Q:. I recently bought a new belt sander and a supply of new belts. A:. Belt seams rarely fail, despite the friction and high-speed flexing that sanding belts endure. To rule out belt age as a possible problem, purchase what you expect to use within eight months to a year and store unused belts in a temperature-controlled place.
It can be incredibly frustrating when you pay good money for sanding belts then they break at some point of the process of using them. Paper belts are much more fragile than cloth backed belts and thus are prone to breakage. Going to a cloth backed sanding belt will prevent creases, tears and breakage in many situations.
07-09-2006, 9:37 PM #1 sanding belts breaking I think I might have set a record tonight……. 15 sanding belts snapped while in use, one after another. I remember reading somewhere that the adhesive used to join sanding belts will deteriorate after a period of time, and I suppose that is what happened here. After a few breaks with these, I figured that it was just going to keep happening, so I turned the speed to the lowest and kept on sanding, breaking belt, sanding, breaking belt etc.
Trying to diagnose and isolate the root causes for wide belt sander issues can be extremely difficult. In light of this difficulty, the abrasive technicians at Fintech Industrial Abrasives have compiled a list of the most common wide belt sander issues and their respective potential fixes. Constantly running workpieces through the sander in the same place on the belt can quickly wear out that portion of the belt and lead to loading and belt burning.
why do belt sander belts break Related Question:
Why do my belts keep breaking on my belt sander?
Heat, humidity, and age can contribute to belt seam failures, but they’re not the only causes. Check that your belts are turning in the direction indicated on the inside face. When not using your sander, release the tension on the belt.
Can belt sander belts be repaired?
You can also mend or make abrasive belts by this DIY method: Obtain some bias binding tape from a fabric store, or you can make your own. Then use CA adhesive to bind the bias binding tape to the cleaned edges of the sanding belt you want to make or repair. I have done this many times, and it works fine.
How tight should a sanding belt be?
Most wood sanding applications require a belt tension near 40 psi. Because the goal is to keep the belt from slipping, users sometimes err on the side of using too much belt tension. Several problems can result from excessive belt tension.
Can you cut sanding belts?
You can cut sanding strips from sanding rolls or sanding belts. Cutting from sanding rolls is the more ideal solution.
What type of glue is used to make sanding belts?
Lay one end of the belt, grit-side down, on the bench; then apply cyanoacrylate glue to the end of the belt. Lay half of the bias tape’s width on the glue, place waxed paper over the tape, and use a weight to press down on it for about 30 seconds, or until the glue sets.
How do you adjust the tension on a belt sander?
If the belt is shifting toward the side of the sander that the knob is on, then loosen the knob by turning it about half a turn counterclockwise. If the belt is shifting away from the side of the sander that the knob is on, tighten the knob by turning it about half a turn clockwise.
What size belt do I need for my belt sander?
Take a piece of string and wrap it around the sander as you would the sanding belt. Cut the string where it meets then measure the length of the string. This is your belt size.
When using a belt sander you should never?
1. Do Not use the belt & disc sander if you are too tired, hungry, sad, mad, or dehydrated. Never work while under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or any medication that creates drowsiness or impaired thinking.
Should I use gloves on belt sander?
Never wear gloves when using a belt sander. Many work gloves do not always fit tightly. This creates a situation where the gloves can actually become caught in the sander. You should always wear protection for your ears when using any type of power tool.
What are the 3 most important sander safety rules?
Safety Rules Dust mask advised. Don’t wear loose clothing or gloves, keep long hair tied back. Never adjust Sander or setup while Sander is running. Never remove guard unless authorized by Technician or WRL Manager • Setups requiring anything other than the standard sander equipment must be approved by supervisor.
How much can a belt sander take off?
As mentioned earlier, abrasive belts can only remove a certain amount of stock dependent on grit size. With a three-head sander you can run a grit sequence of 100-150-180 and remove approximately 1/32 inch in one pass.
What’s better orbital or belt sander?
A belt sander is more effective for large materials, while the orbital sander is ideal for small spaces and pieces of furniture. A belt sander works effectively on flat surfaces, while an orbital sander can work with various angles.
Can you use a belt sander to remove paint?
Belt Sander The handheld belt sanders remove paint from vertical or horizontal flat surfaces. Use this sander in the same direction as the grain of the wood. Large belt sanders are too heavy to use on vertical surfaces. Designed for floor and deck sanding, these heavy belt sanders work on large expanses.