Fixing Sanding belts?

[Charlie Ross]

I’ve searched, but couldn’t find any answers... I have some old 4x24 sanding belts that are breaking on me as soon as I start to use them. In my searches here I found that other people have had problems with outdated sanding belts breaking at the glue joint also. These are good quality 3m belts, and I would hate to just dump them in the trash. So my question is, can I fix these belts? I’ve never made my own belts, but I would think I could use the same procedure to fix a belt, that is used to make belts from a bulk roll. Thanks

[glenn bradley]

I believe folks have been successful with the right tape, temperatures, etc. I would use the abrasive material for some other purpose and buy a couple belts for current use. You are not alone, I too have come across a good deal or been gifted more materials than I can use within their intended lifetime. With abrasives, I simply set them aside for some other use so it is not a total loss. With glues or finishes, I dispose of them properly :(.

[HANK METZ]

I have not yet tried this but it's on my bucket list to make a few abrasive belts just for the joy of it. I have heard that carpet seam tap (https://www.google.com/search?q=carpet+fusion&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=Kg2&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial&sclient=psy-ab&q=carpet+seam+tape&oq=carpet+seamtape&gs_l=serp.1.0.0i7l4.251911.253169.1.255096.4.4.0.0 .0.0.94.356.4.4.0.les%3B..0.0...1c.1.3Lf9ElbrsWI&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&bvm=bv.41248874,d.eWU&fp=831af7beb6074293&biw=1255&bih=917)e, the stuff used to bond carpet seams with heat work well enough for this application.

- Beachside Hank
Improvise, adapt, overcome; the essence of true craftsmanship.

[Mel Fulks]

Some months ago ,thru google ,I found a link to place in Australia that makes a product for that purpose.I wrote the site address down,but don't know where .Will watch for it.

[Bryan Cramer]

If you can't fix them use them as regular sheet sandpaper.

[Ronald Blue]

So are these the overlapping joint type or were they joined with a reinforced tape resembling packing tape?

[Bruce Wrenn]

A couple months back in one of the WW rags was a tip using bias tape and some type of adhesive to do repairs. At flea market here is a vendor who sells belts (Klingspor brand) for about a buck to buck and a half. At that price I wouldn't even think of taking time to fix one.

[Charlie Ross]

So are these the overlapping joint type or were they joined with a reinforced tape resembling packing tape?

It's taped, and the two ends are cut at about a +/-30deg angle. I think it looks more like a fiber tape? I'm not able to look at it now.

[Charlie Ross]

A couple months back in one of the WW rags was a tip using bias tape and some type of adhesive to do repairs. At flea market here is a vendor who sells belts (Klingspor brand) for about a buck to buck and a half. At that price I wouldn't even think of taking time to fix one.

I don't know about your flea market, but here at the Home depot their about $5 a belt. I have about 15 belts, so if i can, that makes it worth fixing for me

[John McClanahan]

Somewhere I read that it is mylar tape, but the secret is in the adhesive on the tape.

John

[Myk Rian]

Use pro carpet tape, and the household iron.
If you can get away with it.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Somewhere I read that it is mylar tape, but the secret is in the adhesive on the tape.

JohnAccording to Klingspor rep, it's Kelvar. At the factory they keep it in a freezer. After application, it has a 1 - 2 year life expectancy.

[Charlie Ross]

According to Klingspor rep, it's Kelvar. At the factory they keep it in a freezer. After application, it has a 1 - 2 year life expectancy.

From here on out I’m going to only buy what I need at the time... Lesson Learned!! Thanks everyone, I have a few things to try anyway.

[Mark Burnette]

Wow I'm glad I saw this thread. I recently bought a Bosch 1274DVS and every belt I put on it has broken within seconds. I was blaming the Bosch and about to get rid of it. I had no idea sanding belts had a shelf life :-/

[John McClanahan]

Wow I'm glad I saw this thread. I recently bought a Bosch 1274DVS and every belt I put on it has broken within seconds. I was blaming the Bosch and about to get rid of it. I had no idea sanding belts had a shelf life :-/

I have one of those. Try a new, name brand belt on it. I have also had tracking problems with old or off brand belts.

John

[HANK METZ]

It's taped, and the two ends are cut at about a +/-30deg angle. I think it looks more like a fiber tape? I'm not able to look at it now.

That brings up another point, the direction arrows you see printed on the back surface of abrasive cloth are only meaningful if you do a lap splice, otherwise with a taped butt the run direction is meaningless.

- Beachside Hank
Improvise, adapt, overcome; the essence of true craftsmanship.

[Joe Kieve]

About 20 years ago we had a local hardware store going out of business. So I bought all the 3X24 belts he had for a dime each. Guess I had over a hundred. Pretty good investment....or so I thought. No way I could use that many belts before they started to come apart at the seam, as they were butt spliced. Not as good an investment as I thought. I tried every way I could think of to put those things back together, carpet tape, super glue, nylon filament tape, you name it. Even e-mailed manufacturer and they said "not possible".
Now I only buy 2 or 3 at a time.

joe

[Mel Fulks]

This is the site I mentioned earlier . Wwwspecialabrasives.com/ptx-pipe.htm. The product is poly-adhesive. Tape50mroll49000

[Andrew Joiner]

40 years ago we made our own belts from roll stock for the stroke sanders in 2 shops I worked in. These were lapped not butted. You have to scrape the grit off the lap area, we used an old screwdriver. Then glue with yellow glue and clamp. All held up till the belts wore out and that was a humid part of the country.

Factory made lapped belts come apart in a year or 2 if they are stored in humid climates. It's dry here and some of mine have been fine after 8 years on the shelf. I've been lucky. I recently got some some butted belts and I love them, no bump. I hope they have at least a 2 year shelf life, we'll see.

[Bruce Wrenn]

From here on out I’m going to only buy what I need at the time... Lesson Learned!! Thanks everyone, I have a few things to try anyway.I learned the hard way also. Went to a 3-M open house, got to buy at "company store at fire sale prices. Bought a CASE of 3 X 24 belts for pennies on the dollar. Probably only got to use three or four before they started coming apart. About once a year, I go by flea market and pick up a couple of belts. If vendor's supply is close to giving out, I pass, as know they are old stock.

[Jim Andrew]

Just checked out that SpecialAbrasives.com company website. It's in Australia.

[Ed Aumiller]

Before I retired, thought I should stock up on supplies... Bought a LOT of sandpaper from Klingspor's.. that was about 15 years ago...
Still using them.... about 1/2 of them break within 10 minutes but some of them from same order will last until the abrasive wears out...
No idea why some last and some don't...
But the OLD glue is definitely the problem..
Just use the broken ones for hand held blocks and like them much better than sheet paper as the backing is heavier..
Also use them on lathe projects as can cut into long, strong strips...

Same thing applies to the adhesive backed 5" sanding disks.... glue is too old... but on them you can spray adhesive on them and work ok...

Never found a tape that would work to repair them...

[Ed Edwards]

For what it's worth, I have gotten pretty good results using Gorilla glue. If I can salvage a belt this way I figure I'm ahead of the game, my belts have to be special ordered. I've been using Klingpors but the 4 1/2" x 26" belt is pricey.
Ed

[Bryan Cowing]

iron on knee or elbow patch. I found a variety store that had thin patches, not sure of what material, maybe nylon , used one to make a stroke sander belt. That was 25 years ago, but you could check out fabric stores to see what they sell today.

[Gary Kman]

I bought a huge box of cloth-back that will last a lifetime on my belt sanders if I can spice them. I've had some success splicing. Hot glue creeps quickly. They're unwieldy so I made a little plywood table and the right sized clamp blocks. Waxed paper keeps glue off table and blocks. I use a diagonal cut butt splice with a thin cloth patch yellow-glued on the back. Think polyester shirt from the rag box. If they are fresh and I'm on a project that wears the grit quickly the're worth making. Leave them on the machine under tension and they will fail the next time I turn it on.

[Mel Fulks]

If anyone gets any info on ordering from the company whose site address I posted please give us details on price ,quantity etc.

[Matt Uchida]

I think I found a solution!

First I used the same tape that was on the belts and reaffixed it to the belt with contact cement. I haven't tested it extensively but I did put it on the machine and used it to sand with no problems.

Since it is hard to get that adhesive tape off in one clean piece I went searching for other possible products. I was going to try muslin because it is very strong and should hold onto the contact cement well but instead my mom suggested some sort of poly ribbon. Not the type you wrap presents with but some sort of woven one that you would trim certain sewed materials with. She had 1" wide type and when I gave a good tug on it the stuff was stronger than I could imagine. I was unable to break it pulling with both hands. So I went to work and did about 6 belts. I cut a strip of the material, did the contact cement thing, then clamped it together for a little while. I haven't tried these belts yet so I will have to report bacon these results.

Hopefully there is new life in our belts yet!

[Yonak Hawkins]

Recently I found that I could get some use out of old belts I had by lessening the tension the belt sander puts on them. I put in a block keeping the spring from tensioning all the way. The belts were a little loose on the drums but I could sand with them.

[Ronald Gordon]

I have an answer! Like many here I have old unused belts that when I put them on my makita 4X24 break almost immediately. From another website I tried lining an unbroken belt with duck tape; it worked for a few seconds then failed. I didn't have any contact bond cement onhand but I did have some 3M car care general trim adhesive. This stuff is like aerosol contact bond. I originally got it to glue new headliner in my Suburban. I have the medium of the available three grades although if you are buying new I recommend the heavy grade because it is stronger. I took a new broken belt and removed the original fabric tape, sprayed two coats drying between per instructions then pressed the back together. Belt ran for ten min or so before breaking again. when I looked I saw that it broke because the original glue was still on all surfaces. By cleaning all the original glue off the bond works much better. This isn't perfect but I think that adding some additional larger fabric tape this solution will be as good as original. What I have is 3M part 08088 and my can is at least ten years old so it has a better shelf life than typical contact bond. Let me know if it works for you.

[Mel Miller]

Use pro carpet tape, and the household iron.
If you can get away with it.

Carpet tape is going to be a waste of time. It's too thick, which would make the belt thump. It's not designed to flex enough for a belt sander. It might not even stick to the smooth surface of a sanding belt. In other words - NO

[Ronald Gordon]

I have an answer! Like many here I have old unused belts that when I put them on my makita 4X24 break almost immediately. From another website I tried lining an unbroken belt with duck tape; it worked for a few seconds then failed. I didn't have any contact bond cement onhand but I did have some 3M car care general trim adhesive. This stuff is like aerosol contact bond. I originally got it to glue new headliner in my Suburban. I have the medium of the available three grades although if you are buying new I recommend the heavy grade because it is stronger. I took a new broken belt and removed the original fabric tape, sprayed two coats drying between per instructions then pressed the back together. Belt ran for ten min or so before breaking again. when I looked I saw that it broke because the original glue was still on all surfaces. By cleaning all the original glue off the bond works much better. This isn't perfect but I think that adding some additional larger fabric tape this solution will be as good as original. What I have is 3M part 08088 and my can is at least ten years old so it has a better shelf life than typical contact bond. Let me know if it works for you.