JET 649005K 22X44 Plus 22-Inch 1-3/4 Horsepower Drum Sander, 115-Volt 1 Phase

List Price: $1,859.00 Discount Price: $1,374.99

Features:

• Zinc-plated steel tension rollers mount next to the drum to eliminate slippage
• Drum height and downward pressure are adjustable to eliminate snipe
• 1/16 inch per turn height adjustment for precision accuracy
• Thrust bearing height adjustment for easy adjustments
• Large, easy-to-use cast iron height adjustment handwheel allows both radical height changes and minute adjustments for extremely precise sanding thickness control

Accessories:
Performax 60-9036 36 Grit Ready-To-Cut	Performax 60-9060 60 Grit Ready-To-Cut	Jet 60-9080 80 Grit Sanding Roll Ready-To-Cut	JET 60-9100 100 Grit Ready-To-Cut	JET 60-9120 120 Grit Ready-To-Cut

Customer Reviews:

Very pleased. R.S. Goines maker of fine furniture [Posted on 2006-11-28]
After looking at the units offered by Delta and Grizzly and reading the reviews I opted for the performax. The machine arrived very well packed (it came in 4 separate boxes and was delivered by two different carriers on two different days AHHH!!!). I spent maybe an hour putting things together and tuning it up. The sander was out of parallel but this was an easy fix. After assembly I noticed the depth gage was missing. A quick call to WMH customer service and I had the parts in two days(they could not have been nicer).
My only complaint is the casters are inline and do not allow for turning the machine when you move it. As for tracking the conveyer belt it took about two minutes and has not moved since. All the complaints I have read about these machines lead me to conclude that the buyers were trying to cut too deeply and to fast. I will also say that abrasive planning is definitely possible if you go slow and take shallow cuts. I surfaced a 33"X48" butcher block counter top with this sander and the results were very impressive. Like very machine in a shop, you just have to take time to learn it and its limitations. I highly recommend this tool for any small pro shop or the very serious hobbyist.

Jet (Performax) 22-44 [Posted on 2007-10-12]
Just assembled my 22-44. Assembly was easy, It would have been even easier if I would have had some help, the drum head is HEAVY. When you are stupid you have got to be tough...
The unit was spot on and required no adjustments. Hooked up the dust collector and went to work. I am amazed, this machine is something I will never be without, and wish I would have bought one earlir. It takes the cupping of the wood out and NO snipe at either end. Couldn't be happier...

8 out of 10 [Posted on 2008-01-04]
This is my first drum sander and it does a good job. The only problem is that the drum head was not parallel to the base. It was frustrating to align properly.

My new workhorse [Posted on 2008-04-13]
I purchase quite a bit of tools from Amazon, but I decided to buy this sander locally. There was a sale and mini show going on, so I got 10% off, plus a rep from Jet was there and threw in some free goodies, and I still received the current rebate. That was in January. I've used it on several projects now and can offer an honest review of my experience with it.
First, I'd like to start by saying my shop has become more than just a hobby shop and is quickly approaching a full time business. I felt I needed to reduce the amount of time I spend sanding. Since I already own numerous Jet machines and have been happy with their quality and service, I researched their sanders first and came to appreciate the 22-44 Plus. Out of the box(s) the machine went together pretty easily and needed only minor adjustments to be perfect. Although it did have some minor hidden shipping damage, Jet corrected that promptly.
Next came the learning curve. This is my first "real" sander so a couple sanding belts got ruined by trying to remove too much material at one time. Light cuts are the key. The crank to lower the sanding head moves down 1/64" per 1/4 turn and this is a pretty good reference to use when sanding. Sometimes I take a little more or less depending on the size and specie, but usually 1/4 turn per pass is just right for average size boards.
I've not had any trouble changing belts. After doing it a few times, it takes about 2 minutes and I don't need to use the tuff tool.
The tracking for the conveyor was a little fussy at first. I just dialed it in close and occasionally have to make a minor adjustment. This is real easy to do as Jet has put small wrenches on the adjustment bolts on either side of the conveyor. It takes about 3 seconds to make an adjustment and it can be done on the fly. Usually 1/4 turn on one of the bolts does the trick and it'll be fine for a couple more weeks.
This sander will not totally eliminate the need to hand sand with a random orbital sander, however, it will greatly reduce it. Plus it'll flatten any unevenness. T
The sander will leave a linear scratch pattern similar to a belt sander, even with 220 grit, that will need removed before final finishing. I've found loading up my random orbit sander with a slightly courser grit, the linear lines will remove with a good once-over. For example, if I drum sand to 220 grit, I can remove the scratch marks easily with a light pass of 180 grit in the random orbital sander. Also, a sharp card scraper will remove the scratch lines from 220 grit pretty easily if you prefer scraping over sanding for final finish work. Additionally, I'd recommend sending the boards through the sander 2 or 3 times on the final pass without changing the depth of cut. It'll reduce the depth of the scratch pattern and make sanding/scraping easier.
Note- although I suppose boards could be thickness sanded, it would take a looong time, so keep the planer for getting lumber close, and then drum sand to final dimension.
I took the rebate check from Jet and bought the extension infeed/outfeed tables for the sander. They are real nice for longer boards, easy to install and very stout. When installing, keep them just slightly below (mine are .04", or the thickness of a piece of 80 grit sandpaper folded in half) the height of the conveyor or else it will not feed right. I highly recommend the tables.
The fit and finish of the machine is on par with the rest of the Jet tools I own. They do a nice job finishing their tools. This is probably the least important to me when purchasing a tool as I buy them to work, not to sit and be pretty. But still, I do take care of them and it's nice they look so good year after year.
The machine comes with casters built in to the base. The casters are fixed, so they do not swivel. Nice for moving the machine back and fourth but not so nice for moving around. I'm tall and need to raise the machine up a few inches to be comfortable anyway, so a custom mobile base is in the works.
The sander saves me an untold amount of time and produces smooth parts of equal thickness. It is connected to a Jet 1100 dust collector and sanding is nearly a dust free operation.
The machine is a joy to use. Plus, it's pretty quiet. I'd purchase it again without reservation. --dave

Great Sander! [Posted on 2008-05-01]
This is a great little sander. It surprising how often I find myself using it for various projects here and there that I would not have initially imagined. Works ok for sanding wide, heavy table-top projects, but if this is your primary interest, you'd probably be better off going with something larger. I find it ideal for sanding and finishing face-frames, raised-panel doors, stiles, and rails, and the like. I strongly suggest you get the in-feed and out-feed table.

Click here for more details and discount information...