Can I fix sanding belts?


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Old 05-17-10, 04:37 PM
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Can I fix sanding belts?

I've been ripping 3 x 21 sanding belts at the taped joint. I went through 4 belts yesterday. The belts are in good shape so I would like to repair them. The repair needs to very flat and withstand heat. What kind of tape or glue would work for this joint? Super glue?

This is a Sears Craftsman 3 x 21 sander, and also Sears brand belts. Yes, I know, better belts might last longer.
 
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Old 05-17-10, 05:01 PM
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I'm sure there is an adhesive for the job, but the question is why are they breaking in the first place? When I have run into a series of belts breaking, I have usually associated it with moisture, high humidity. I now keep all of my belts in the house instead of the storage area and the problem seems to have gone away.

Good luck
Bud
 
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Old 05-17-10, 05:21 PM
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I suspect a bad batch, or low quality belts. I think heat caused the failure. The bottom plate that the belt rides on gets hot, and I might spray some silicon on it to reduce friction (before I install a belt).

The belt material is some kind of fabric, with the abrasive glued on. I'm thinking of super-gluing a fabric patch across the joint, and clamping it flat with wax paper lined blocks.
 
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Old 05-17-10, 05:26 PM
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You are treating a symptom...not the problem. I can't really say for certain, but maybe the wrong grit or too much pressure? Is there a burr maybe on the bottom plate or somewhere in the belt path?

What kind of sander?
 
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Old 05-17-10, 05:38 PM
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Some belts have a direction arrow printed on the inside, too. Do you have the belt centered on the rollers? There is a runout adjustment to keep it centered. Where are you placing pressure, on the flat plate or near the rollers?
Fix the problem, not the belts as Vic says, then you won't have problems.
 
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Old 05-18-10, 05:32 AM
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Belts

As Larry has stated, pay attention the the direction the belt travels. If the belt is installed backwards, the splice will rip apart. The outside edge of the slice should be trailing edge rather than the leading edge. Hope this helps.
 
 

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