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Belt sander belts

Sophiedoc

Cast Iron
Joined
Jun 12, 2004
Location
Missouri
One of the handiest and most used tools I have is a "1 inch" belt sander.Original belts seemed to last forever.Went through some new Grizzly purchased belts very quickly from the glued lap becoming unglued.Glued some with Gorilla Glue which was better than the original but still failed fairly quickly.Is there a better glue or a better brand of belt?
 
Howdy Sophiedoc, As most of us learned, the inexpensive sanding belts are about a one-time use item. So, switch over to a name brand, when you see how long they last, you will find out that they are "less expensive" in the long run!. I still have a couple "cheapies" laying around, mixed in with my name brand, quality belts, and everytime I throw one on, instead of throwing it out, I get irratated. They may last about a minute, and, time to replace it, again, I hate that. Obviously, this is true with any type of abrasive - belt, sheet, roll, drum, disc, etc., buy quality, and be happy!. I quess this shows that most all American made abrasives are the best, though I would think their are some quality imports, but I am not familiar with any of them. Well, go thru your catologs and place your order now!!...
 
I am using the Zirconia belts and have been impressed with the life i get.They cut very quickly when new so I cycle them and use worn belts for polishing.
 
I really like the zirconia belts from Klingspor- we run em on all our belt sanders, stationary and portable.
I use them exclusively on the little 1 1/8" x 21" makita sander as well.
they last a long time, and cut anything.
I think they are called CS411 at Klingspor.
http://www.klingspor.com/
$50 minimum order if you set up a commercial account, and you get wholesale prices. I buy PSA discs, hook and loop discs, belts, flap discs for little grinders, and just plain sandpaper from them.
Or, retail prices, they sell to anyone thru their hobby division.
http://www.woodworkingshop.com/
Mail order em, they make em up to order in any size or grit, and they get to me in about 3 or 4 days.
 
Thinking of trying the Klingspor on my 2" X 72" square wheel grinder. One quick question. Does the glued joint act like a "bump in the road"? I have used 3-M and another brand that in the finer grits have a definite bump. It's very annoying in doing finish work.
Thanks in advance.
Richard
 
I have a cheap 4” belt sander. The belt that came with it was unusable because they overlapped the seam. Replaced it with a belt that has the seam butted together, rather then overlapped. Works a lot better now. Now that’s one more thing I have to keep in mind when buying new belts.
 
I'm no expert but have the idea that fresh belts keep their glue joint better than aged belts. perhaps humidity or heat over time degrading the joint.

Any opinions?

Northernsinger
 
I always order butt-spliced belts. I have 3 2X72 belt grinders in the shop and run nothing but butt-spliced belts on all 3. They run smoother and do not have the "bump" you get with the cheaper lap-joint belt. This is critical when sanding with a platen. When using a contact wheel the joint is not as important, I just make it a habit to always ask for a butt-spliced belt.
 
Another tip with a belt grinder. If you use a platen on your belt grinder and do any fine finish work with it go to an auto supply and get some 3M two sided tape and some sheets of cork gasket material. Clean the platen with a solvent and put the cork on with the 3M tape. This will put just a little "cushion" to the platen and results in a lot finer finish on your work. Also eliminates any bump from the belt. The first time I tried it I was really suprised how good it worked and how long the cork will last.
 
As a further step to reduce heat buildup, spray the platen (cork covered or not) with that graphite-bearing spray. Seems to extend the life of the belt glue-joint.
 
Several of the woodworking mail order folks sell the graphite pads specifically for the 6x48 belt sanders, very effective. especially with the 'blue belts'.

Klingspore rules. I use them for everthing from sheets to hook & loop to the 6x132 horizontal belt machine.
 
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On the Burr King (2x48), mostly for heavy stock removal, either the blue Zirconia or the reddish Ceramic (mounted on the machine) work well.

Tru Grit has small minimums, good prices http://www.trugrit.com/

Econ Abrasives ((800-367-4101) in Frisco, TX has no web site but offers low prices & fast service. Will custom make any belt, any size, any grit.

Supergrit http://www.supergrit.com/ is really hard to figure out. Some items are brand new overstocks from big names (Norton, 3M, Klingspor, etc) - these are superb. Other times, some belts are made in-house and the joint is rough, edges don't match, etc. Can't beat the price, fast shipping, no-hassle return policy even if you use something & it breaks.

Nonwoven belts are great for blending, deburring softer parts, and producing a satin or a brush finish. None of the cheaper belts are worth a nickel IMO. In 2x48, around $13 to $15 buys a good belt that lasts until all the weave is gone.

Film belts, like the 3M TRIZACT, are long-lasting & cool cutting on hard to finish materials (composites, ceramics, some SS) http://tinyurl.com/dutva

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/guides/abrasive-belts.html

http://www.powersourcing.com/sg/abrasivebeltsforsanders.htm


________________________
Barry Milton
 








 
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