to redirect the path of the dust laden air to the dust collector.Woodmaster advised that this would be added to their new models. If I needed another sander,this is the one that I would add to the shop.I assume that the current models have a newer abrasive retention system.Thank you,Mr.Croney,where ever you may be.
   Work safely ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬PAT¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

   Edited 1/4/2005 5:29 pm ET by Pat

3. 
   biosf1 | Jan 05, 2005 06:21am | #13

   Pat, have you updated to hook and loop type system with the woodmaster, That is the way mine came when I bought it back in 1989. I have had to replace the hook adhesive a few times, I found not to allow someone that knows nothing about the machinery to run it while you are not around to watch over them. They had the bed set up to high and took the sand paper and everything right off the drum.

   I replaced the hook material from woodmaster the first time and then found another resource for it in a fabric store after I found the cost was about 1/2. I found in the drapery dept, they sell self adhesive rolls of hook material, It's not as wide, but works the same. I buy my sand paper through Klingspor's in Hickory, NC. order on line http://www.woodworkingshop.com

   I like Klingspor's better, their rolls are 3" wide. I haven't found a thing I don't like about the woodmaster planer/sander.but maybe the depth gage, and I changed that. I have the 18" and I'm a furniture builder, self employed, 20 yrs exp.

   Furniture By Douglas , Grand Rapids, Mich

4. 
   patternmaker | Jan 05, 2005 07:38am | #14

   I suspected that the new units used the velcro system. I sold several of my old pieces to a shop in Clarksville Tn.some years ago.I replaced it with one of the open end units.I do not do production work in my shop.If I did ,I would have one of the wide belt units.The Woodmaster unit that I had was a sander only.It was not a combination machine. I hope thar 2005 will be good for all of us.Old age has limited what I can do,however I still putter around an hour or so each day.Thank you,Mr.Croney,where ever you may be.
   Work safely ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬PAT¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

   Edited 1/4/2005 11:41 pm ET by Pat

2. 
   JMartinsky | Jan 04, 2005 04:56pm | #8

   Dear Saddletramp,
   Nice handle! I was wondering about the "Woodmaster" machines. I have read about them and even spoken with them on the phone and I agree that they are easy to talk with. My questions are whether the "combo" idea has merit. I build cabinets proffessionally and I like the idea of a sander, but will thier planer/ sander combo cut it or no? My other concern is change over. To make the sanding worthwhlie, I think that I would need the 25" machine, but, that hood looks sort of heavy. What machine do you have? Thanks,John

2. 
   bones | Dec 25, 2004 12:32am | #2

   If you are going to buy Grizzly, get it before 1/1/05. Prices are going up considerably! The tablesaw I got this summer is going up almost $200.00. I have had my eye on the horizontal boring machine and there was a thread here recently speaking about the price hike. I called cs and they confirmed that it could be as much as 20%. Just passing along the info.

1. 
   Jellyrug | Dec 25, 2004 09:13pm | #3

   Bones,

   Interesting developments, and to be expected with prices of steel, but mainly the weaker Dollar having an effect on imports.

   Local manufacture will not see nearly as much price pressure as imports, the latter applying to everyone having equipment made outside the US. This is a good opportunity for those very few companies who still make everything in the US and who knows, perhaps by 2006, we will see some real competition from them.

   IMHO I don't see the Dollar improving in 2005.

2. 
   dsp75070 | Dec 31, 2004 01:43am | #7

   Thanks for the reply on the drum sander.   I am going to be ordering the Grizzly drum sander on amazon.com today! 

   Take care and have a Happy New Year!

1. 
   FineBlade | Jan 04, 2005 07:22pm | #9

   This may be too late, but General International makes a 25" sander that was the best in this category IMHO, although I believe Grizzly has improved theirs. regards, daniel

3. 
   fbr | Jan 05, 2005 04:44am | #12

   Dan, sounds like you already decided but this is for all the others having the same questions.  I recently went thru the same delima wondering what sander to buy.  Was ready to spend 2100 for a woodmaster until I found it had only one drum.  I ordered the Grizzly 1066Z and have been VERY pleased.  It is one of my most valuable tools.  It sounds like they have corrected many of the past complaints.  Sandpaper is hook and loop and easy to load, dust collection is excellent with each drum having separate pickup, excellent belt, lots of power at 5hp, ready to go out of the box (a big, very heavy box).  I put big castors on the bottom and a removable dust connection and can move out of the way when not needed.  Spent the rest on a 8 by 75 grizzly jointer which is also an excellent machine. (I'm not a spokesman for grizzly, have a delta unisaw and laguna 16 bandsaw).

4. 
   TPZ | Jan 05, 2005 09:19am | #15

   Dan,

   This may be too late to help, but I thought I'd share my experience. I used to have the Performax 16-32, which was a good sander - easy to adjust and sanded and stacked boards would literally stick together because they were so flat. It ran flawlessly for 6-7 years until I moved and sold it.

   I upgraded to the Performax 22-44 benchtop (no stand) in my new shop with the intent of building a cabinet to set it on with storage, in/out feed tables, and other features I've learned that I need. Anyway, I've used it for a few months now and am VERY pleased. It's got a double capicitor 1 1/2hp (I think) motor that is very powerful and the "sandsmart" automatically adjusts the feed rate. (I tripped a breaker or two w/ my old sander, so I appreciate the fool-proof-ness of this feature.) I'm also glad that I got the benchtop version because it has a very beefy cast-iron base that I'm not sure the stand model comes with. Plus, I think the benchtop model is $100 cheaper.

   Anyway, just wanted you to get some feedback on the Performax, also. Hope this helps.

   Tony

5. 
   jvincenzo | Jan 10, 2005 10:29pm | #16

   For what it's worth, I've got the General 24" drun sander.  While I have been happy with it, I never really use the second drum.  I would consider buying a more expensive singel drum than a less expensive double drum model.  Adjusting the two drums can be finicky and you almost always have to go over the final product with a ROS, so save some cash and get a single drum model.  I am having failry consistent problems with burning on the second drum.  I finally jsut gave up and use it as a single drum!