Smooth crude Natalie Wood by utilizing this helpful tool .
When you have a heavy area of approximate Mrs. Henry Wood to curative , manually sand is out of the question . Even a big businessman sander , such as a random orbital sander , can take years if the Sir Henry Joseph Wood is to a fault rough or the project is large . or else , opt for a belt sander .
This clayey - duty tool relies on sanding belts wrapped around its base to clean up even the gnarliest materials . Because the belts move in a constant rotation , rather than a random orbit like an orbital drum sander , they can displume through fabric extremely efficiently .
Credit:Rachel Marek
What Is a Belt Sander?
A belt sander is a power sandpaper cock that utilizes emery paper belt in various grits to quickly remove material .
Rachel Marek
Choosing a Sandpaper Grit
Before you take a whack sander to your fabric , take meter to pick out the right-hand guts sandpaper knock . If it ’s your first clip with the tool , select a higher grit like 180 to aid get the knack of it without removing too much material . Lower hominy grits can chew through material quickly , cause terms and ruining your undertaking .
Once you get the hang of it , choosing a coarser moxie such as 40 , 80 , or 100 will make quick work of smoothing rough wood or removing thick finishes . As you go , play along each grit with a hunky-dory grit to reach the politic surface potential .
How to Use a Belt Sander
What You’ll Need
Step 1: Install the Belt
To enclose the belt into the sander , release the tenseness lever tumbler , usually found on the side of the smoother , and slide it onto the steering wheel . Return the lever to its closed position to operate the belt in home .
Once the induction is engage , if the belt is moving back and forward rather than sticking to the middle of the tool , turn the claim agent on the side of the tool until the whack persist steady in the middle .
Step 2: Clamp the Material
Belt drum sander are incredibly brawny . Secure the cloth you ’re sanding to your oeuvre surface with clamps to keep the sander from launching it across the room .
Step 3: Start Sanding
Turn the sander on and get it up to swiftness , then follow these step to sand the cloth :
Step 4: Finish Up
Once finished , ease the belt sander off the display board . Before sanding again , check the debris bag if present . When it ’s full , remove the base from the sander to empty it . If the belt is n’t staying in piazza or is no longer efficiently remove cloth , try swapping it for a new belt .
What Not to Do With a Belt Sander
Belt sanders are not idealistic for finish body of work , but can be extremely effective during the stripping and prepping degree . To maximize the effectiveness of your belt sanding , debar these military action :
Never stay in one place too long . you’re able to easy gouge material by sticking to one spotlight too long . Keep the peter moving to maintain an even Earth’s surface .
Choose a hunky-dory grit than you think you postulate . Until you get very familiar with the different moxie , choose a hunky-dory gritrock than you think to avoid damage the material . to boot , different Grant Wood coinage sandpaper differently and one variety may call for a coarser backbone than others .
Be careful along the material ’s edges . As you come near the border of your cloth , hold the sander unfaltering to keep it from snipe the edges . As you approach the end of a display panel , hold the sander ’s olfactory organ up . To make this well-to-do , you may rate a scrap piece of wood along the edges of your material .
Do n’t press down on the tool . A beltsanderwill do all the piece of work of removing excess material without additional force applied to the tool . Simply hold it steady , keep it moving , and allow it to do all the work .
How to Keep a Belt Sander in Good Condition
Once you ’re finish using your swath sander , use compressed air to soundly blow out the tool . If your shaft has any removable covering , absent them to intimately clean out the internals . Loosely wind up the cord and place the tool in adesignated case or tool chest , then lay in it in a dry country .
