Supermax 19-38 Drive Belt Change

[gee-dub]

My original belt lasted years. Finally it was time to change it out and I went with the Klingspor version. It lasted about a year and was never really very good and it is time for another change already.

Four fasteners remove the platen / motor assembly.

I also remove the "Fast Lever" before I clean out the frame area. The sawdust doesn't bother me so much but the abrasive cleaning stick residue is pretty gummy.

The Klingspor belt was 100 grit with an almost slippery thin backing.

The factory replacement is 100 grit with a heavy cloth backing that has some texture to it when new. I cannot say how long this rough texture lasts but it was pretty smooth on my original drive belt at 5 or 6 years (no surprise there).

The tension roller and drive roller were both pretty grimy.

A little alcohol, a brass brush and a cloth cleaned things right up.

I tape off the rollers and wax the platen.

They stopped making this stuff. Glad I got a lifetime supply on clearance when that happened.

A needle oiler puts a drop or two of light oil on the bushings and other moving parts as instructed in the manual.

I put the "Fast Lever" assembly back in position and set the conveyor assembly onto the front posts. I put the lever in the raised position and lightly tighten the rear fasteners.

Now I can put the lever in the normal position for use and raise it when I want to use it without loosening the rear fasteners. This method has worked reliably for a decade.
I check the drum alignment and, just as last time, find it unchanged. I love this part of their design.

I ran a few test boards. Just like a new blade or bit, the belt worked great. Over time there will be alittle bit of tension increase as the belt gets comfy. Once broken in I have never had to adjust the drive belt until it is time for a change.

[difalkner]

Good documentation and support photos.  I changed mine (same model) a few years ago and did basically the same thing.  I don't recall the belt I replaced the original with but it's still working so that's a good thing.

[Mark J]

I believe Minwax still sells paste wax.

[Chestnut]

On 7/29/2023 at 7:59 AM, Mark J said:

I believe Minwax still sells paste wax.

I think the Johnson users say they are different. I've only used minwax so don't really know my self.

Good write up on the conveyor belt replacement. Mine is a few years old and not tracking the greatest any more.

[wtnhighlander]

Minwax is a furniture wax, Johnson's was a floor wax. Different formulation, and apparently Johnson's was 'bad' in some way. I can't believe it was discontinued because of low sales.

[gee-dub]

I don't know about other areas but just before the last gasp JPW changed the formulation for California.  It was green, thin, and left a haze for me.  I tossed that stuff and luckily caught a clearance on the old stuff.

I used Guardsman furniture polish forever and recommended it to clients.  They too changed formulation (overall, not just Cali) years ago an I had to walk away.  Whatever happened to "don't fix it if it ain't broke"?

[Kylerporter]

Not sure how this will get out - I haven’t joined this forum but I was looking for some help and this site popped up -

 

I got my Supermax 19-38 sander from a local cabinet maker recently and replaced the conveyer belt on it as the other one had some city miles on her :

 

anyway - I can not get this new belt to track correctly. I can’t get it to track at all actually. It always pulls to the motors side . Even in the most extreme setting / tightness I’m worried I messed something up. 
 

it’s gradual and I can slow down how fast it goes to the right, but I’ve never got it to pull to the left … at all. Just always going to the right 

 

I even put electrical tape ( YouTube video a guy did this ) on the left side ( non- motor side ) wrapped on the roller to “thicken” the left side to help. Still nothing

Nyone have any solutions ? Maybe something I didn’t check or think about ?

 

 

[legenddc]

Did the conveyor belt work before without tracking to the right?

I would take it off and flip the belt to see if it starts tracking left.

Thickening the left side seems like it would push the belt to the right in my sleep-deprived mind.

[Kylerporter]

I flipped the belt - no joy I’ll work it and email the company  can’t be too crazy  just hoping for a quick fix 

 

I think it tracked. I just got this thing and used it briefly before the belt ripped apart 

 

a possibility Is that it was not tracking from shipment or some thing and it tore the belt off when I wasn’t paying attention

 

 

[gee-dub]

On 9/14/2024 at 7:57 AM, Kylerporter said:

I flipped the belt - no joy I’ll work it and email the company  can’t be too crazy  just hoping for a quick fix 

 

I think it tracked. I just got this thing and used it briefly before the belt ripped apart 

 

a possibility Is that it was not tracking from shipment or some thing and it tore the belt off when I wasn’t paying attention

 

 

Something terribly wrong here.  I have changed feed belts twice in the many years that I have used my Supermax-manufactured machine.  Tracking has never been an issue.  Tracking and drum parallelism problems being eliminated is part of what skyrocketed the 19-38 to fame.  The folks who established Supermax pretty much eliminated all the Performax, Powermatic, and "also-rans" drum sander issues.  That is how they became the de facto standard for small shops.  It would be a pity if the same bad judgements turned these wonderful machines into the very thing they were designed to eliminate.