Grizzly wide belt sander vibration (G9983)

[dirk martin]

My 15" widebelt has started vibrating pretty badly.
Only when a board is being fed in, and it starts when it's fed in about 10" worth, and continues until the board comes out.
Species doesn't matter.
Nor does the depth of cut (sand).

Pretty annoying, and I'm worried something will vibrate lose. It's bad enough such that nothing can sit on top of the sander, like a tape measure.

It's the G9983. I've tried 2 different sanding belts. It's abut 6 years old.

Anyone else ever experience this?

[Dave Cav]

I've never used that particular sander, but the fact that the vibration stars when the board is about 10" into the planer and continues until it's through the machine would have me looking at the rear conveyor roller bearings or maybe the rear pressure roller bearings, or something associated with them being loose. After that I would start checking the belt drive system parts.

OK, I just read your previous post about the motor problems you were having. Since you took the machine apart to repair the motor, I would take a hard look at every part you touched, removed and/or adjusted in the process of removing and replacing the motor before I did anything else.

[Bill Orbine]

Are you saying this has been becoming a problem regardless the motor issue or is this problem strictly after you had the motor repaired? I'm not sure if this is possible with the single phase 220volt motor, but is it running the proper direction? That is.... the belt sanding into the material fed.

[dirk martin]

This is unrelated to the motor problem I had.

I had this vibration issue months ago, also, as I recall. It would come, and go. I thought it might be because of the species of wood I was sanding, but we could never find a relation. Then, the vibrating would stop.

After I repaired my motor (for other reasons), everything worked well for 2 days, then the vibrating come on again, out of the blue.
This time, it seems the worse it's ever been. Really makes things dance, that may be sitting on top.
My sister has this exact same sander, also, and I recall her saying she has the same type of vibration issue.....but again, just every once in awhile.

The sanding belt is indeed sanding into my material.

If my sister and I have both had this issue, I gotta believe others have, as this is a popular sander.

[Jim Andrew]

I'm sure I haven't used my sander as much as you have, had no problems so far, but am very interested in how you resolve this. Thanks for posting about the motor problem, and solution.

[dirk martin]

Now today, I fired it up, and sanded for about 3 hours.
It didn't vibrate once.
I just don't get it....

The only difference I can think of from yesterday to today, is air humidity....!!

[Jim Andrew]

Have you called the Grizzly techs on this problem? Surely they have some guidance.

[Jim Andrew]

Was looking at my sander this morning, and had a thought, You can open the door on the sander while it is running,I do so to check to see if it is oscillating correctly, so why not open the door while it is vibrating, and look to see what is happening?

[scott vroom]

+1 calling Grizzly tech support. They're the experts and may save you a lot of time figuring out why your machine is misbehaving.

Other than the vibration problem, how do you like the G9983?

[Jim Andrew]

Scott, I have the same sander, just haven't experienced the problems Dirk has. It is a wonderful sander. Just wish they had installed a 6" dust flange on it from the factory.