Question
I have a Performax 25" drum sander. The paper always creeps. Sometimes it doubles, other times it gaps. How can I prevent that from happening? Should I use something like 3-M spray adhesive on the drum before installing new sanding medium?
Forum Responses
(Solid Wood Machining Forum)
From contributor P:
I had one of those once. You have to make sure that the paper is stretched as tight as you can get it before clamping the end of the paper in the spring-loaded clamp (I think that's the one on the right side of the drum). New paper will stretch slightly as it's first being used, and the spring clamp is supposed to compensate for that, but it will only do that to a limited extent, hence the need to pull the paper as tight as possible. I also found that the edge of the slot where the tapered end of the paper has to make a 90 degree turn down to the clamp is sometimes very sharp, and the paper can hang up on this edge. Take a small mill file and round that edge slightly, to a smooth round, in order to allow the paper to be pulled tight by the clamp. I also checked the paper after about 5 minutes of sanding to see if it needed to be snugged up a little. That would usually take care of it, for the life of that wrap. I never used spray adhesive on the drum, and would be hesitant to do it because of potential problems cleaning it off when changing paper.
