In
woodworking, sanders in general are used for flattening surfaces. There are various types of sanders and each
is used for specific tasks depending on the nature of the project. Drum sanders
for example are not suitable for removing large materials. When the primary
purpose is to remove large amounts of material from a work piece, it is better
to use a belt sander.
Features of
belt sander
The belt
sander consists of an electric motor which drives two drums fitted with a
sandpaper loop. Since they are powerful tools and can handle coarse grits, belt
sanders are excellent for removing wood. As a result, they are used at the
beginning stage of shaping wood.
Belt sanders
are either stationary or handheld. The stationary belt sander is mounted on a
workbench and the material to be shaped is held against the sand belt as it
turns. The handheld belt sander is a portable tool which requires the use of
both hands of the operator. One hand is used to hold the forward handle while
the other is used for the trigger. The handheld sander is often merged with a
disc sander.
The speed of
the sander is measured in feet per minute. The higher the speed, the faster the
sander will work. The power of the motor is measured in amps. The more powerful
the sander is the more challenging it will be to work with. The tool is
powerful and it works very fast so if you are not familiar with its use, you
may inadvertently wreck your project before you know what has happened.
Belt sanders
use a loop of sandpaper. Aluminium oxide or Zirconia belts are the most
reliable and they last longer than the traditional sandpaper. The Zirconia
belts, often referred to as planer belts are preferred for grits of 80 and
coarser because they have sharper cutting particles that cut more aggressively.
Although more expensive than the premium aluminium oxide belts, they don’t clog
easily and they last longer. Belt sanders generate lots of dust so they come
with either a vacuum system which sucks up dust or a collection bag which
gathers the dust in one place.
Belt sander
Using the
belt sander safely
It is
necessary to take some safety precautions when using a belt sander. The machine
is powerful, so it can be quite loud when it is in operation. It is advisable
to wear a device for hearing protection when using this tool especially if the
machine will be in use for long hours. Similarly, wearing a dusk mask during
sanding will prevent dust inhalation.
Ensure that
the work piece is securely held to prevent it from sliding away. Turn off the
trigger before plugging the sander in. Put the cord over your shoulder so it is
out of the way. Don’t push down the sander, its weight will do the work. If you
need to empty the dust bag or change belts, make sure that the tool is
unplugged. If you sometimes use your belt sander for metal work blow the dust
out of the sander before you use it on metal because sanding metal creates
sparks and this can start a fire if it mixes with the sawdust in the machine.
Uses of belt
sanders
Belt sanders
have a wide range of uses. They are useful especially for time-consuming tasks.
As stated previously, the stationary sanders are set up on work benches and
they are good for dusting materials that can be brought close. The handheld
sanders are useful on floors and immobile surfaces.
One common
use for the portable belt sander is the rapid removal of wood. It is the best handheld
tool for levelling and smoothing rough lumber before undergoing further
sanding. It is also often used for scribing. There are multipurpose belt
sanders used for specialized tasks. These ones are larger, heavier tools and
they have more surface area, which makes them more suitable for bigger work.
Final
thoughts
Belt sanders are powerful tools suitable for
the rapid removal of wood, unlike drum sanders which are not suitable for removing large materials from a work
piece. Belt sanders are also useful for sanding very rough surfaces, freehand
rounding and levelling of surfaces like a replacement board in a hardwood
floor. Although not an essential tool for a beginner, many experienced
woodworkers will find the belt sander an invaluable tool for their workshop.
No comments:
Post a Comment