Racing and Turning Wood to Dust with a Belt Sander | Tools Rule! | Toologics.com

Aug 30 2007

Racing and Turning Wood to Dust with a Belt Sander

Written by Jude Herr

Thursday, 30 August 2007

If you like to quickly reshape wood and also destroy the competition, then a high quality belt sander could be your new best friend. If you haven't yet seen Belt Sander Racing in action, you must go here now: http://www.accuride.com/bsra/.

On a more serious note, Belt sanders are not toys but potentially dangerous, flesh-grinding machines. With that image in mind, be careful when you're using one.

Features:
Belt Sanders come in a variety of sizes. Besides racing, they are used to remove large amounts of wood for shaping, flattening ridges or creating curves in the wood. The width of the wood and/or size of the area you are working will partially determine what kind of belt sander you choose. Other features to look for in a belt sander are variable speed dial location, how far apart the handles are, whether it is an in-line or a transverse motor, tracking mechanism adjustment, sturdiness of the belt release lever, dust collection, weight and noise.

Sizes and Dials:
Belt Sanders come in a variety of sizes, from 1" x 30" to 4" x 24" and more. The most common portable belt sander size is 3" x 21". A deciding factor in your choice though should be dependent upon what size of wood you will use it on the majority of the time and how much vertical sanding you do. Most sanders nowadays come with a variable speed dial. When deciding, pick up a few different brands and feel which one is more comfortable as far as hand placement. Then, look for the variable speed dial - can you reach it easily without moving your hands off the handle? If so, then you will be able to easily change speeds while you are sanding, instead of having to remove one hand or shut off your sander.

Balance:
Location of the motor can play a part in the balance of the sander. The motor's axis is parallel to the belt on the in-line machines while the traditional transverse sanders have the axis of their motors perpendicular to the belt. In-line sanders weigh less and can be perceived as more symmetrical and balanced. But again, the type of work you do will determine which one is better for you.

Changing the Belts:
The tracking mechanism adjustment is used to keep the belt in the middle of the platen. If the belt is too far in, it rubs against the frame. If the tracking is adjusted too far outward, the belt can come off completely. The tracking is adjusted with a knob located near the front roller. The increments of adjustment vary by brand and can take either several turns of the knob or a very small adjustment to create any movement in the belt. The release lever moves the front roller of the sander toward the rear of the machine, releasing the tension on the belt so that you can remove it. If you use your belt sander continuously, you will be changing belts quite often. This lever needs to be durable and easy to use.

Noise and Dust Collection:
All belt sanders now come with an optional dust collection bag. You can also connect a vacuum hose to the sander to mitigate the dust. Noise Level plays a part when using any power tools. But rather than worry which tool puts out less decibals, get yourself a good pair of earplugs. You should use them if you use power tools on a regular basis or you will likely loose part of your hearing.

The first belt sander used long ago was like a lawn tractor with sandpaper and a handle. DeWalt's solved a couple of common belt sander woes with the design on their DW433. They have implemented a clever three-wheel design that puts the motor right between the rollers, for superior balance. This placement ensures the lowest center of gravity. DeWalt has also machined the platen for dead-on flatness. The variable speed dial is conveniently located right on the back of the handle so you can reach it easily to adjust the speed while you sand. They've created a removable dust-collection unit in case you don't want to use it, and a shut-off to keep the waste from spewing at you. With rubber grips to reduce vibration, and a front handle that can be attached either on top or at the very front of the tool, this 3" x 21" favorite is versatile as well as comfortable.

The staff favorite at the Tool King Superstore is the Porter Cable 371K. This particular model is popular because you can use it with one hand and yet it contains a 5 Amp, 500 MWO motor, which is as powerful enough to use on hardwoods. The cord exit grip offers auxiliary gripping for various orientations. It also has a removable dust port for a cleaner workspace. It has a flush side for sanding up to perpendicular surfaces and a rubber grip which provides a comfortable non-slip surface.

Safety Basics for Belt Sanding:
To begin, hold the sander away from the work and start the motor. When the motor has reached the speed desired, lower it onto the piece with a slight forward motion. The front handle is used to steer while the back handle is used to control the sander. Let the rear roller come into contact first and as you move the sander forward, bring the rest of the base into contact with the piece. As you are working the piece, the sander should be moved parallel to the grain of the wood. Do not let the sander sit in one place or you will sand the wood unevenly and leave marks. Short, overlapping strokes produce the best results. Use the weight of the sander and not pressure to sand the wood. And, ALWAYS unplug the sander when you are changing the belt. Whether racing or sanding, the right tools make life more fun.