Most sanding belts are now made with a diagonal splice joint that is held together with a strong piece of special tape. Then use CA adhesive to bind the bias binding tape to the cleaned edges of the sanding belt you want to make or repair. His solution is to store new and used belt sander belts in sealable freezer bags until he’s ready to use them.
“First, peel the remaining factory tape off the belt splice. Cut a piece of cloth bias tape about 2” longer than the width of the belt. Lay one end of the belt, grit-side down, on the bench; then apply cyanoacrylate glue to the end of the belt. Wrap the belt around and repeat the gluing process to reconnect the ends of the belt.
Yup Drew, Lap joint belts have arrows, so the joint does not catch on the platen. Tod & Wes, I had heard that the shelf life of belts is not at all too long. Wes, I am thinking that the tape used to join these belts looks a lot like fiberglas strapping tape.
how to glue a sanding belt Related Question:
What tape is used to join sanding belts?
Apply the Scotch 8959 tape by using a small piece of swimming pool noodle or other firm foam/rubber like a squeegee pressing firmly and leaving overlap on both ends, make sure there are no air bubbles and the tape is perfectly flat covering both splice ends equally.
How are sanding belts joined?
Sanding Belt Basics The format of the belt is that a large or small strip/piece of the material is cut to a specific size and then the ends are brought together to form a loop. As you might expect, the joint is the point at which the two ends meet and are attached.
Why do the 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.
How can I make my sanding belt last longer?
Another way to extend the life of your belts is to prevent clogging and loading in the first place. This can be done with an abrasive belt grease stick that goes on the belt before use. These sticks have a lightweight grease that spreads a thin layer of lubricant over the surface of your sanding material.