I had the opportunity to purchase a well-used 16-32 Performax Drum Sander built in 1998 and Made in the USA! And of course, because it’s well used it needs some work. Both motors are in really good condition, and I have done a lot of cleaning and scraping on this tool. But it needs some new parts. Specifically, it needs a new conveyor belt. So, this is a tutorial on how to replace the conveyor belt on a Performax 16-32 Drum Sander.

Tools and Materials

You’ll need to purchase a replacement Performax conveyor belt which is really a 100-grit sandpaper belt please make sure you check your tool to verify the dimensions. My cost was about $43. You’re also going to need potentially a set of ceramic belt guides. These run about 10 to $15 plus shipping. And of course you’ll need a screwdriver and possibly a couple of wrenches to take things apart.

Conveyor System Disassembly

The very first thing you have to do is to make sure the machine is unplugged. Always make sure your tools are safe before you start working on them.

You’ll need a wrench to loosen the two screws on each side on the belt idler. And then use the captive wrench on the tension nut to remove the tension on the belt.

Loosening the tensioner on a Preformax 16-32 Drum Sander

Taking the Tension off on a Preformax 16-32 Drum Sander

Next you will need to remove the four screws that hold the conveyor assembly to the bed. These are located at the four corners that are fairly easily accessible and require a large screwdriver. You could also use a ratchet with an extension.

Removing the Conveyor Assembly on a Preformax 16-32 Drum Sander

With the four screws removed, lift out the conveyor assembly and stick it on a bench.

Then with all the tension off the belt, the old belt will slide off. Put it aside and then inspect, clean, and repair the bed, the idler roller and the drive roller.

Removing the Conveyor Belt on a Preformax 16-32 Drum Sander

Conveyor Belt Installation

Open the new Performax conveyor belt and look inside. You’ll be looking for an arrow that points in the direction of motion. Making sure that your conveyor belt is pointed in the right direction slide it over the rollers. This could be kind of a pain because The conveyor belt probably arrived tightly wound. You’ll have to do a little bit of work to unwind it and get it flat enough to be able to slide over.

Installing the Conveyor Belt on a Preformax 16-32 Drum Sander

With the Performax conveyor belt in place you will need to install the ceramic belt tracking guides. These just slip in and are held magnetically in place at the dry end of the belt one near the motor and one on the opposite side.