Belt Sander

A belt sander rotates a continuous band of abrasive material to remove material to smooth or finish a surface.

Safety
Wear goggles to protect from metal grinding or debris. Avoid wearing loose or baggy clothing to prevent entanglement in the belt. Never wear gloves despite the heat, gloves can easily get sucked into the belt. If anything is sucked into the belt immediately let it go. Do not try to angle thin material, keep it flat against the platform as thin material can easily get sucked into the belt. Do not push the material into the belt, this can cause the belt to walk resulting in serious damage. If you have any questions or the sander is not working immediately ask your mentor or the shop manager for assistance.

Inspection
Check for physical damage such as worn belts or loose fittings. When changing belt make sure machine is unplugged.

Basics
Turn on the belt sander before making contact with the surface it will be easier to control. Do a small test run on material surface because the belt sander may have a different effect on the surface. Hold piece securely and don’t try to run the belt sander with one hand. Let the belt sander do the work and don’t apply excessive pressure.

Angles
The belt sander is capable of sanding at an angle, you can use the angle adjustment lever to move the platform and safely sand at an angle.

End of Work
Remove material you’re working on from the belt sander when finished before stopping the machine. Clean the area around the sander, it should be as clean as you found it.

Best Practices
Material can often become hot while sanding, use a cup of water to dip your material in to keep it cool. When dealing with the corners of material do not push into the belt, this can cause your corner to get sucked into the belt ruining your piece.