Fintech Abrasives sells cleaning sticks specifically designed for sanding belts. Use an Old Shoe.We wouldn’t recommend this for larger industrial machines like a wide belt sander, but you can use the rubber soles of shoes to clean belts for smaller grinders or belt sanders. Once your sanding belts are clean, hang them on special conditioning racks near your belt sander, so that they remain acclimated to your workshop’s ambient temperature and humidity.
Abrasive sanding belts are too expensive to toss out every time one becomes clogged with wood dust. Take an old crepe-sole shoe and use its rubbery tread to clean the clogged sanding belt. Slowly move the shoe from side to side to clean the entire abrasive surface.
Below are some methods to quickly clean your sanding belts and some tips on proper maintenance to extend the life of your abrasive belts. If you work with wood or metal regularly, you’re well aware of how quickly sanding belts get clogged, and you’ve probably gotten frustrated at how expensive replacement belts are. In addition to knowing how to clean sanding belts, you should also know how to maintain and store them so you can get the most out of them.
If you lay your sander on its back then turn it on, get your shoe and sand away your gummed up sanding belt. This will provide you with a clean sanding belt and prevent you from spending tons of money on new sanding belts. You can also buy belt cleaners that do the same thing but i choose the shoe since it is free.
In addition to cleaning your belt with a cleaning stick as rockerpult suggested, you should also take a look at the material you’re sanding and the belt you’re sanding with. In can help to keep a block of wood that’s not prone to clogging on hand, and just run it against the sander when buildup starts. Some belts are coated with stearate, which is a sort of release agent that prevents clogging; using one of these could help.
how to clean sandpaper belts Related Question:
Can you wash sanding belts?
Fortunately, abrasive sanding belts can be cleaned and reused without much difficulty. The time you spend clearing or washing away all of that built-up material will be minimal compared to the cost of a replacement belt, which can add up to significant savings.