-9-
gouging. Keep the sander moving so that your
work will be smooth and even. The stroke is
simply a back-and-forth movement with most
of the sanding done on the pull movement.
Use a light touch. The weight of the belt sander
is the only pressure required. Too much pres-
sure will slow the work by overloading the
motor and reducing belt speed. The result will
be decreased sanding efficiency. Sand slowly
and systematically and, when you stop, lift the
sander from the surface before stopping the
tool.
WOOD FINISHING
Take care to select belts wisely. For initial
smoothing of rough lumber, use coarse or very
coarse grit and sand with the grain. On very
uneven or hard wood, sand diagonally (across
the grain). Be careful to avoid gouging. Now
switch to medium grit belt and sand with the
grain. This will provide a relatively level and
smooth finish. Now insert a fine grit belt for
final finishing. Always sand with the grain to
remove scratches left by coarser belts. Keep
the sander moving in long, light strokes during
finishing operations. As a final touch,
experienced sanders will often insert a “used”
fine belt to provide a smooth surface for filling,
sealing, brushing or spraying.
REFINISHING COATED WOOD
Your belt sander will also help remove old
paint, varnish or lacquer; however, if the
coating consists of several layers, remove as
much as possible with a paint solvent or
varnish remover before using the belt sander.
Use a hand scraper to remove the residue left
by the solvent and allow surface to dry
completely before sanding.
GUIDE FOR WOOD SANDING OPERATIONS
Abrasive Belt
Material/Application
Open-coat
Rough, fast stock
36 to 60 grit
removal, removal of old
finishes
Open-coat
Intermediate finishing
60 to 100 grit
Open or closed-
Fine finishing
coat 120 to 180
grit
Open or closed-
Extra-fine finishing,
coat, 200 or
especially with hard
finer grit
woods
Remove all sanding dust thoroughly before
coating. Use a soft brush or a vacuum cleaner
and hose to remove all dust from seams or
crevices.
For fast removal, start with a coarse grit, open
coat belt. Change to closed coat belts, using
medium grits as the material shows through
the coating. When the covering is thin, use
medium grit to avoid scratching the material.
Use short, light strokes, moving the sander
rapidly. Excessive pressure or steady sanding
in one place will burn the coating and load the
belt.
METAL FINISHING
For ferrous metals such as steel, stainless
steel, iron, etc., use coarse grit open coat belts
or coarse to fine grit closed coat belts,
depending on the finish desired. Non-ferrous
metals such as aluminum, solder, brass,
bronze, etc., can also be sanded. Beeswax or
tallow are recommended as lubricants for
metal sanding, polishing or satin finishing to
minimize belt loading and to lengthen belt life.
To use, simply rub the lubricant on the belt
from time to time. SAE No. 10 or 20 lubricating
oil can also be used to assure a smooth
scratch free surface. Just wipe the oil on the
surface prior to sanding.
