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+-- Thread: sanding belts (/showthread.php?tid=7327570)
sanding belts - Farmerdave - 02-02-2017
I have a 3X21 hand held belt sander. Sander works good and belts track good. My problem is with the belts coming apart at the glued spliced joint. These belts are bi-directional. A few years back I bought some sears belts when on sale. As time went by they began running only a short time before coming apart. So I went to Ace hardware and bought a 2 pack and used one awhile without any problem. Fast forward about 2 years. I get the sander out and run a short while and belt comes apart at seam. I get the second belt installed and run about 3 minutes and it comes apart at the seam. Kinda seems like the glue deteriorates with age. What do you think? Any brand of belts that you recommend that will stand the test of time? Sander is a Sears brand. Can't see any obstructions that would damage the belt.
Thanks,
Dave
RE: sanding belts - fredhargis - 02-02-2017
Nope. They just fall apart after some time, usually a few years. You come out way ahead not keeping a lot on hand and buy them as needed.
RE: sanding belts - BacsiBob - 02-02-2017
I use a 6 x 48 stationary belt sander for plastic and aluminum. I have gotten one dozen belts every ~two yrs. from Industrial Abrasives. I keep them in their shipping box in a closed cabinet in my quasi-climate controlled shop and I have not had one fail.
RE: sanding belts - fishhh4 - 02-02-2017
Now you tell me
RE: sanding belts - MikeBob - 02-02-2017
I have had some 3M for 10 years, sit in a hot garage in the summer, cold one in the winter here WI. Never a problem.
RE: sanding belts - tomsteve - 02-04-2017
Kinda seems like the glue deteriorates with age.
on some brands of belts, yes, it does.
RE: sanding belts - JGrout - 02-04-2017
IME the width and length of the belts has more to do with failure over time. The joint is just too short and the adhesion seems to release with heat and friction
I was in a bind one day for a couple of 150g Belts and went to a local repair shop that had them.
I knew they would not last more than an hour when I took them out of the sleeve.
I expect they were 10+ yrs old and I was right they all failed at the joint in less than an hour
RE: sanding belts - Robert Adams - 02-04-2017
(02-04-2017, 11:50 AM)tomsteve Wrote: Kinda seems like the glue deteriorates with age.
on some brands of belts, yes, it does.
Yup. The klingspor ones I bought flew apart within seconds of use. The rep replaced them and said it happens allot. Haven't bought their stuff since. The lap joint ones last longer but have that bump during use.
Now I have cheap ones I bought at the woodworking shows 10 years ago... Just dug them out and they work just fine. I use 4x24 belts. Thought of getting the baby 3x 21 as its lighter and belts are more readily available locally when needed.
RE: sanding belts - Curlycherry - 02-04-2017
(02-02-2017, 05:49 PM)MikeBob Wrote: I have had some 3M for 10 years, sit in a hot garage in the summer, cold one in the winter here WI. Never a problem.
Well that is because you bought good quality belts with top of the line mylar tape. All other belts use junk adhesive and cheap Chinese mylar. Some of them don't even use mylar that has fibres in it that go the direction of the belt.
Although even 3M's belts will supposedly only last 10 years but I am using some I made myself 11 years ago and they are still going strong. And I am not a good belt splicer (doing it by hand) so if I can get 10 years, the factory splicers should be able to do the same.
If the tape peels off the backing, it is the resin/adhesive on the splice tape that failed.
If the tape splits in half, it is the wrong tape.
If the belt breaks just at the edge of the tape then the belt was skuffed too deep.
If the belt breaks anywhere not near the tape/splice, then it is the backing that has failed.