Delta 31-255x User manual

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Delta 31-255x, 18-36” drum sander
1. Introduction - The Delta model 31-255x is an 18” x 36” drum sander with a two speed drive. The unit
can be itted with an optional outboard sha t that accommodates an accessory pneumatic drum or
contour sanding. The system will provide accurate sanding or wood up to 18” wide in a single pass, or
36” wide in two passes.
2. Safety:
a) Obtain advice rom the supervisor on duty i you are not amiliar with the procedures used with
this equipment.
b) A dust collector must be attached to this machine.
c) This machine is designed to sand wood or wood-like products only. Sanding or grinding metal
can result in ire, injury and/or damage to the product.
d) Check the eed belt tracking periodically to prevent belt run-o .
e) Clear the sanding area and the in eed/out eed tables o all objects prior to starting the machine.
Be sure that all tools, gauges and wrenches are removed orm the work area.
) Do not sand pieces o material that are shorter than 7” long or thinner than 1/32” thick.
g) Support all sanding work pieces with a table or additional support at table height when they
extend past the in eed/out eed conveyor.
h) Dress properly. Do not wear loose itting clothing, jewelry or gloves. Contain long hair. Keep
clothing away rom moving parts o the machinery.
i) Prevent the workpiece rom contacting the sanding belt be ore starting the machine.
j) Sand with the grain o the wood.
k) Disconnect the machine rom the power source be ore installing, removing or adjusting drum
belts, conveyor belts or accessories.
l) Some wood dust is irritating and can cause respiratory problems. Wear a dust mask or ilter
system i you are sensitive to wood dust.
m) Never leave the machine running unattended.
3. peration
a) Prior to any work, inspect the drum abrasive or tears and damage. I necessary, clean with an
abrasive cleaning stick. Members abusing the machine and causing damage to the sandpaper
should pay $10 or a replacement strip (2”w x 13’-2½”).
b) Connect the dust collection system to the 4” opening in the drum cover
c) Set table height or the stock to be run as ollows:
1) Using the thickness scale located next to the On-O switch, set the table to a thickness
slightly greater than the stock to be sanded.
2) Turn on the in eed conveyor belt to a slow speed. Do not turn on the drum at this time.
3) Open the drum cover and eed the stock into the machine on the in eed conveyor.
4) Once the stock is under the drum, slowly raise the in eed table until the drum begins to
rotate.
5) Remove the stock rom the out eed table and close the drum cover.
d) Turn on the drum motor using the On-O switch located below the switch shield on the le t side
o the machine. Move the switch up to the on position, and down to the o position. Normal
operating speed or the drum is 2210 sur ace eet per minute. This is proper or general purpose
sanding, stock removal, sur acing and rough inishing.
Note: I ine inishing is to be done on hardwoods, the drum abrasive should be changed to 120
grit, the drum speed changed to 3300s pm and eed depths limited to no more than 0.004” (1/16th
o a turn o the wheel at a time). This process should be repeated or 150 and 220 grit abrasive.

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e) Turn on the in eed belt conveyor by rotating the “Table Feed Knob” clockwise ¼ turn.
) Place stock onto the in eed table and guide it under the pressure rollers. Listen care ully to the
drum motor sound and reduce the in eed conveyor speed at the irst indication o a slowing o
the drum by rotating the dial counter-clockwise 1/8th turn.
g) As the work progresses, the in eed conveyor speed may be increased a small amount at a time i
there is no indication o strain. However, each thickness adjustment will necessitate repeating
the previous step.
h) Observe the in eed belt position on the slider bed a ter each pass to insure that the in eed
conveyor belt is tracking straight. I it is moving le t or right on the slider bed, suspend
operations and consult the Supervisor on Duty. Failure to have the tracking problem corrected
will damage and make useless the conveyor belt (Cost: $40.00).
i) Where stock being sur aced is 9” or less in width, run it at an angle through the machine to cause
even wear across the drum belt.
j) Periodically clean the drum belt using an abrasive cleaning stick.
k) At the end o the work session, clean the drum abrasive, the conveyor belt, and blow dust rom
the two motors and the drives
End
04/21/2008 HEI

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The following is additional information for the supervisors benefit and is not included in the
Shop Manual
For Supervisors only:
4. Changing the drum abrasive
a) Standard abrasive is 80g or 120g Alumina-Zirconia belting which is blue. This belt will cause
substantially less burning, especially when sanding Maple, Cherry or Mahogany because it tends
to be sel cleaning, runs cooler and tolerates pitch better than any other product.
b) I it is necessary to replace a damaged drum belt, or change to a iner grit, use the ollowing
procedure. Pleas review section 3. d) 1) above be ore changing grit.
1) Disconnect the power and dust collection system.
2) Open the drum cover
3) Press the spring-loaded abrasive clip located at the end o the drum (one at each end o
the drum).
4) Withdraw the sandpaper belt rom the clip and care ully unwind the paper rom the drum.
5) Release the clip at the other end o the drum and store the abrasive strip or uture use i it
is undamaged.
6) Cut a new strip o the desired grit 13’-2 ½” long. Cut a taper on each end o the strip that
extends 15- ¾” rom the end. Use the previous strip as a pattern to be sure that the taper
is in the correct direction on each end. I one or both tapers are backwards, the entire
strip is useless. (When looking at the strip rom the end, the right edge should be straight
as cut at the actory, and the taper should go rom the bottom right corner, up and to the
le t a distance o 15-¾”.) It will be necessary to clip o 1”-2” (trial & error) o the
pointed tip on each end o the strip so that it will engage the drum clip properly.
7) Install the new strip. Insert the point into one o the drum clips with the tapered edge
running along the end o the drum. Rotate the drum to wrap the strip on the drum taking
care to keep wraps tight and close together, but not overlapping. Insert the other end into
the opposite drum clip. Double check that the sandpaper doesn’t overlap at any place in
the spiral seam.
8) A ter running one workpiece, re-tension the drum abrasive.
9) Abrasive selection:
36g: aggressive stock removal, glue removal, rough sanding
80grit – general purpose sanding and stock removal
120 grit - minimum stock removal inishing, leaves ine marked sur ace
180 grit – ine inishing, leaves smooth inish
220 grit - very ine inish
Sanding should progress through all grits and should not skip a grit.
5. Replacing the infeed belt – this process requires removing the in eed/out eed table and will require
realignment o the drum. Follow instructions in the manual or request assistance rom the supervisor
assigned to the machine.
04/21/2008 - HEI