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My Performax 1632 sat unused for years. I used it for flatting disks for bowls. I just retired and am getting back into turning again. My conveyor belt came apart from the heat and age.
I ordered one from Industrial Abrasives.
No matter what I do, I cannot get it to track. I can have the motor side tight (the direction the belt is drifting) and the other as loose as a goose and it will still drift towards the motor side.
I may be doing something wrong. Not sure.
I loosened the four bolts (two on a side) that support the rollers and slid off the old conveyor belt. I installed the new belt.
I used the two adjustment (tracking) bolts trying to get it to track. No luck. I reread the instructions, and tightened the four bolts after setting some tension, and then tried to use the tracking bolts. Still no luck. I tried many different combinations many times. Nothing stopped it from drifting to the motor side.
Could the belt be bad?
Any technique or ideas would be appreciated.
RP
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the belt may be bad.
IME a conveyor works best if the tension is pretty equal on both sides first then make minor adjustments to get it to track
The only other thing that may be causing an issue is a worn or lost roller bushing
Might pay to look.
Joe
Let us not seek the Republican Answer , or the Democratic answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future John F. Kennedy
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The belt could be bad. Belts climb to the high side, but if it gets too high ,they scurry down to the low side.
A man of foolish pursuits
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(02-02-2017, 11:31 AM)JGrout Wrote: the belt may be bad.
IME a conveyor works best if the tension is pretty equal on both sides first then make minor adjustments to get it to track
The only other thing that may be causing an issue is a worn or lost roller bushing
Might pay to look.
Joe
My 16/32 has never tracked properly, and it won't adjust out. Several belts over the years. I've literally spent hours fiddling with it. I get it close, and then keep an eye on it. It'll be fine for several minutes of operation before it starts creeping again, and then I force it back the other direction.
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(02-02-2017, 06:31 PM)KC Wrote: My 16/32 has never tracked properly, and it won't adjust out. Several belts over the years. I've literally spent hours fiddling with it. I get it close, and then keep an eye on it. It'll be fine for several minutes of operation before it starts creeping again, and then I force it back the other direction.
have you checked the rollers for round and the bushings for the same?
It would not take very much on such a short conveyor to mess it up
Let us not seek the Republican Answer , or the Democratic answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future John F. Kennedy
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Years ago I purchased a conveyor for Industrial Abrasives and I could never get it to track.
I purchased the conveyor guides that come on the latest models and the replacement belt that is not sandpaper but a synthetic mesh. The belt is $100 at Amazon. Search for "replacement conveyor for Performax Sanders"
While the synthetic belts cost more they last much longer. I've had mine7 years so far.
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That's what mine does. It's okay for a few minutes and then you look and it's creeping over to the motor side. I've worked hours on it. I'm the original owner of it. It has seen very, very little use. So I don't think it's bushings. I looked at them.
This is the first time the belt has been replaced. It sat literally for years, unused.
I've reversed the belt, tried various combinations. No luck.
It finally ends up dragging on the guides on the bottom.
RP
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(02-02-2017, 08:01 PM)ridgeline Wrote: Years ago I purchased a conveyor for Industrial Abrasives and I could never get it to track.
+1. I also will take a look at the synthetic mesh belt. The extra cost sounds worth it.
I tried not believing. That did not work, so now I just believe
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I called Jet. They would not talk to me because I didn't buy a Jet conveyor belt.
I watched the YouTube video.
I went out to the shop. Sat down in front of the Performax and sprayed Silicone lube on the outfeed roller bushings and on the angle brackets it was attached.
The belt was always running off to the motor side. So I made sure the bolts holding the angle brackets were loose. I turned on the conveyor and started tightening only the motor side. Very controlled. Just 90 degrees or less at a time. I marked the roller so I could monitor the belts movement.
It took a long time. But as I continued to tighten the motor side only it stayed put. The belt was flat.
So the belt on the other side was very loose. I repeated the process, just trying to get the bulge out of it. About the time it started to flatten out, it started to drift. I stopped and reset the belt and slacked the non motor side alittle. Restarted it and tightened only a little.
It stayed put for now.
Well see tomorrow.
Thanks for your responses.
RP
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Jet.....one of my favorite companies!
there's a solution to every problem.....you just have to be willing to find it.
