Sanding belts

[William C Rogers]

I have a Delta 6 X 48 belt sander and have bought belts at the BORG and HF. They simply don’t last long. I thinking ceramic would be a better choice. I did try a zirconium belt a long time ago, but felt it to be too harsh. I generally run 80 grit. I’m also wanting to get belts for my 1 X 42 sanders. I have two and was thinking 100 grit and 220 grit. What belts are you all using?

[Chris Schoenthal]

Klingspor is a great place to shop.
They have all sorts of sizes, grits and compounds at great prices.

[Larry Frank]

+1 Klingspor

[Lee Schierer]

You don't indicate how the belts are failing, but you should know that sanding belts have a finite shelf life. The tape/adhesive used to form the loop dries out over time and it will fail when it gets used. This is true of all brands, so you need to buy only what you will need for a short time. I avoid the big box stores for my sanding belts as there is no way to tell how long they have been sitting on the shelf.

[Gordon Stump]

I use Fintech, Econaway, Michigan companies and Industrial Abrasives, a Pennsylvania company. I have never had a seam fail in 40 years of woodworking. It is my understanding that abrasive companies in North America buy giant rolls of abrasives from China and slit them into various sizes. So in many cases popularity is based on internet presence, print media marketing and of course customer service.

[William C Rogers]

I should have been more clear. The grit seems to wear down fast IMO. No problems with the seams. I’m looking for what would be a longer lasting grit material . These are aluminum oxide and was thinking a ceramic material would have more life.

[Zachary Hoyt]

Are you sanding metal or wood? I get pretty good life out of most belts with wood but brass and especially aluminum and steel seem to take the abrasive off a lot faster. I've been getting my 1x30 belts from Empire Abrasives for the last couple of years, and I still have a bunch of pretty old Norton ( I think that was the brand) 50 grit 4x36 belts. I bought 30 or so at the dollar store when they had them, but then in 2018 I got the drum sander so I use the 4x36 much less, just mainly for shaping type jobs rather than flattening rings like I used to.
Zach

[jack duren]

Easiest to find is Klingspor. I personally buy VSM when possible. 3m cost more but provide equal results...Klingspor and VSM can be found from a cabinet supplier...

[Bradley Gray]

Klingspor resin-over-resin belts last a long time.

[justin sherriff]

Do you use a abrasive cleaning stick? https://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/bs99116/?inMed=GSTORE&dfw_tracker=18711-BS99116&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInvDa7YvH5gIVV_7jBx0XtwVpEAQYAyAB EgLHVPD_BwE

[Ron Selzer]

Klingspor 3x24 belts ALWAYS blow the seam for me after a year old. Put an unused 1+yr old belt on the PC turn it on and it will separate in less than one minute.
EVERY time , belts bought 3 different times over a year apart each time. First time thought bad batch, second time was determined I got bad batches both times. Third time decided this was how it was and was not going to change.
Fortunately now have a wide belt sander and use belt sander very rarely

[jack duren]

That's an unusual event. I have used Klingspor for as long as I can remember. I've had some personally that busted after 10 years but that's because I bought on bulk but no longer operate a full time cabinet shop. 3x18, 3x24 or the 4x24 held up fine....

You got a bad batch some how...

[Ron Selzer]

I was buying the box of belts each time with 6 of 6 different grits.
Every time I would order a new box of belts, use a few then it would be a year or more before using them again.
Good paper as I gave all the broken belts to the High School woodshop for the kids to use, they had no issues with it.