Tip #35
Belt Sander (continued)
Printer friendly version of Tip -Pg. 1-4, Pg. 5-8, Pg. 9-13 (PDF)
Help with Downloading PDF Files

Vertical Belt Sanding

Figure 19-13. To sand square ends, move he workpiece directly forward against the belt and use the miter gauge to keep the workpiece square. A light feed pressure is adequate.

Up to this point we have mainly concerned ourselves with the horizontal operation of the belt sander. Actually, the operation in both positions is basically the same. For instance, in both positions, excessive pressure against the belt is never necessary. Forcing the work can result in stalling the belt, clogging the abrasive, burning the stock, and even in tearing the belt. A slow, steady feed, with an occasional retraction of the workpiece to allow waste to move off, will always produce the best results.

Figure 19-14. Sand outside curves by sweeping them across the belt. Make a steady pass to avoid forming "flats" on the workpiece.

When sanding square ends, move the workpiece directly forward against the belt and use the miter gauge, with an extension if needed, to keep the work in correct position (Figure 19-13). To sand outside curves, hold the work flat on the table and then slowly, but steadily, sweep the workpiece across the belt while turning it to keep the curve tangent to the belt's surface (Figure 19-14).

You can accomplish some surface sanding by sweeping work across the belt as shown in Figure 19-15. This is not really the ideal way to smooth surfaces since, even when working

Figure 19-15. Surface sanding can also be done by sweeping the workpiece across the belt in this manner. However, this action will leave cross-grain marks.

with a fine-grit paper, the action will leave crossgrain marks. However, it's not a procedure to ignore, especially if you wish to remove a lot of material quickly. Just be aware that the work will require some additional with-the-grain sanding.

Continue to Sanding Miters and Bevels
Back to End Grain Sanding