I have a performax 16/32 drum sander I bought back 20 years ago. Works great but today I ran into a problem and hoping someone can help or point me in the right direction.

Now I am not sure of all the terminology but the plate that holds the motor and rides up and down and is adjusted with the gib screws for ease of sliding up and down, the bolt hole that secures the handle when you turn it to adjust height has stripped out. It looks like the handle bolt needs to be replaced also. I probably should have greased this more often but it would operate fairly easily. 

My question is has anyone run into this??  If so what did you do?? Can that plate and handle rod be replaced??  If so where can I get parts??  If not is there a way to retap that hole and replace the rod?? I do not believe Performax is around any more. This sander is a big part of my shop so it is needed and a new one is over $1000. Thanks for the replys.

Not sure if this will help. Maybe you already have it-

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/631/2890.pdf

Not sure what part but Mine is all cast . Would have to look to see if there is a plate. By the way Mine is Jet but looks just like what Lew linked to, switches in different place and handle on hood different but that could relate to model. I am wondering if Jet didn't buy Performax because I think they once used that name in ads.

 

Looked it up and Jet bought Performax in 1999 bout 4 years before I got mine from Santa.

Yes looking at the link, on page 5 you see the plate that th threaded rod screws into. Well that plate is threaded and that is what stripped out and it looks like the rod itself needs replacing too. Do you have a number that I can call to talk to a rep??  

I thought Jet purchased Performax but then I remember Laguna Tools acquisition of SuperMax and I remember seeing their sanders that are really close to my old 16/32 I had but sold.

 

I just walked out to my garage and tried to find my Performax manual, I was going to scan it and post it here, but I could not find it, will look tomorrow. My Performax was sold a few years ago, but I still have the manual, found the video VCR tape but not the manual, and I swear I saw the manual just a couple weeks ago!

 

Here is the SuperMax

16-32 Drum Sander (71632) - SuperMax Tools

WWW.SUPERMAXTOOLS.COM

 

Here is a quote I found on the internet:

Quote

Performax, bought by Jet in 1999, which became part of the WMH Tool Group in 2002. That group of brands includes Performax, Jet, Powermatic, and Wilton.

Thanks. I will call Jet Monday and if no help will call Laguana

That part is called a "motor slide mount" and it's available for the Jet 16/32 from ereplacementparts for $111. There's no gaurantee that the Jet is identical to the Performax, but that is what happened to the brand. Jet bought them out and relabeled the machines to the their own name. In the meantime several of the folks who worked for Performax left the company after the buyout and formed their own business: Supermax, which is a near clone of the Performax. They (the Supermax group) then sold their business to Laguna Tools which promptly moved the manufacture over to Taiwan. I'd bet the Jet part will work, but that's a fairly big "oops" if it doesn't. I did notice that when i searched that Jet part number that M&M tools list it as $85, which is slightly less painful. But I think I'd start with a call to Jet, they might help (or not).

2 hours ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

In the meantime several of the folks who worked for Performax left the company after the buyout and formed their own business: Supermax,

That is some great history trivia Fred, thanks for that!