Rick Fisher
07-11-2010, 7:28 PM
I have a question about the way I am running my sander. I have only had it about a year, and have gone through about 10-12 belts.. its used for hobby use only..
Its a powerful machine .. 25" wide.. When I started, I would use all the belt grits.. What I have noticed lately is that I am using 150 grit 80% of the time.. and using 180 grit the rest of the time.
My attitude has been that right off the planer, if I remove 1mm of the surface, what's the difference if all the work is done with a 150 belt ??.. Sure I can take more off faster with an 80 or 100 grit belt.. but 3 passes with a 150 seems to remove just as much material, if the scratches are gone.. they are gone ??
Does anyone else do this ?
The reason I am thinking of just starting light with 150 from now on is that I order the belts in boxes of 5 .. Some of my 80 grit belts are starting to fail, only a year old.. Sure I have used 2-3 .. but I burned 2 of them .. lol.
The sander is 12hp .. if I take too much off.. it simply destroys the belt.. I am getting much better at this.. :rolleyes: Anyone else drop all the rougher grits?
PS.. I recently got a Pro stick wide belt cleaner .. sold by Shop Fox.. Expensive, but it makes the belts look new again.. I think the next 10 belts will last much longer than the first 10 ..
I should add that I left the 80 and 120 grit belts out of their boxes all winter .. I live on Vancouver Island.. The humidity is crazy.. The welds are all failing .. The 150 and 180 belts where stored in sealed boxes and are healthy.. but stocking 5 of each belt .. it becomes a bunch of belts very fast. I would like to keep it to 2 grits..
Its a powerful machine .. 25" wide.. When I started, I would use all the belt grits.. What I have noticed lately is that I am using 150 grit 80% of the time.. and using 180 grit the rest of the time.
My attitude has been that right off the planer, if I remove 1mm of the surface, what's the difference if all the work is done with a 150 belt ??.. Sure I can take more off faster with an 80 or 100 grit belt.. but 3 passes with a 150 seems to remove just as much material, if the scratches are gone.. they are gone ??
Does anyone else do this ?
The reason I am thinking of just starting light with 150 from now on is that I order the belts in boxes of 5 .. Some of my 80 grit belts are starting to fail, only a year old.. Sure I have used 2-3 .. but I burned 2 of them .. lol.
The sander is 12hp .. if I take too much off.. it simply destroys the belt.. I am getting much better at this.. :rolleyes: Anyone else drop all the rougher grits?
PS.. I recently got a Pro stick wide belt cleaner .. sold by Shop Fox.. Expensive, but it makes the belts look new again.. I think the next 10 belts will last much longer than the first 10 ..
I should add that I left the 80 and 120 grit belts out of their boxes all winter .. I live on Vancouver Island.. The humidity is crazy.. The welds are all failing .. The 150 and 180 belts where stored in sealed boxes and are healthy.. but stocking 5 of each belt .. it becomes a bunch of belts very fast. I would like to keep it to 2 grits..