Sanding + grinding replacement belt advice

[woter324]

Hi,

I've had a Clarke CBG6SB 150mm Bench Grinder with 50mm Sanding Belt for years.

I don't recal ever changing the belt and it is rather worn. The way I abuse it, I'm amazed it hasn't snapped. I sand wood, ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals and plastics. I don't have to press very hard before the little 250W motor stalls.

I'd love a proper linisher, but I don't have the required £500 (GBP) to $5000 (USD) required.

I read (on here - I think) about diamond belts and searching for that post, I've discovered ceramic and zirconia/zirconium? too. I've also read that some of the wonder-belts need powerful and fast machines. My hope is that one of these wonder-belts might improve the machine's performace. I think I read that the ceramic belts require the user to wear all sorts of PPE. Maybe I'd be wasting my money and might as well stick with a half-decent aliminium oxide belt.

If anyone has any thoughts or advice they'd be willing to share, I'd be very grateful.

Many thanks.

W.

 

[--Tom--]

Ceramic belts need speed and pressure to cut well so I don’t think you’d get the benefit on your machine.

I think the most benefit you’d get is buying a few new belts so you can regularly replace and have a fresh one for non metals, and a slightly used one for metals. Alox would be fine.

The need for ppe is due to
- grit and whatever you’re grinding getting in your eyes- no fun having metal shards pulled out of eyeballs.
- only having one pair of lungs and breathing dust being a bad idea -grinding grit being inert so once it’s in them it doesn’t come out easily
- anything loose by anything spinny being a bad idea -some people wear gloves when grinding it gives me the heebie jeebies

 

[woter324]

Thank you @--Tom--

"Alox" is a new term to me. Am I correct in my assumption it's an abbreviation for Aluminium Oxide?

Thanks

W.

 

[--Tom--]

Yep that’s it

 

[jrm688]

My belt sander takes a 1”x42” belt. I use the zirconium (blue) belts from 40 grit to 320 grit for grinding metal. I have various other belts for knife sharpening (up to about 1000 grit) and a leather belt for honing.