Finger Sander Belts

[bourbon]

screwfix belts seem hit and miss. I've had a good batch and a bad one. They are cheap enough for me there.

 

[pedrobedro]

johnt1102 on eBay is where I get mine and they last well. I've not had any break yet either. These are for the B&D Powerfile and I am nothing to do with them just a happy punter. I have some AlOx ones and some Zirconia belts both work well on wood or metal.

 

[armalites]

I thought these finger sanders were only for shaping filler or wood. Had no idea they would grind steel

Bob

I have air powered 10mm and 20mm and they are designed for grinding metal/welds

 

[8ob]

I have air powered 10mm and 20mm and they are designed for grinding metal/welds

I am listening, I gave up with my air powered one because the belts had poor service life on anything other than wood or filler. Will try a better brand and see how I get on

Bob

These are rubbish

 

[brightspark]

does anyone actually know what glue they bond the joint together with that stands the constant flexing and not just a guess to what you think they use or might work . it would be easy to make up your own belts any size knowing

 

[armalites]

does anyone actually know what glue they bond the joint together with that stands the constant flexing and not just a guess to what you think they use or might work . it would be easy to make up your own belts any size knowing

That's what BND do, they buy abrasives on massive drums and rip it down to size. They use some sort of tape to bond them.

 

[123hotchef]

does anyone actually know what glue they bond the joint together with that stands the constant flexing and not just a guess to what you think they use or might work . it would be easy to make up your own belts any size knowing

no idea

 

[123hotchef]

I am listening, I gave up with my air powered one because the belts had poor service life on anything other than wood or filler. Will try a better brand and see how I get on

Bob

These are rubbish

the cheap finger files the belts move sideways and break

 

[armalites]

I am listening, I gave up with my air powered one because the belts had poor service life on anything other than wood or filler. Will try a better brand and see how I get on

Bob

These are rubbish

It does vary on the work you are doing, the bigger grit do tend fail quicker and you can get through quite a few belts. The 10mm belts are worse than the 20mm and there some jobs where you will be changing them all the time. I've had cheap belts from Screwfix that would barely do a few seconds before they were knackered but even the best brands don't last a huge amount of time, it depends on your expectations. I guess it's a trade off of getting into that tight space. It's more of a pain if you sander needs a tool to change the belts. My two are spring loaded so a belt swap takes seconds.

It's likely you would be using yours more than I use mine so I can see why service life may seem to be an issue.

I can send you some SIA ones to have a go with if you like.

 

[123hotchef]

i break out the die grinder now changer the blets on the air finger sander or the electric one takes time

 

[armalites]

i break out the die grinder now changer the blets on the air finger sander or the electric one takes time

Decent carbide burr really does chew it off but they can snatch. I've only bought some decent ones in th last few years and I was amazed how well grind weld away

 

[123hotchef]

Decent carbide burr really does chew it off but they can snatch. I've only bought some decent ones in th last few years and I was amazed how well grind weld away

yes the cheap ones dont perform or last as well but they do chew through it

 

[brightspark]

Decent carbide burr really does chew it off but they can snatch. I've only bought some decent ones in th last few years and I was amazed how well grind weld away

if you use a decent cone shaped one in an air grinder they do not snatch I use garrison ones the rolls Royce of cutters even on stainless steel and shaping hard wall and floor tiles

 

[123hotchef]

if you use a decent cone shaped one in an air grinder they do not snatch I use garrison ones the rolls Royce of cutters even on stainless steel and shaping hard wall and floor tiles

shape depends what u are doing

 

[brightspark]

shape depends what u are doing

yes but the cone shape still cuts flat but if you start the cut at smallest end then work your way up they don't chatter specially on an air die grinder that you can control the speed right down to slow

 

[123hotchef]

yes but the cone shape still cuts flat but if you start the cut at smallest end then work your way up they don't chatter specially on an air die grinder that you can control the speed right down to slow

the ball works well in some instances too
i like the cone to enlarge holes

 

[Gragson]

That's what BND do, they buy abrasives on massive drums and rip it down to size. They use some sort of tape to bond them.

Yep definitely some sort of adhesive reinforced tape.
As for changing them it takes seconds...

 

[ian f]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/13-x-457...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 i've been using these for a couple of years

 

[pedrobedro]

The joints are glued and reinforced with fibreglass tape on the ones I get. Also the powerfile belts are 451x13 not 457 which puts them under a bit more tension and keeps them on track better.

 

[julianf]

These are what I've used -

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/13-x-457...rentrq:46126fa41690a9cb1ec6c98ffff4b3af|iid:1

Cheap enough. I did all the finishing on my landrover bulkhead with them before it went off for galv.

They're tough enough. They sometimes break when theyve close to had it anyway, but not much before.