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.
Turned out that, while the belts were new, they had been stored for a long time in a damp environment. A couple of new belts from one of the box stores solved it. I’m guessing that either time or humidity has compromised your belts.
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.
belt sander eating belts Related Question:
Why is my belt sander eating belts?
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 sanding 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.
Why is my belt sander leaving lines?
If the inside of your sander has a lot of dust, there is likely an issue with the machine and it often shows in the materials run through the machine. Excessive dust buildup can result in burn marks or lines on the workpiece. Dust buildup can also cause tracking issues and prematurely wear out the belt.
Why does my sandpaper keep breaking?
A reason why your belt could have popped could be because of excessive loading of the material being sanded. While this is not the most common, we have occasionally seen that foreign particles in the machine or a wide variation in workpiece thickness can cause too much pressure and thus cause the belt to snap.
How much tension should a belt sander have?
Most wood sanding applications (such as mould sanding using narrow cloth belts) require a belt tension of approximately 40 psi. However, there are some special exceptions. For example, abrasive planing operations using coarse grits typically demand belt tension in the range of 70 to 90 psi.
What can you do with a belt sander?
Belt sanders are multiuse tools. They are commonly used for trimming to a scribed line (photo), sanding very rough surfaces, leveling surfaces (like a replacement board in a hardwood floor) and freehand rounding and shaping.
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 prevent belt marks?
Make sure your contact roller has the proper rubber hardness (durometer) for your application. We recommend a durometer of 60 for most sanding applications. Harder contact rollers will take off more material but they are also less forgiving increasing the likelihood of unwanted marks. Use a platen for finish sanding.
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.
Why must the belt sander be used with the grain?
With a belt sander, you can sand parallel to the grain of the wood. This will produce a smooth finish free of scratches and tiny blemishes.
Can a belt sander be used on concrete?
Do not let the slurry dry on the concrete because it will harden in place. If you only have a small area to sand, you can also use a palm sander, orbital sander or belt sander. Rough imperfections may require the use of a special diamond disc and a concrete floor grinder.
How do I know what size sanding belt I need?
dimensions listed width/length) Wrap it around the belt sander the same way you would put a belt on it. Cut the string so the ends meet up and then measure the string from end to end. To determine the width of the belt, you can measure the width of the roller or contact wheel the belt will run against.
What kind of sandpaper do you use on a drum sander?
Most times, I have either 80 or 120 grit paper on the drum. This grit is perfect for removing milling marks from the planer. And although I recommend against heavy thicknessing, these lower grits will certainly allow you to sneak up on the exact thickness you are looking for.