WMH Tool Group PERFORMAX 22-44 Plus, Owner'S Manual

15

Selecting Abrasive Grits 

 
The amount of stock to be removed is a major 
consideration when choosing the grit grade to 
start with. Grits of 24, 36, 50, 60 and 80 are 
primarily designed for stock removal. Grits of 24 
and 36 will remove the most material in one 
pass, whether you are doing abrasive planing, 
cleaning up glued panels, or flattening stock. 
Grits from 100 through 220 are primarily 
finishing grits designed to remove the scratch 
pattern from the previous grit used. For best 
results, never skip more than one grit grade 
when progressing through a sanding sequence. 
 
For fine work, such as furniture, try not to skip 
any grit grades during the sanding process. In 
general, premium quality abrasives such as 
genuine Performax abrasives will produce a 
better finish with a less noticeable scratch 
pattern. 

Note:

  Grits that are too fine can 

sometimes burnish the wood and leave a glossy 
surface that will not accept stains evenly. This 
will vary by the type of wood. Oak, for example, 
is susceptible to burnishing because of its open 
pores. 
 

Stock Feeding Angle 

 
The optimum stock feeding angle, when 
sanding, is at a 60-degree angle (Fig. 14). 
However, even a slight stock feeding angle will 
provide more effective stock removal, less 
loading of abrasives, longer abrasive life, 
potentially faster feed rates and reduced motor 
loads. 
 
When finish sanding, the work piece should be 
fed through in line with the grain on the final one 
or two passes for the optimum finish.   
 

Multiple-Piece Sanding Runs 

 
When abrasive planing (or thickness sanding) a 
run of similar pieces that you want to have the 
same thickness, it is best to sand all the pieces 
at the same time. This way you will be able to 
determine the thickness of the thinnest piece 
and process all pieces to that same thickness. 
Be aware that the sander will remove cups and 
crowns in the work piece; consider this when 
measuring the processing stock to the same 
thickness. 
 

Edge Sanding 

 
When edge sanding, the Performax sander will 
mimic the opposite edge of the stock which is 
lying on the conveyor belt. Because of this, it is 
important for the stock edge to have been ripped 
at the proper angle to the face before the 

sanding process. When edge sanding stock that 
is less than 3/4” wide, or more than 2” high, it is 
good procedure to stack and clamp several 
pieces together to prevent them from slipping, or 
tipping. 
 

Sanding Imperfect Stock 

 
When sanding stock with a cup or crown, place 
the crown up. This will stabilize the stock to help 
prevent tipping or rocking during sanding. (After 
the crown has been removed and the top is flat, 
turn the stock over and sand the opposite side.) 
To avoid personal injury, take special care when 
sanding stock that is twisted, bowed or 
otherwise varies in thickness from end to end. If 
possible, support such stock as it is being 
sanded to keep it from slipping, or tipping. Use 
extra roller stands, help from another person, or 
hand pressure on the stock to minimize 
potentially hazardous situations. 
 

Face Frames and Raised Panel Doors 

 
It is very important to have the proper abrasive 
contact when doing this type of sanding. If the 
sander is set to take an excessive depth of cut, 
the result can be a gouge, or dip as the drum 
goes from sanding the rails at full width to 
sanding just a few inches of width on the stiles. 
To prevent this problem, make sure that when 
using abrasives finer then 80 grit the drum is in 
contact with the wood, but can still be spun by 
hand. 
 

Monthly Maintenance 

 
For best results, perform the following 
recommended maintenance procedures on a 
monthly basis: 
 

• 

Lubricate the conveyor bushings and 
check for wear. 

• 

Lubricate all moving parts, such as 
threaded rods, washers, and bushings. 

• 

Clean the sawdust from the conveyor 
belt and sanding drum. 

• 

Blow the dust from the motors and 
switches. Blow the dust from the inside 
of the sanding drum to prevent vibration. 
Be careful not to disturb the drum 
balancing weights. 

• 

Check all the setscrews for tightness on 
parts such as bearings, the conveyor 
and couplings.