# sander belts



## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

Does anybody make their own belt sander belts from strips? 

Trying to keep costs down, but despite a couple of you tube vids I cant get the join smooth enough.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

wouldn't bother...
not worth the effort...

there's volumes here on this subject...
upshot...
no...but if you need to be persistent...

Cut a piece of cloth bias tape (wide single-fold type, available at fabric stores) about 2″ longer than the width of the belt. Lay one end of the belt, grit-side down, on the bench; then apply cyanoacrylate glue to the end of the belt. Lay half of the bias tape’s width on the glue, place waxed paper over the tape, and use a weight to press down on it for about 30 seconds, or until the glue sets. Wrap the belt around and repeat the gluing process to reconnect the ends of the belt. Trim off the excess tape, and the belt’s ready to use.
the manufacturer uses heat press (vulcanization process) to set the kevlar tape/glue and the belts have a one year shelf life...
*
Klingspor FAQ page *
AccuBind Pro Binding Strips will work but you need a 250 - 300 degree heated press (carpet seaming iron?) to apply them correctly and the price will hurt your brain...


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Thats good to know, but I will just buy mine. Kingspore has good prices.

Herb


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Every sanding paper or belt test I've seen rated Klingspor at the top but Norton's belts and paper are a good second.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> Every sanding paper or belt test I've seen rated Klingspor at the top but Norton's belts and paper are a good second.


Nothing wrong with Nortons.

One nice thing about Klingspore is you can buy bulk and rolls, and their boxes of ends cuttings are a good buy for making your own sanding blocks and pads.

Herb


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## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

My machine is from the UK, 2000 miles away. delivery time as many as 3 weeks. That size is not available locally.

thats the reason I'm trying to make my own.

I can buy the continuous belt here, but so far havent found a decent joining tape. Tried overlapping the belt and glueing with super glue. It held up, but even filing off the grit from the overlap it was too bumpy to be much good.

The quest continues.


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Bob, seeing where you live and trying to put myself in your shoes...I think I would just bite the bullet and over-order a wide variety of sanding belts. My best guess is that the cost is quite prohibitive, but may save you time and trouble (and money?) in the long run.

I wish you the best of luck in this pursuit!
Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia (USA)


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## RÖENTGEEP (Feb 18, 2014)

Stick486 said:


> wouldn't bother...
> not worth the effort...
> 
> there's volumes here on this subject...
> ...


What can be done, with those belts that you have in the shelf for more than one year? Can you add some tape over the original kevlar tape/glue to "save" the belt?


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## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

OPG3 said:


> Bob, seeing where you live and trying to put myself in your shoes...I think I would just bite the bullet and over-order a wide variety of sanding belts. My best guess is that the cost is quite prohibitive, but may save you time and trouble (and money?) in the long run.
> 
> I wish you the best of luck in this pursuit!
> Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia (USA)


Otis, I do my woodworking as a retirement hobby, running it on a shoe string mostly. Dont want to tie up a 100 or more in sanding belts, especially as has been noted here, theyre only designed to last one year and several may fall apart before I even put them on the machine..

What I do have some spare of is time, so I shall experiment some more yet. i'm not known for giving in.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

RÖENTGEEP said:


> What can be done, with those belts that you have in the shelf for more than one year? Can you add some tape over the original Kevlar tape/glue to "save" the belt?


re-vulcanize...


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

ONE YEAR? I have had belts sitting for 10 years or more on the shelf and never had a failure. The 18" wide belt on the conveyor of my drum sander is over 10 years old and used most every day and still going strong. The belts for my 4X24 belt sander are way over 3 years old and still perform good. So are the belts on my stationary bench top sander. The only time I have had a failure is when I wear them out. and that is not on the joint seam.

They might only guarantee them for a year, but they will last a lifetime.

Herb


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## RÖENTGEEP (Feb 18, 2014)

Stick486 said:


> re-vulcanize...


How do you say? oh, yes I remember:
SNORK! :surprise:


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## RÖENTGEEP (Feb 18, 2014)

Herb Stoops said:


> ONE YEAR? I have had belts sitting for 10 years or more on the shelf and never had a failure. The 18" wide belt on the conveyor of my drum sander is over 10 years old and used most every day and still going strong. The belts for my 4X24 belt sander are way over 3 years old and still perform good. So are the belts on my stationary bench top sander. The only time I have had a failure is when I wear them out. and that is not on the joint seam.
> 
> They might only guarantee them for a year, but they will last a lifetime.
> 
> Herb


Maybe is the brand, because I have several that had failure :crying:


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## RÖENTGEEP (Feb 18, 2014)

sunnybob said:


> Otis, I do my woodworking as a retirement hobby, running it on a shoe string mostly. Dont want to tie up a 100 or more in sanding belts, especially as has been noted here, theyre only designed to last one year and several may fall apart before I even put them on the machine..
> 
> What I do have some spare of is time, so *I shall experiment some more yet. i'm not known for giving in*.


Im subscribed.


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

Always used Klingspore. Decent products and easy people to work with.


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## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

Klingspor is even further away from me than the UK, something around 5,000 miles. Again, shipping and customs duty is a deal breaker.


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## tooler2 (Aug 11, 2012)

sunnybob said:


> Otis, I do my woodworking as a retirement hobby, running it on a shoe string mostly. Dont want to tie up a 100 or more in sanding belts, especially as has been noted here, theyre only designed to last one year and several may fall apart before I even put them on the machine..
> 
> What I do have some spare of is time, so I shall experiment some more yet. i'm not known for giving in.


There are a couple of good threads on owwm.org
you have to grind the grit off to make a flat joint.
Belts last a long time in dry environment, the one year is probably a disclaimer.
I recently gort a price of 18$ Canadian each for 64'' belts for my Wadkin BGY.
I had assumed I would have to order ten of each grit but they make them out of 12'' belts so I only need to buy 2 at a time.
Rob


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## joshtank (Sep 20, 2011)

Nortons are good!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

the one year is disclaimer...


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## RÖENTGEEP (Feb 18, 2014)

Well today using my belt sander, the belt fail, so I was to install a new one (from the shelf) and I checked and they were bougth in 1994 (22 years old) :surprise: Maybe thats the reason of the failure >

I have to buy some new :crying:


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## billyjim (Feb 11, 2012)

I am totally in favor of trying to save a little money but this wouldn't be a way I would do it.


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## tooler2 (Aug 11, 2012)

billyjim said:


> I am totally in favor of trying to save a little money but this wouldn't be a way I would do it.


It has little to do with saving money. It is more a matter of not wasting belts whose joints have failed before use, or just using belt stock from stroke sanders or whatever. I give a few dozen 91'' belts to every body who visits me, just hoping they will use them on a lathe or something. At least it is not me putting them in the garbage!
Rob


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I've had some go brittle and shatter or split but it was over a period of maybe 12 years.


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