Belt Sander that actually tracks? Any good belt sander suggestions?

[Nick Sorenson]

I find that I'm usually moving the belt back and forth quite a bit as I sand just to keep it centered on the rollers. Do expensive belt sanders track and stay tracked?

Two related questions:
1. Is there a best belt sander for the money (used is ok)?
2. Is it worth going to a 4x24 vs say 3x18" or 3x21"?

[johnny means]

What belt sander do you have that doesn't have tracking adjustment?

[Nick Sorenson]

What belt sander do you have that doesn't have tracking adjustment?


I've never seen one withOUT a tracking adjustment. I'm asking if there's one that actually stays tracked for long periods without messing with the adjuster. I have had P.C., B&D, Tool Shop (Menards China) and maybe a few others. All seem to need to be adjusted actively in order to keep sanding without the belt moving off center.

[Steve Jenkins]

Ive had a Makita 4x24 for 30 years and only adjust tracking when I put on a new belt

[Jeff Roltgen]

I've had a Makita model 9910 3x18 for close to 10 years. Just pull lever, remove/replace belt and go to work. I haven't turned the belt alignment/tracking screw in years.

[Kevin Jenness]

My 35 year old Makita 3x24 tracks just fine, as did the newer 4x24 I used for several years in another shop. I've never experienced your problem with any belt sander and I've had my hands on a few. Could the problem be in the belts you are using?

[Warren Lake]

45 year old Rockwell 3 x 21 still tracks okay put a belt on and sometimes adjust it but it stays put pretty well. Is vibration changing the tracking setting? would not take much.

[John Lanciani]

Bosch 3×21 & 4×24 here, tracking is set & forget on both.

[johnny means]

I've never seen one withOUT a tracking adjustment. I'm asking if there's one that actually stays tracked for long periods without messing with the adjuster. I have had P.C., B&D, Tool Shop (Menards China) and maybe a few others. All seem to need to be adjusted actively in order to keep sanding without the belt moving off center.

I've never run into a belt sander that can't be made to track correctly unless it had major structural damage. I've got cheap Ryobis (my favorite), big commercial PCs, and all manner in between and tracking has never been a problem. Are you literally trying to achieve tracking "on center"? Or do you just mean tracking straight? What's your adjustment procedure?

[Doug Dawson]

I've had a Makita model 9910 3x18 for close to 10 years. Just pull lever, remove/replace belt and go to work. I haven't turned the belt alignment/tracking screw in years.
I have a Makita 9903 3x21 and it’s still the champ it ever was. It just works and works. What adjustment. Use decent fresh belts.

[Ed Edwards]

Hello Nick,
Is the tracking concern with one brand of belts, or all, old or new? I've never had an issue with Klingspor or 3M belts.

Ed

[Bill Carey]

Ive had a Makita 4x24 for 30 years and only adjust tracking when I put on a new belt

Second that. It's a beats of a belt sander

[Alex Zeller]

If I could find another one for a reasonable price I would replace the Porter Cable 503 that was stolen decades ago. The thing was a tank but also tracked beautiful. I think they are worm drive with an oil bath transmission.

[Richard Coers]

I've always had Porter Cable 3x21, and I have the tiny one too. I have a third that is an Elu. No tracking problems on any of those 3, and I haven't been upset about any belt sander tracking for the 49 years I've been woodworking. Do you press down hard with yours? I just let them skate on the surface with just enough pressure to balance it so the belt runs flat on the surface.

[Warren Lake]

Richard yours would be like mine only lighter. porter cable I have was heavier in Rockwell.

You can do pretty good work with a belt sander. I used them on doors before I got stroke sander. You can do rails then styles and it goes fast and works well. I use it the same way just place it down. Probably some grunt work with heavy grits then some pushing was done. When my feel was good I didnt do any damage. then next going to a stroke sander that was a belt sander on steroids so doing rails and styles took more focus and dont catch an edge.

[John K Jordan]

I find that I'm usually moving the belt back and forth quite a bit as I sand just to keep it centered on the rollers. Do expensive belt sanders track and stay tracked?

I have several belt sanders. One is a 6" wide Rikon belt/disk, a couple are cheap 1" belt/disk sanders and one is a Rikon 1" belt/disk sander. Another is a belt/drum sander. The last is a high quality knife sharpener with 1" belts. All track perfectly.

Of course, they all have a simple way to adjust tracking. But once set, they stay set.

Now some sanders will track perfectly until you put excessive pressure on a workpiece against the belt. Don't do that.

JKJ

[Cary Falk]

I have a Makita 4x24 and a 3x18. I don't mess with the tracking on either very often(even after belt changes.)

[Mel Fulks]

I like the 4 by 24 Porter Cable. For doors it’s stiles first , rails second , then muntins. That leaves a flatter transition at joints, no step to
remove. You can use a marker or pointed piece of tape on sides of sander to show ends of belt contact . Then orbital sand.

[David Buchhauser]

I find that I'm usually moving the belt back and forth quite a bit as I sand just to keep it centered on the rollers. Do expensive belt sanders track and stay tracked?

Two related questions:
1. Is there a best belt sander for the money (used is ok)?
2. Is it worth going to a 4x24 vs say 3x18" or 3x21"?

Poor belt tracking is often times caused by a worn drive drum, or one that is not perfectly flat from the manufacturer. Over time, some abrasive material from the belts makes its way in between the back side of the belt and the drive drum and the resulting abrasive action will typically cause the drum to become slightly convex. This happened to me with one of my 6 x 48 combo sanders after about 30 years of use. I removed the drive drum from the motor shaft, mounted it on an arbor that I made up, and turned the OD on the metal lathe to true it up to flat. I now tracks perfectly again.
David

[Jim Becker]

Although I've only used it maybe twice in the last decade and a half, my Bosch 3x21 tracks ok, at least to my memory. I may use it again at this point for shaping since I sold the combo sander with the big belt last year, but it depends upon what projects come up. Belt sanders are less popular these days as tools with rotary mode get a lot of the heavy stock removal work (Festool Rotex, Bosch equivalent, etc) but I'm glad I have it for "that one time" when it's the right tool for the job. I do have a sanding frame for it, too, in case I decide to use it for a larger surface. Relative to choosing size, it kinda comes down to what you want to do with the tool and how you feel about weight. 3x21 is going to be more nimble than 4x24.

[Frank Pratt]

I have a 3x24 (also takes 4x24 belts) Makita 9924 that's at least 35 years old that has always tracked well. Every time you change a belt, tracking must be adjusted though. The model is still being sold and it is almost indestructible.