A belt sander is one of the best multipurpose tools that can be used for reshaping and furnishing wooden materials. Generally, a belt sander has drums wrapped with sandpaper which is run by an electric motor. You can shape the curved edges by using a belt sander. Besides, if you have made any mistakes, you can correct them by using a belt sander. The article will discuss the types and uses of belt sander.
How many types of belt sanders are there?
There are 5 different types of belt sanders that you’ll commonly find in the market. Here’s a brief on these types and their specific purposes;
1. Manual Belt Sander: A manual belt sander, also known as the hand-powered belt sander is famous for handicrafts and DIY projects. You can carry them anywhere you go as they are powered by batteries. They are perfect for relatively smaller projects.
2. Tube Belt Sander: A tube belt sander is popularly known as the pipe polisher. This type of belt sander is commonly used to shape cylindrical materials. You’ll find both the manual and electric ones.
3. Belt File Sander: This sander is appropriate for tapered areas. You can easily work in smaller areas with the help of a belt file sander.
4. Floor Belt Sander: A floor belt sander is perfect for bigger projects as the size of the drums ensures that you get the job done as fast as possible.
5. Stationary Belt Grinders: The best part of this sander is you can adjust the size of the belts according to your preference. They are usually used in manufacturing workshops.
What are the uses & benefits of a Belt Sander?
A belt sander is one of the most amazing tools, especially if you love to work with wooden materials. Here are some of the significant usage and benefits of a belt sander-
Refurnish Wooden Materials: Coffee stains and food marks become the friend of tables, especially once they have turned old. Instead of replacing it, you can simply use a belt sander to change the look it. A belt sander works as an eraser. You can even erase the pitch-black mark by using sandpaper that has a grit of 60 to above. Then use the one that has the grit range of 100 to 200 and finally finish it off with a finer one.
Fix Jammed Doors: It happens quite a lot of time when doors get jammed. You will still face this issue regardless of the uncountable number of adjustments as this happens due to continuous strokes against the floor. This problem has one easy solution. You can sand off a little bit, and you’ll be good to go—no more jammed doors.
Quick Sanding: The best thing about a belt sander is, it is extremely fast. The dynamic of this tool allows the user to work fast and efficiently. If you compare it to the other sanders, you’ll see that the sandpaper’s diameter and grit are much more suitable for quicker results.
Polishing Blunt Knives: This is one of the most unusual usages of a belt sander. You can sharpen up the blunt knives, chisels, blades, etc., by using a belt sander so if you are seeing a blunt knife lying around and thinking about getting rid of it, then don’t. Because you can easily polish it within a blink of an eye, just make sure that the tool doesn’t need to have a symmetrical edge.
Even Edges: There are quite a number of sanders that will help you achieve the perfect smooth canvas. But a belt sander will allow you to do the work faster. Yes, you might not achieve the same effect; however, it’ll be much quicker. Besides, a belt sander is very easy to control when you are working manually.
Buff Out Bumpy Areas: A belt sander can even out all the bumpy areas without putting much effort. Especially if you are using a handheld belt sander, the entire process will be much easier for you.
Suitable for Diverse Purposes: Starting from shaping wood, metallic things to shining and smoothing materials, a belt sander is perfect for all of them. Particularly for those projects that tend to take a lot of time.
How to use a belt sander?
In this part of the article types and uses of belt sander, we discuss how we should use a belt sander. A belt sander is a specially designed tool to re-shape and even out wooden materials. If you know how to use it properly, you will be able to work with curved edges too. It’s not rocket science. Make sure to read the following steps correctly and you will end up having your desired outcome.
- Put together all the necessary tools and arrange your material. Place it on a secured surface by making sure that it’s firm and stable.
- As belt sanders work much faster compared to the other sanders, it tends to leave quite a bit of wooden particles commonly known as sawdust. In order to ensure that your eyes are safe from this dust, you will have to wear goggles. Also, if you have a dust allergy, it’s better to wear gloves along with googles.
- Start the belt sander before getting closer to the material. When you are done with the project, make sure to finish it up with finer gritted sandpaper. This will ensure that your project looks flawless for a long time.
- When you are preparing to back the sander, make sure to move it in the forward direction.
- Finally, hold the sander and move it across the wooden material. Try to make smooth and even strokes. If you are a beginner, a little practice will help you ace your sanding game. One important tip is to keep the sander flat against the wood and you’ll be good to go.
There are various types of sanders available in the market, but nothing can beat a belt sander when it comes to the efficient part. Make sure to do your research properly before investing in a belt sander. However, if you’re someone who loves creating wooden DIY projects, then a belt sander is a must-have. It’s easy to use and once you know how to use it, you can build your own.
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