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I just got my Performax 22-44. What a beast! I will be setting it up this weekend.

What paper should I get? I plan on using it to finish thicknessing spruce and cedar tops, EIR back and sides mostly. I also plan on using it to level rosette's. That's about it..

Thanks,

Doug

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I thinkness everything to 80 grit on the sander, anything higher just seems to gum up. This way, I only ahve to change the paper when it needs replacing.Rod True38736.8244444444

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I use 80 for resinous stuff, 120 for the non resinous, and 180 for tops and Walnut.

I use 80 for everything. Russell is right in recomending the 120 and 180, ive used both for tops, but now adays im just to lazy to change papers

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Dubell, I was trying to buy some 80 today. Last time around I bought three rolls of 100 and it's just too fine for tough hardwoods. Of course it's nice to come back and do finer sanding later.

I'd think for spruce you'd be good at 100 or 120. I've not tried anything finer. Seems that you'll be hitting the entire guitar with finer grits as you go along. Many hit the sides before bending to higher than 100 grit, but possibly use a Random Orbital 5 or 6 inch.

oh don't be surprised. I've found many more excuses to use my sander. You will too.

Ok guys, thanks. How often do you need to change the paper and do I have to use performax paper? I spent $95 on Amazon for a roll of 120.

Thanks,

Doug

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Guitars...One's too many...Twenty is not enough.

Doug,

I have the same double drum sander as Bruce Dickey,a 24" General International. I started out loading it 80 on the front drum adn 120 on the back drum. That worked great for the spruce and cedar tops that I was milling. Once I started selling EIR I had to change, 120 will hardly get one B&S set down without resins starting to hold to the 120 belt. I now use 60 on the front and 80 on the back. I too am too like Lance and too lazy (not enough time really) to change. But for my own work I hit the sets with a DeWalt radom orbit sander before I put anything together, 80 then 120.

Good Luck!

Shane

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I have a 16/32 so the baby brother to your sander, depends what woods you are sanding as to how often you will need to change the paper.

Shane told me a good method for handling the more resinous woods, Run the feed flat out with 80 grit paper and take very fine cuts, the idea being to keep the wood as cool as possible.

I clean my belts with a belt cleaner to remove lighter deposit, when the belts get clogged I keep them and soak them in meths, tyo clean them, this was in the manual and works quite well, I use a wire brush to clean off the deposits, after they have soaked in meths, you can usually only do this once, and then the belt is too worn out.

On the paper mine takes 3" paper and I just buy cloth backed paper of another brand and cut out my own loadings, using one of the performax ones as a template.

Russell one thing I might add is to feed your stock sideways. I feed sides on as much on a diagonal as I can, backs fit 90 deg to the grain. Then finish up with light passes with the grain. It really helps to keep the paper from clogging. Clean the belts with spray can of oven cleaner. I spray it on in my basement wash tub. Let sit for 15 min or so then rinse and use a brush on stubborn spots. Hang up to dry. I use 60 -80 grit on resinous woods. Here is a good source for sandpaper rolls. discount_abrasives@yahoo.com Her name is Kim. Large selection and very good prices.

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Shane, what do you think about Lee Valley's sand paper ?
Any good for what we do ?

Serge

Shane, what kind of paper you running on yours?

I've been going to the place I got my machine Ballew Saw and Tool in Springfield Missouri. Herme german papers, at $45 a 100 foot roll. It is special in that it is 4 inch, most machines run the 4 1/2" paper.

The Woodtek machine a general look a like, runs 3 inch paper. I bet our Generals would too, but haven't tried it. Anyway, just wondering. The Woodtek machine is 1195 where the general is now 1700 or more. They look identical except for the John Deere paint job.

Thanks Bob

I never thought of Oven Cleaner

My sanders not big enough to do the top sideways, but I do angle them.

I also have a 22-44 and used to buy the performax paper.   A couple of months ago I did an ebay search for performax paper and was pleased to be able to buy enough paper to cover the drum 25 times for under $100, it was an assortment of grits, but I believe you can get whatever assortment you want. Beware, most of what comes up on the search is a brand of condoms, may have to sort through that. Good Luck, Tom

Serge

If you are looking for drum sander paper you may want to try www.sanpaper.ca. That is where I have been buying mine for my performax 16-32. I use 80 for most everything and sometimes finish the tops with 150.

Josh

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Bruce I've been running 3" on mine. Works fine, you just have to take the time to figure the start/finish angles. I buy my rolls from Kingspor.

Paul, I made a template for the four inch. Okay, it's good to know that it does work. I just hate being locked into one brand and the High Price of the Herme paper. This gives me options, thanks Paul! That's what the old boy in Albuquerque said yesterday, three inch for the Woodtek, I figured the same for the General.

These things sure beat a hand plane.... of course that might be different if I had a Tormek?

I'm in the 60-80 grit camp also. I have a Griz 24" double (upgrade model that I stripped off the "hook and loop crap" so it would sand level), a General 24 double (my fav 'cause I can run 5" long subsrate thru it), a Woodmaster 25" sander/planer, an oscilating edge sander and a Delta 18" sitting by the shop door so I can throw my coat on it and stack outgoing packages on. I use paper from Grizly and Klingspore depending on what I'm doing. The key is getting strong backed paper so it doesn't stretch in use. Don't cut corners on paper just for cheaps sake

Like Bob, I wash my papers but use a high concentrated citrus cleaner off the store shelf, a brass brush and garden hose. Works great.

Try not to overheat the substrate as that gets the resins into a "fluid" form that transfers to the paper. Angled feeding is a good help like Bob pointed out.

Seems like I need to get some 80 grit. I final sand my guitar assembled just before finishing. If I do this, do I need the 120 grit, or are the 80 grit grooves too deep?

Thanks,

Doug

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Guitars...One's too many...Twenty is not enough.

Doug

I am probably misunderstanding what you are saying

Your not planning to put an assembled guitar through your drum sander ?

I final sand with a Random Orbital and by hand........so do I need 120 at all?

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Guitars...One's too many...Twenty is not enough.

Doug, that was funny

Maybe I should try that....running a whole guitar through my sander

Just kiddin'

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Doug

You can still use the 120. If you don't it just means more work with the hand sander. I often clean up the 80 grit lines with a few light passes of 150. It saves time with the orbit sander.

josh

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Doug

I was hoping that was what you meant, was just fearful you where going to stick the whole thing in the drum sander

The reason I use the variaty of grits I do is I find that 80 is a bit severe for some woods, but then there are plenty of guys here who get along fine with it.