Spindle/Belt sander

[Terry Murphy]

I have the Rigid spindle belt sander, and the belts that come with it are great, and the stay centered.
The problem I am having is trying to get some new belts that will stay centered.
Everyone I have tried will not stay centered.
Any ideas?

Terry

[Neil Brooks]

At the risk of asking silly questions, have you tried adjusting the tracking knob, when using new belts ?

[Bill Huber]

I have the same sander and really have no problems.

I get belts from HD most of the time and I have used some from Woodcraft.

Once you put the belt on and get it tracked in the center and use it a little it will track off, but a quick adjustment put it right back to were it should be and will generally stay there.

[Terry Murphy]

I do the adjustment, but it won't stay long.
The original belt just stayed when it was adjusted.
I don't use it very often, maybe the new belt needs to bee broke in.
Terry

ps maybe I am over adjusting!

[George Bokros]

Could it be the tension setting giving you the problem?

[Kent A Bathurst]

I got that unit a couple weeks ago. Haven't used the OEM belt [too coarse for what I'm doing]. The exact same thing happens to me. After a bit of monkeying around, I got it where it needs to be - the adjust knob is imprecise - turn it a bit, and the belt hardly moves - turn it another bit and the belt hardly moves - turn it another bit, and the belt moves by an inch or more.

I assume it is "slop" in the adjustment mechanism design - but, hey - I got exactly what I paid for - a small foot-print tool for 200 bucks at the BORG [only item of any kind with a motor that I have ever bought there], so I'm OK with the "nervousness" - and it is doing exactly what I wanted it to do. Would love a floor-model oscillating belt, but haven't come up with a "plausible excuse" - yet.

[Josiah Bartlett]

Usually when belt sanders have a tracking problem it is because the belts have a poorly glued joint, are on backwards, or have stretched unevenly. They work a lot like bandsaws.

[John Gregory]

This post is very timely for me. I am having the same problem. The new belts are Norton and IF I can get them to track the lower part of the belt is sloppy. I retrieved the original belt from the trash and it works great! I will try a different brand.
I am glad that I am not the only one with this problem.

[Kent A Bathurst]

This post is very timely for me. I am having the same problem. The new belts are Norton and IF I can get them to track the lower part of the belt is sloppy. I retrieved the original belt from the trash and it works great! I will try a different brand.
I am glad that I am not the only one with this problem.

You must have done exactly what I did - buy the tool at Depot, and grab the Norton belts - only brand they have in that size. I have a different brand on order. Be nice to have that problem go away, but I've muddled through so far.

[glenn bradley]

I have a few dozen from Klingspor. Centering is not an issue. Other complaints about centering control on this machine have led to the nut that holds the pivot point of the arm (back side of the belt roller assembly (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=131501&d=1257006060)) being not quite snug.