Cleanest glue for sanding belts?

[Eric Meier]

I was recently sanding some segmented rings in a drum sander, and when I got done, the belt was caked in glue residue. (Not even the big eraser thing rubbed the gunk off.) Now, it's probably my own fault, as I chose to use elmer's glue for the glue-up of the segments, but I couldn't help but wonder: what's the best glue for this sort of application?

Or, more specifically, what type(s) of glue(s) is/are the least likely to gum up sanding belts?

[Nate Carey]

Eric, Elmer's wood glue I trust. If that's right, and the wood glue has had time to completely set-up, I think you're generating too much heat. Be less aggressive and see what happens.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I use a card scraper and try to get most of the glue squeeze out off. I use Titebond. If I don't take the excess off, yes it does gum up the drum sander, and no the eraser does not take it off. I heard that people soak them in water. (The belts) I don't know about that one. Anyways I think a card scraper is cheaper than a new belt........ Requires a short learning curve, but I use the card scraper more than I would ever imagine.

[Peter Quinn]

Less glue during assembly, better clean up before sanding, thats my strategy. I have tried most PVA glues, epoxy, PL glue, they can all gunk up a sander real bad even cured for days. I have ruined both drum sheets and wide belts with my glue antics. I haven't tried plastic resin glue, but I hear that is no picnic either.

Worse case a belt sander with some 60 grit will cut the hardened glue squeeze pretty quick and cost you less to replace than your average loop of paper for the drum sander.

[Ken Platt]

I've had a drum sander for a couple of years, and when I first was researching them, I ran across posts talking about cleaning them by soaking in water with soap of some sort. I recently made some cutting boards, which needed a lot of help with the drum sander and of course the strips got little bits of glue cooked onto them. Some of it came off with brushing with my file cleaner thing (it's like a fine wire brush), but not all. So I soaked the belt for a little while in Simple Green cleaner, diluted. I keep some of this around in a jar for cleaning TS blades also. Then I used my garden hose to wash it off with some pressure, and all the cooked on stuff came right off. I was surprised how easy and quick it was. I let the belt dry, put it back on, all good. Simple Green is available around here at the big box stores.

Ken

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Just to let you know, simple green dissolves aluminum.