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Portable Belt Sander Guide
A portable belt sander can make short work of tough sanding jobs. The most aggressive of hand sanders, a belt sander can be used to remove paint or sand down a wood surface very quickly. If you’ve never used a belt sander, practice on a scrape surface of wood before using it on the work surface. Use caution whenever operating a belt sander to avoid accidental damage.
Two sizes of belt sanders are commonly available for home use, 3x18 inches and 3x21 inches. The first number is the width of the belt; the second is the length. Most belt sanders will have a dust collection bag attachment. Because the sander will remove a lot of material quickly, dust will be a serious problem if no collection bag is installed.
Installing Belts Install belts on the sander by loosening the tension on the pulley and slipping the belt over the end. An arrow on the back of the belt indicates the direction of travel. When installing a new belt you will probably need to adjust it so it doesn't rub against the housing. To do this install a new belt and hold the sander out while depressing the switch. With the sander running adjust the tracking knob in small increments until the belt runs centered on the rollers.
Sander Operation To operate the sander, hold it with two hands, one on each handle. Start the tool before engaging the work surface. Place the spinning belt onto the work surface, heel first and then drop the front of the sander down, in one smooth motion.
Move the sander in short, straight, back and forth strokes keeping it in motion at all times. Move across the surface one row at a time. Don't swirl the sander or drag it side to side as this will dig into the surface. Lightly shift position to sand a new row.
Sanding Belts Use coarse, 60 or 80, grit sanding belt to remove a lot of material quickly such as when sanding down a sticking door or stripping paint. Use a lighter paper such as 120 or 150 grit to sand a smooth finish for staining or re-painting.