Sanding belts: which abrasive material? (and other questions)

[SouthernChap]

So, now I have a reasonably capable belt sander (shown here: Post in thread 'What Did You Buy Today?' https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/what-did-you-buy-today.55645/post-1184362 ), I need to get more knowledge into my head about what belts I should buy.

I have a reasonably decent 6" bench grinder with a couple of Norton wheels on it (white aluminium oxide, one 60 grit and one 80 grit) but like most of us, I've enjoyed Mikey's epic thread on grinding HSS (may he be enjoying a blissful peace wherever he is right now ) and noted his preference for belt sanders.

So let's say I want to use this belt sander for HSS lathe tool grinding. Be good if I could also use it for general ferrous metal tidying and rough small radiusing too. Changing belts shouldn't be too onerous a task on this thing, so having different grit belts is what I have in mind.

So what kind of abrasive material should I be looking out for as regards belts?

Also, are there abrasive materials that are meant for non-ferrous metals (aluminium, bronze, brass, copper, etc.) and plastics (acetal, nylon, etc.)?

Bonus points for telling me about less well known abrasive materials that may add extra capabilities to the sander that I haven't thought of.

As I said, I'd probably buy a few different grits of whatever belts I find myself using, any thoughts on the interaction of grit and material would be welcomed too.

Thank you all in advance for any help.

 

[Pevehouse]

So, now I have a reasonably capable belt sander (shown here: Post in thread 'What Did You Buy Today?' https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/what-did-you-buy-today.55645/post-1184362 ), I need to get more knowledge into my head about what belts I should buy.

I have a reasonably decent 6" bench grinder with a couple of Norton wheels on it (white aluminium oxide, one 60 grit and one 80 grit) but like most of us, I've enjoyed Mikey's epic thread on grinding HSS (may he be enjoying a blissful peace wherever he is right now ) and noted his preference for belt sanders.

So let's say I want to use this belt sander for HSS lathe tool grinding. Be good if I could also use it for general ferrous metal tidying and rough small radiusing too. Changing belts shouldn't be too onerous a task on this thing, so having different grit belts is what I have in mind.

So what kind of abrasive material should I be looking out for as regards belts?

Also, are there abrasive materials that are meant for non-ferrous metals (aluminium, bronze, brass, copper, etc.) and plastics (acetal, nylon, etc.)?

Bonus points for telling me about less well known abrasive materials that may add extra capabilities to the sander that I haven't thought of.

As I said, I'd probably buy a few different grits of whatever belts I find myself using, any thoughts on the interaction of grit and material would be welcomed too.

Thank you all in advance for any help.

Nice belt sander by the way. I forget what I use on mine, I will check when I get home. I know I keep an 80 grit on at all time though

 

[RaisedByWolves]

I prefer coarser over finer as they always get finer and never get coarser.

 

[ChazzC]

I usually have 80 grit belts on the 2x42 and 4x36, but I use them mainly for grinding; I'll switch to 120G for finishing. I keep 100G on the little 1x30 I have in the Shop to clean up edges on small parts that I don't use the 8" deburring wheel on.

I use primarily Aluminum Oxide belts (but then I do have a near-Scottish heritage ); here is a comparision of the "normal" abrasives:

https://benchmarkabrasives.com/blogs/news/ceramic-vs-aluminum-oxide-vs-zirconia-abrasive-grains

For softer matetials, larger grit/open grain belts will clog less, and these work well to clean clogged belts, even those used on metals:



3M Scotch-Brite Non-Woven belts (if they fit inside the guards) are a good alternative for some materials, particularly for final finishing:

 

[SouthernChap]

I usually have 80 grit belts on the 2x42 and 4x36, but I use them mainly for grinding; I'll switch to 120G for finishing. I keep 100G on the little 1x30 I have in the Shop to clean up edges on small parts that I don't use the 8" deburring wheel on.

I use primarily Aluminum Oxide belts (but then I do have a near-Scottish heritage ); here is a comparision of the "normal" abrasives:

https://benchmarkabrasives.com/blogs/news/ceramic-vs-aluminum-oxide-vs-zirconia-abrasive-grains

For softer matetials, larger grit/open grain belts will clog less, and these work well to clean clogged belts, even those used on metals:

View attachment 513357

3M Scotch-Brite Non-Woven belts (if they fit inside the guards) are a good alternative for some materials, particularly for final finishing:

View attachment 513358

Ah, Scotch-Brite on a belt, that's handy.

I currently have a cheapy Parkside (Lidl) combination bench grinder and belt sander, the belt sander side is now surplus to requirements, but I have a Scotch-Brite (well, not Scotch-Brite but a cheap alternative that does the job) wheel on the other side.

I was thinking I could possibly remove the belt sander part (to reduce its overall width) and tuck what was left behind my main bench grinder to keep the 'Fake Scotch-Brite' wheel available.

However, if I can get Scotch-Brite belts, I may not need to bother. I'll probably still keep the Parkside thing, but I can put it up on a shelf somewhere, where it won't be in the way.





(and in a few years, when it's sat on the shelf unused, I can bury it in the back garden; the members on this forum have taught me a lot of useful techniques, eh @mmcmdl )

 

[GeneT45]

I'm a big fan of the Norton "Nor-zon" (blue) belts. They seem to last forever with very little deterioration. Use them for HSS, MS, or aluminum. I second @ChazzC 's recommendation for a belt "eraser" but I don't think I've ever had to use one except for wood, where they're mandatory.

GsT

 

[ChazzC]

I second @ChazzC 's recommendation for a belt "eraser" but I don't think I've ever had to use one except for wood, where they're mandatory.

GsT

I use mostly after wood – they also work well on sanding blocks that use belts:



While the grit on the belts used on metal usually wears down before it gets clogged, sometimes I've used the "eraser" after Aluminum.

 

[SouthernChap]

I second @ChazzC 's recommendation for a belt "eraser" but I don't think I've ever had to use one except for wood, where they're mandatory.

I use mostly after wood

Forgot to say I bought one of those shortly after I got the Parkside combi thing and yep, it rescued a belt after I'd used it on some wood dowel.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

+1 on the blue belts
I have 100 and 80 grit belts
Watch out on a new blue 80 grit belt , they are very aggressive until they wear in
Silicon Carbide belts and very nice too

 

[RaisedByWolves]

+1 on the blue belts
I have 100 and 80 grit belts
Watch out on a new blue 80 grit belt , they are very aggressive until they wear in
Silicon Carbide belts and very nice too

I'm a big fan of the Norton "Nor-zon" (blue) belts. They seem to last forever with very little deterioration. Use them for HSS, MS, or aluminum. I second @ChazzC 's recommendation for a belt "eraser" but I don't think I've ever had to use one except for wood, where they're mandatory.

GsT

Do they sell these in 4"x36" in small quantities anywhere?

I can only find them in 10 packs and that is pricy just for a trial run.