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Thread: 2 x 48” sanding belts
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16th Sep 2020, 11:13 PM #1Most Valued Member
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2 x 48” sanding belts
I have one of these on the way: https://www.84engineering.com.au/multitool-upgrade-kit/
I’ve been online looking for 2x48 belts, but it’s a bit overwhelming. I’m seeing everything from the cheap brown oxide ones as well as the blue zirconia, Blaze and 3M Trizact. It’s doing my head in.
Is there a good all-rounder for shaping mild steel, ally and stainless? At this stage I won’t be grinding any exotic blade metals.
I see Gameco, Artisan Supplies and The Sandpaper Man carry 2x48 belts. Anyone have any good or bad stories about any of them?
TIAChris
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17th Sep 2020, 12:35 AM #2China
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I use the blue Zirconia belt for pretty much every thing timber and metal except hi quality finishing on metal, then I use Trizact
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17th Sep 2020, 02:29 AM #3I break stuff...
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Don't bother with the brown oxide. Don't last at all. Might be good for woodwork, I wouldn't know.
Blue zirconia are good for about the same price as the brown oxide, and last fairly well.
The ceramic Blaze ones are also worth the money ($15 in my size at Gameco?), as they last 4 times longer, and remove material scarily fast when you lean on them. I've been running the same 80 grit Blaze ( grabbed it for a trial) for a couple of years now, it's actually coming apart from getting pinched by some awkward shaped parts, but still removes material pretty well. Must get on to ordering more, I've been using the blue zirconia belts, and while they work just fine, the Blaze is definitely better.
That said though, the ceramic does like horsepower. Not sure whether you'd get the full benefit out of them when using a bench grinder for power - depends on the grinder I guess. Quite fun to lean on the end of a piece of 1/2 thick flat bar and watch it rapidly getting shorter when you've got 3HP behind the belt though...
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17th Sep 2020, 08:53 AM #4Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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A few years back a member gave me a heap of brown oxide and blue zirconia belts from Hare and Forbes and am still working my way through those. I use the brown ones for wood and Al and the blue ones for ferrous materials. When I finish these I will probably get Blaze belts.
I also have a range of Hermes belts from Gameco from 240 up to about 600g for kitchen knife sharpening. I'm no expert at this, just don't want to remove too much metal and as long as they can cut a soft tomato I'm OK with this. At teh rate I use these they are going to last me a long
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17th Sep 2020, 10:10 AM #5Most Valued Member
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Thanks gents. It's going on a 3/4HP 3 phase GMF pedestal grinder. I'll get a selection of blue and Blaze belts and maybe a Trizact to test out. The Trizact seems to be rated as an equivalent grit. Would a 400 grit equivalent Trizact be good for putting a satin finish on metal? Or higher? The Sandpaper Man has them up to 2000 grit equivalent.
Chris
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17th Sep 2020, 12:28 PM #6Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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For a satin finish I wouldn't use a belt, instead I use a fine Scotchbrite wheel. Its much better on curves and gets into small nooks / crannies / corners that a flat belt simply can't get into. I use a multifold wheel that allows segments of metal to be inserted between the folds.
Here I joined two 4 fold wheels to make an 8 fold.
IMG_3389p.jpg
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17th Sep 2020, 08:42 PM #7
It's generally smart to have a separate set of belts for each material you want to finish, all belts will carry a small amount of the metals they have been used with, and either contaminate other metals they are used with later, or wreck a finishing job on a softer metal. For example, stainless or mild steel particles on a belt will rip up a finish on ali, and mild steel can embed into stainless and cause rust issues in a short time, stainless particles embedding into mild can cause issues with any subsequent plating process as it is virtually impossible to plate over stainless, causing pits in the plating finish. Any metal particles in a belt to be used for wood would similarly destroy surface finish on the wood.
We always had separate sets of belts, polishing mops, buffing wheels and even flap wheels, and kept our part used consumables in separate cabinets outside the polishing room when I worked in a metal furniture factory to avoid these issues.I used to be an engineer, I'm not an engineer any more, but on the really good days I can remember when I was.
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