Sanding Belts?

[WhoWhatNow]

What brand and grit of sanding belts do you guys use in your 6" X 48" sanders. I am going to set mine up soon before I start building my welding table and workbenches. I figure I will use it to clean up my cuts and possibly get mill scale off quickly.

 

[Jack Olsen]

I've got the 80-grit Harbor Freight belt on my inexpensive HF sander.

I was re-painting a Wilton vise and I saw someone had hammered in punch letters on it. The 80-grit took about 1/16" off of the vise's steel in a hurry. I was pretty impressed.

Of course, there are (no doubt) better belts out there.

(And I know, that color is kind of crazy.)

 

[Steevo]

I have 80 and 120 for mine.
I had to grind off one side of the heads on some 1/2" bolts a while back, and instead of the grinder I fired up the belt/disc sander and did it in seconds.

 

[rlitman]

I mostly use 80 in mine too.
While I prefer zirconia (usually it's a blue abrasive), I've not had luck finding that in 6x48 (I do have it in 4x36), so I tend to buy silicon carbide abrasive, since it is more aggressive (although it doesn't last as long as aluminum oxide). If you do get silicon carbide belts though, be sure to get ones that are non-directional, because you should reverse the belt as it wears (this isn't so important with aluminum oxide).

 

[machine_punk]

I use the brand from Home Depot (I cannot recall it right now, I think it starts with an 'N'). I seem to have pretty good luck with them.

I keep 120 grit on the 4X6 part of the sander, for grinding aluminum. I keep 80 grit on the disc part of the sander, for rapid removal. Now that I have written that, I suppose I should do the opposite...finer grit on the disc with the table for fine touch ups and courser grit on the belt for rapid removal

 

[rlitman]

That's Norton. They're VERY good.

 

[mjb]

My grinder is a 2x72 and I use Norton belts. The Blaze ceramic are the best, but pricey.

I also use the Norton zirconia. I usually keep a 80 or 120 grit belt on, though I do have a large selection to choose from.

 

[BD1]

I use the Harbor Freight 80 grit on my Powermatic. I purchased two packages from the same store and used the 20% off coupon. After looking at them closer at home, the numbers on the backside of the belts are different. The cardboard wrappers were the same but each packaged belts numbered differently. Tried one of each no problem.
Another member had problems with the HF belts. The seam or joint on backside was not flat or smooth but over lapped and had a bump. Both packages of mine are smooth, wearing well, and got my money out of them. Inspect them before purchase.

 

[WhoWhatNow]

Thanks for the relays guys. I was at Home Depot the other day and looked for belts but the biggest the had was 6 X 24. I'll have to try another store. I am a little surprised that people are using the HF ones and like them. I was under the impression that most of their disposables were awful. At least the ones I used were. Might be worth a try.

 

[ElectroLight]

I didn't have room for a larger machine, I picked up a Craftsman 2 x 42 belt/6" disc sander off CL, I set it up for metal with a 220 belt and 60 disc. Steevo, that Dayton is sweeeeet!

 

[OccupantRJ]

I mostly use 80 in mine too.
While I prefer zirconia (usually it's a blue abrasive), I've not had luck finding that in 6x48 (I do have it in 4x36), so I tend to buy silicon carbide abrasive, since it is more aggressive (although it doesn't last as long as aluminum oxide). If you do get silicon carbide belts though, be sure to get ones that are non-directional, because you should reverse the belt as it wears (this isn't so important with aluminum oxide).

MSC has Norton Norzon zirconia in 6 X 48. I buy them for work regularly. Damn good belts, and we show them no mercy grinding on bronze castings with them.

 

[Hammer1963]

I use Indasa, 3M and Klingspor

 

[Ign]

I generally use blue zirconia, whatever is most affordable from MSC or Enco - quite often Norton, generally 80 grit. Personally wont' bother w aluminum oxide anymore, seems to last about 5 seconds in a metal shop.

I think many of Norton's abrasive items like chop saw wheels and cutting discs for 4.5" angle grinders ****, but their sanding belts seem fine. Norton does offer multiple levels of just about everything, but I'm never willing to try their top dollar item just because their lower end stuff doesn't last as long as competitors.

 

[darkzero]

I also use Norton sanding belts but I prefer the 3M 348D discs on my HF belt/disc sander. Get them from MSC.

I use a 240g belt & 180g disc. I only use it for fine removal.

 

[fordcragar]

I've been trying different belts for a while, it you get good quality belts they will work better and last longer. The HF belts I would buy if everyone else is out and I need them that day, otherwise most of their abrasives are junk.

 

[BWS]

Just a heads up.........be careful with a cpl things.

Belt storage....we use 1x1 tubing welded to a 3x5 plate.This is lagged or tap-con'd to wall.Over these we slide "stubs" of PVC pipe about 12 or so inches long.Hanging belts on largish(4") pipe keeps from stressing joints.You can nest up to a dz or so belts.Also,......you can have smaller belt rack inside of larger ones.

The above 1x1 is the right size for typical mitre gauges.....so you can keep it right at hand,stuck in the end of a hangar.


The other thing is,don't get too many belts ahead.They seem to have about a 1 to 2 year life expectancy.The seams come apart.Heres another example of getting what you paid for.Better quality belts last longer in storage.I still don't buy too many in advance....get'm about 10 at a time,as needed.But thinking you found a deal on E-bay for cheap belts......not.They're probably old.

We're 50/60,80,100 here.And thats metal and wood....uhh,not on the same grinder please.We've got a 1/2 dz different ones.Occasionally will use 120....and almost never any finer.


Yeah Steevo,nice Dayton,BW

 

[uhohjim]

That's Norton. They're VERY good.

Home depot doesn't sell Norton anymore.........UNFORTUNATELY..........they now sell Diablo abrasives and the price has gone up by about 1/2..........Jim

 

[cnc-me]

Norton, 3M, VSM.
Usually have 40 grit on the 12" disk and 80 grit on the 6x48 belt.
A new belt or disk, works much better for sanding aluminum, if your sander has been
used for sanding steel. Aluminum is kind of like wood, and needs sharp paper before
it will cut well.

 

[weaponizer]

I found this guy to have great prices and fast shipping....

http://popsupply.bizhosting.com/abrasives.html

 

[PCO6]

... I use the brand from Home Depot (I cannot recall it right now, I think it starts with an 'N'). I seem to have pretty good luck with them.

I've used the Freud Diablo zirconium belts from Home Depot and they've been good. I have used them on my 1" and 3" belt sanders but I have not been able to get them for my 6" sander. For that I go to Busy Bee (... not quite as good).

 

[uhohjim]

I have 80 and 120 for mine.
I had to grind off one side of the heads on some 1/2" bolts a while back, and instead of the grinder I fired up the belt/disc sander and did it in seconds.

Thats a bad asss setup there........I need to get one of those.....Jim

 

[muibubbles]

i need to get a box of pads and belts like that lol..

im using the stock HF belt that came with the sander and its on its last leg (been using it with metal)

and for the circle disc ive gotten mine and enco...