Wide Belt Sander
A wide belt sander is a power tool used to sand wood and other materials, consisting of a belt that runs in a circular way driven by a motor. Wide belt sanders are mostly used in the initial rough sanding process since they can remove considerable amount of materials quickly. Belt sanders provide the most effective, efficient stock removal of any hand sander in the industry.
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or for commercial use – Click Wide Belt Sanders-Commercial
A belt sander has two parallel drums underneath that are driven by a motor. A sanding belt or continuous loop of sandpaper is pulled around the drums to sand or level wood and other materials. Wide belt sanders are much rougher tools than most sanders and are generally only required for certain tasks which demand quick removal of stock or rough surface leveling. These sanders are often used to remove paint or other finishes from materials.
The popular belt sanders use 3″ to 4 ” wide belts, which belts offer greater working surface area on your materials. It is not difficult to make errors when working with a belt sander – if you lose concentration, it takes only one moment to lose control or remove too much material. Of course the more amps driving your motor, the more power you have to control. All operators of such tools should be comfortable and cautious with their belt sanders. Inexperienced operators may find it pretty difficult to achieve the precision of finish sanding, for example, with one of these bulky and powerful tools.
Stock removal on a wide belt sander is determined more by the abrasive belt than by the power of the machine. A wide belt sander offers greater abrasive durability and a smoother finish due to the increased area of abrasive material.
Wide Belt Sander – Abrasive Belts
Each abrasive belt is designed specifically to remove a certain amount of stock – if that amount is surpassed, the life of the belt is affected. You will need to use the lower grit belts for heavy stock removal (36-80 grit belts will remove approximately 1/8 inch to 1/32 inch respectively) and medium grit belts for lower stock removal (100-120 grit belts will remove approximately 1/32 inch to 1/64 inch respectively). Those belts in grits from 150 upwards should only be used for finishing – these are not considered cutting belts.
Belt Sanders do come in a variety of different designs and styles. Unlike the pedestal grinder, which has solid grinding wheels, the belt sander uses a flexible belt which is impregnated with a grinding medium. Belt sanders are designed for removing small amounts of material, like wood, plastic or metal. One of the main advantages of a belt sander over the pedestal grinder is that soft metals like brass, aluminum, and copper may be ground without causing damage to the disk or sanding belt.
There are two basic builds of Vertical Belt Sanders, those without ventilation system and those with ventilation system. Both models incorporate a continuous revolving belt that spins on two vertically positioned drums – one drum is stationary, and the other is adjustable for belt tension. Vertical belt sanders can be mounted on a pedestal or on a table as well.
The hand-held Belt Sander has a continuous loop or belt of sandpaper that stretches across two wheels, so that when the drive wheel is engaged, the belt spins and removes stock. It is excellent for thefirst phases of rough sanding jobs. Because belt sanders can remove a lot of material very quickly, many of the hand-held belt sanders feature variable speed controls, allowing the operator to adjust the sander to run at a comfortable level for the task in hand.
Wide Belt Sander – New Or Reconditioned?
Buying a new belt sander is a big and generally pricey investment, but if you are on a tight budget, or simply appreciate a good deal, there is an alternative – a reconditioned wide belt sander.
Reconditioned tools are simply power tools that have been returned to the factory for some often very minor defects. They are inspected, refurbished, and returned to the market-place. Since they have been returned to the factory, these tools can no longer be sold as new or at regular price and are therefore much less expensive. The only discernible difference between reconditioned tools and non-reconditioned tools might be a slight change or switch in the model number. Shopping for wide belt sanders on a budget may be an option after all!
For professional cabinet and furniture shops everywhere, drum sanders and wide belt sanders are the industry because, in one easy pass, the broad sanding surface on the belt or drum can flatten and smooth a large area, with great uniformity, and in far less time than any hand sander. A wide belt sander or drum sander can also be used for thickness sanding in place of a planer, without the risk of tearout.
