Steps to use a Belt Sander

Belt Sander is not a standard tool for woodworking. When it is about fine woodworking to prepare a fine piece of furniture or other projects, you should consider using a belt sander as a part of the fashion work. A belt sander is a machinery tool that cut off a considerable amount of wood stock from the face of that piece. This tool is designed especially for sanding down or smoothing the edge of the wood pieces. Since this woodworking process requires much care, you should learn how to use a belt sander before moving to your project.

However, using a belt sander is pretty straightforward. Below we have mentioned the necessary steps that you should follow to use a belt sander properly.

Step by Step Guide to Use a Belt Sander

Step 1: Setting Up

Mark the part of the wood which you need to make smooth. Draw some random lines to help keep track of the specific area that ought to be sanded and the particular area that ought to be prevented. Your pencil line will enable sanding wood in the right direction.
Prepare the bit of the wood that you’re going to become sand. Make sure that the wood piece will fit perfectly up for grabs or around the machine.
Try taking some safety apparels. Should your belt sander doesn’t contain any dust collection bag, you need to use goggles to safeguard your skills in the sawdust. Also, use hands mitts to prevent moving accidents when you were running your belt sander.
While you will start the motor, you need to make sure that the wood piece is incorporated in the safe distance in the belt. Otherwise, the wood piece may connect with the belt, and also, the machine may toss the wood, which might result in a severe accident.
Make sure that your cloth is out of the way.

Step 2: Using the Belt Sander

If the belt sander is hand-handled:

Start the motor of the belt sander and wait until it gets the full speed.
Use your two hands. One hand will hold the trigger, and the another will have another handle to move the machine forward.
Make sure that the rear part of the sender will contact the first. Then face down the rest of the sanding onto the wood.
When you result in the contact between your wood and also the belt from the sander, you might find the strap is looking after carrying the wood. Don’t retain in it for any lengthy time. You need to drive the belt sander toward the sanding work correctly throughout all surfaces from the forest you hold.
Now, look at your work progress frequently. You need to provide light pressure while moving the sander to the wood piece. Don’t give much pressure around the wood. Heavy pressure around the wood surface could cause damages to the wood.

If the belt sander is not hand-handled or fixed on the base table:

You will see that some belt sander can be managed by taking it at hand, while some other sender’s belt is set on the base table itself.

In that case, you need to take the wood piece over the machine’s belt.
Now move the wood piece down to the running belt.
Slightly attach the side of the wood to which you want to do the sanding.
Move your wood piece to the side direction to allow the belt to sand your wood piece.
Now move up the wood to check whether your sanding task is completed or you need to repeat the process.

Use your Belt Sander Safely

Belt sanders are relatively safe tools, but it’s still wise to take precautions.

Wear hearing protection—these babies are LOUD!
Don’t breathe dust. It’s not just unpleasant; it’s terrible for you. Wear a dust mask while sanding unless you rig up a shop vacuum for dust collection (photo, below).
Unplug the tool before changing belts or emptying the dust bag. I have a scar that attests to the importance of this seemingly grandmotherly precaution.
If you use the belt sander to sand metal, you’ll create sparks, which could begin a fire when they mix using the sawdust within the machine and the dust bag. Blow or vacuum the dust from the sander before using it on metal, and take away the dust bag.
Make sure the trigger is off before plugging the sander in. Belt sanders possess a locking button to store the switch within the “on” position. Sounds kinda “duh,” but believe me, it takes place. You do not want the sander to fly over the room whenever you hook it up, would you?
Belt sanders exert an excellent quantity of pressure around the work. Therefore if your project isn’t safely held, it’ll slide from or directly into you. Clamps obstruct; however, a simple stop around the appropriate side from the work surface (photo, “Use Good Technique” above) could keep it from sliding. Select an ending that’s just a little thinner than the work surface; therefore, the sander will be evident on edge.

Bottom Line

Thus you may be sanding your wood pieces utilizing a belt sander. It’s not an arduous process whatsoever, but improper understanding could cause damaging your wood piece, or you might be hurt. So, you need to start any sanding tasks after knowing using a belt sander.

Our recommendations on best belt sander purchase (you can also search our store to find the product you want):

After work

Belt sanders are pretty straightforward tools that do not need many enhancements. However, if you are using your belt sander within the shop, think about these two upgrades.

Dust collection. Belt sanders always have a built-in dust bag that collects the majority of the coarser dust and requires regular emptying. However, lots of fine dust still will get into the air. If you are doing lots of belt sanding, it’s worth obtaining a hose that enables you to connect your sander to some shop vacuum.

You possibly can sometimes use the hose that included your shop vacuum, but it’s generally too big or too stiff. The choice is a super-flexible, small-diameter hose suitable for dust collection. You can purchase one at a woodworking niche store or online (look for “vacuum hose”). I use one manufactured by Porter-Cable that costs around $25, maybe. Dust parts vary widely (many are square, which is a challenge), so you may fiddle around to have the hose fit. There are industrial adapters ($10 to $20; purchase one when you buy your hose); you can also cobble something together with-you guessed it-duct tape. It’s actually worth the fuss, though: no dust inside your workspace.

Shop-made stand. A handy addition if you need to do much woodworking is a stand that keeps your sander on its side, upside-down or vertical, letting you bring the work to the tool rather than the opposite. The style of the stand is reliant on the design of your sander. Therefore we won’t give plans. On the other hand, it typically involves numerous layers of plywood, all with cutouts to match the parts of the sander that protrude, additionally a couple of hose clamps or any other clamping devices to hold the sander firmly. Add another part of plywood to act as a table, as required.

Another video that might help you to use Belt Sander.