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What is a belt sander?
Belt sanders are used to shape and finish woods and other materials during the manufacturing process. A belt sander usually has an electric motor that powers and turns a pair of drums. A continuous loop of sandpaper is mounted onto the drums, and rotates with them. There are mobile and fixed belt sanders on the market today, while some are designed to be mounted onto a workbench. A hand-held belt sander is moved over the workpiece (usually wood) manually, while a stationary belt sander must be fixed in place. Other materials shaped with a belt sander include plastics and various metals.
Finishing of wood, plastic and metal
Tasks include stripping of material, evening out of uneven surfaces, removal of residue and smoothing surfaces
Quality Great offers Personalized
How do belt sanders work?
A belt sander, often referred to as a belt grinder, works by gradually stripping away coatings and evening the surface of the workpiece. This happens through the friction created by continually moving sandpaper. The quality and final finish of the surface depends on the grain used in belt sander belts. The average belt grinder is a relatively simple piece of machinery, and it is not capable of delivering precise finishes and shapes. In most cases, an industrial belt sander is used to treat a surface before different machine tools are used to complete more precise tasks.
What is inside a belt sander?
Belt grinders consist of a wide belt that has one abrasive side, covered in grit or glass. The belt is clamped into place between two rollers. In most belt sanding machines, the front roller is operated electronically and drives the sanding process. The back roller is used to hold and maintain the position of the sanding belt and ensure the belt sanding machine is delivering accurate and consistent results.
Once switched on, belt grinders pull a sanding belt at high speed. When this belt comes into contact with the surface of a workpiece, it strips protruding areas and leaves behind a smoother finish. In order to deliver a satisfactory finish, an industrial belt grinder must maintain the sanding belt at a specific tension. A belt that is too loose can result in uneven surfaces and a general lack of smoothness in the workpiece. Belts that are too tight can cause a range of problems, including premature wear and tear of the machine. There is also a chance that an over-tightened belt can snap and cause injury to the operator.
Using a belt sander
Small and medium-sized businesses have a great opportunity to cut capital expenditure by purchasing used belt sanders instead of new. A lot of small manufacturers buy a used belt grinder because it already has a proven track record of performance, which is something that is never the case with a new machine. Whether you buy new or used belt grinders, it is important that only trained operatives use them. Although these machines are relatively simple in their design and straightforward to use, a powerful used belt sander can cause significant injury when placed in the wrong hands.
Anyone using a belt sander should wear a protective breathing mask, as airborne particles created during the sanding process can cause respiratory problems. A great deal of noise is also created, so some operatives will wear ear protectors too. An extraction unit may be required in order to stop wood and metal dust from causing damage or premature wear and tear to nearby machinery.
Buy a belt sander from a respected supplier
You can buy a competitively priced used belt sander at a Surplex sale or auction. We often have used belt sanders for sale from many of the World's most respected manufacturers, including GREIF, VIETMAC and NEESEMANN. But if you can't find what you're looking for today, keep checking the site for details of newly acquired used machinery. Sign up to the Surplex newsletter to be among the first to learn about our latest deals.
