Abrasive Sanding Belts

Belt sanders which use abrasive sanding belts are man’s answer to countless hours spent manually sanding a piece of wood down. We’ve all used sand paper by hand, and for those larger jobs it can lead to pains in the hand, arm and shoulder. Thankfully there is a power tool available to help with the job – the abrasive sanding belt, and it has many benefits over using sand paper by hand.

• Leaves a smoother finish.
• The paper does not tear as easily.
• Much faster rate of sanding.
• Can be used on many material types.
• Does not leave your body aching.

With all those benefits listed above you would have to be stupid not to be using such a tool, with the cost as nominal as it is, it’s a wise investment for your toolbox.

What is a belt sander?

A belt sander is a specialised power tool which can take the manual work out of sanding. Generally people will use it to sand down wood (and other materials) to a fine and finished state. The tool uses an electric motor to turn drums at either end of the tool which has a loop of sandpaper attached. The turning of the drums then makes the sandpaper rotate around (like the tread on a military tank for example) and it is this fast movement which causes the friction which is known as sanding.

Because the sanding down of wood creates a lot of sawdust, there is need for a collection system. Portable varieties of the belt sander will include a bag attachment which collects most of the saw dust, where workshop based belt sanders may connect to an air filtration system.

What is an abrasive sanding belt?

The abrasive sanding belt is a special type of sandpaper which is crafter into a loop (or belt). This loop of abrasive sandpaper is then attached to a belt sander, as these tools vary in size so will the sandpaper. It is always best to read the instructions of your sander to ensure you purchase the right size paper. When attached to the belt sander and powered on, the paper rotates around which ensures even use of the paper (unlike a hand job, where certain spots will wear down).

What does abrasive mean?

When we talk about abrasive sanding belts, we are referring to the surface of the paper on the belt itself. Each piece of sandpaper has a grit, which means the size of the material stuck to the surface of the paper. Generally the larger the grit, the more harsh the sanding will be. You may want a larger grit for removing paint but a very fine grit for polishing. The abrasive aspect is actually referring to the grit of the sandpaper and its effect on the material being sanded. Sanding belts are abrasive because they will wear down material and create a more smooth layer, a cloth is not abrasive because it does not remove from the material itself, it simply wipes away dust particles and so on.

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