# Belt Sander Sharpeners -- What is Best Grit?



## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

The title pretty much says it all. I have recently ordered an HF sander that I will be converting into a sharpening jig for lathe tools and (maybe) hand planes. I am doing well with manual sharpening with my hand planes at the moment, so I may or may not use this sanding belt sharpening system on my hand planes, but want to explore the possibilities.

Combination 4in x 36in Belt/6in Disc Sander, upon which I hope to perform the following conversion… "page 20 Belt-Sharpening System - Build your own effective belt-sharpening sysem at a reasonable cost. Jim Echter" in American Woodturner, December 2012.

NOT interested in being chastised for not getting a "grinder". I want to hear from those who actually use belt sander sharpeners. What grit do you use most often? And what grit of polish for your honing/buffing wheel?


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## Blackpearl (Jan 11, 2011)

I just built one of these last week. with a 120 grit belt I get the best edge I have ever gotten I have a feeling that the wheels will just sit there till something needs to be reformed.

Once I got done with the modifications from American woodturner I went back and looked at Captain Eddie's youtube #122A and B.

I wound up with his version and I LOVE IT!

120 is the smallest grit I could find so I now have the 80 grit that came with the machine and the 120 I bought.


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## Stephenw (Nov 14, 2011)

I use a Worksharp 3000, so I have no specific advice about which belt to use.

I have a 6×48 belt sander that I have used to sharpen things like shovel points, lawn mower blades, and gasket scrapers.

I wanted to mention that I have seen 4×36 belts as fine as 320 grit. Check at an industrial supplier.


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## dkirtley (Mar 11, 2010)

I have 80 grit and 220 grit belts that I use.

For plane irons it would be too aggressive except for really rough shaping.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

This is good information. I have been exploring the available grits and have found 60, 80, 120, 220, 320, and 600 grit in the 4in x 36in belts. Obviously the lower grits are cheaper, but I hope to avoid buying what I do not need.

My best guess (since all is in transit from just being ordered) is that 80-120 is good for "setting the angle" and that 220-320 for cleaning up the edge before honing. While I use 600 grit manually for sharpening my HP blades, 600 grit may not be as effective on a powered "belt" system?


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## dkirtley (Mar 11, 2010)

The belts will actually leave a finer surface than the grit size would indicate. You are moving a lot of abrasive material past quickly.

600 grit seems awfully coarse for a hand plane. They will cut much more sweetly if you bump that up to 1200-2000 grit.

I don't know about the size you need for yours but you can also get leather belts to fit some sanders for getting serious with some fine polishing.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

I never throw away a sanding beltIF it is still in one piece. The more worn, the better i like them for sharpening. The coarser ones I'll use for things like flattening a plane's sole and sides. IF the irons are really bad, then they go on there as well. I use the honig guide to keep a consistant angle while on the sander. Then, when i move to the stones, I keep the guide in place.

Backs of irons and chisels: Also get the coarser grits, until they are flat, then I can start to polish the backs from there. it does no good to polish a back that is no flat.

Cambered irons: One of the easiest ways to camber an iron is on the beltsander. just take a circular track as you go from side to side, almost a figure eight. A cambered edge while result. By watching how big a figure eight you make, determines how much camber you make.

Anything else, Sir Mike?


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

-'...600 grit seems awfully coarse for a hand plane. They will cut much more sweetly if you bump that up to 1200-2000 grit…."_

Yeah, that is probably why I will stay with manual sharpening of my HP blades. I go to 600 grit and then jump to my 8000 stone to finish these plane blades. I know I am probably working harder by doing it this way, but it sure seems much easier to keep them sharp after the first time, for sure. I never let them get get very far away from sharp, if you know what I mean.

One of my bigger goals for this belt sander conversion is to have a decent buffing wheel set up, and there I do plan on honing my HP blades if all works out as planned.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Thanks for the technique tip Bandit. It sure will be nice once I actually get hands on with this stuff. I hate having to visualize something I have yet to do for the first time.

So what would be a good starting stock of belts? A 5-pak?, a 10-pak? and of what grits to start with?


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Just walk in, and grab a handful of the cheapest singles the store has. One of each grit. Try each out, and take notes on each. When you find a winner in the crowd, go back and get a pack of them, and the secnd place as well. Why the cheapest belts? Save your money, and get a dang good honing guide. Either one of the Veritas are good. i happen to have the MK1. No coarser than 100 grit. Any coarser is a waste of time, and belts. You'll spend too much time getting rid of them scratches a coarse belt leaves. 100 grit, and go out and hog down some rough sawn lumber with it first, just to "break them in".


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## dkirtley (Mar 11, 2010)

Actually, if you mount some leather on the wheel, it would make a nice one stop sharpening station for most stuff.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Bandit,,
I have a Honing Guide, but as nice at the Veritas. As far as not going TOO coarse with grit… That is what I was wondering, PLUS what grit is TOO fine? 320? 600?

David,
Here is what the converted sander should look like. It calls for the addition of a buffing wheel, though I did wonder if putting leather on the existing wheel would be doable as an alternative.

V-AFTER Conversion-V (*American Woodturner Dec. 2012)









V-BEFORE Conversion-V


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

Mike, I must be stupid but I do not understand how to use this sander to sharpen turning chisels.
IMO the best place for any kind of abrasive is Klingspor
http://www.klingspor.com/products/index.htm


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

Here ya go Bert


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Harbor Freight Belt Sharpening System in action
(*American Woodturner Dec. 2012)


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

Thank you Mike and waho6o9.
Happy New Year to you and to your loved ones.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Two things: One, I use just a regular 3×21 belt sander..









instead of a grinder. a grinder can heat things up too fast. I can feel ( with a fingertip on the iron) when the metal starts to get too warm. Time to cool down awhile.

Two: Leather belts. Is there a way to make a leather belt to take the place of the sanding belt? One COULD also rig up a plywood disc, adhere a sheet of leather to it, and spin that on the side wheelie thing.

Tip: When running any edge tools on a sanding belt, place them so that the belt is running AWAY from the edge. You don't want the edge to catch on a spinning belt, and coming flying back AT you, now do you?

Too Fine a belt? Depends on when the law of lessening returns takes ahold. Buy a very fine grit belt ($$) or use a very worn out belt (00$)? Klingspor Has about any belt type you need. You can also order special ones.


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## dkirtley (Mar 11, 2010)

I really would go for a leather strop over a buffing wheel. The wheels tend to dub over the edges more.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Bandit: "...Tip: When running any edge tools on a sanding belt, place them so that the belt is running AWAY from the edge…"

Yep, part of the conversion deals with putting the belt on in a figure-8 in order to change direction. I am sure that will probably shorten belt life somewhat, but hopefully that will be minimal.

David: "...I really would go for a leather strop over a buffing wheel. ..."

Good idea. If the buffing wheel works out less than ideal, I might think of adding/replacing with a leather honing wheel like this one from Tormak:
A this rate, I might be able to have a tricked out system for maybe $150-$200. We''ll see. It sure will top the $379 for a T-3, or the $639 for the T-7, that's for sure. I am mostly thinking of this for the turning tools, as I am comfortable with manually sharpening/honing my hand plane blades anyway.

$42.00









OR THIS ONE BELOW This one is just 3 1/2in in diameter with a max 600 RPM rating. Crap-Will NOT work on this sander. But will on my 8in drill press…hmm…now that is an idea…

*QUESTION: What is RPM of the HF MOTOR on this sander?*
Scratch that… just found it:
Belt Speed
1150 FPB
Disc Speed
1780 RPM

$31.99










OR THIS ONE: This is 8in diameter
$28.99


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

I'm waking this old thread to ask…

When you twist the belt, how do you keep it from rubbing against itself in the middle?

My sander won't even start with the belt twisted. It's a weak little motor.

-Paul


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

Why do you want to twist the belt?


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

to make the sanding belt move up instead of down.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Easy way to reverse the belt's direction of travel. One can also try to mount the motor on the other side of the sander. Or, just rewire the motor to reverse direction.


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## REO (Sep 20, 2012)

reversing the rotation can be easily done in an afternoon. less time than the mods take to run a twisted belt.


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

"reversing the rotation can be easily done in an afternoon" 
On 3 phases this is a piece of cake but on an universal motor it is not always possible to swap the wires.


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## REO (Sep 20, 2012)

Bert, somewhere in the posts there is a pictorial I did for just exactly this project a couple years back. None of the harbor freight bench top sanders have a universal motor. All of them have a capacitor which means at the very least it is capacitor start. The capacitor throws one winding off phase with the other and implies direction. it makes it easy to find the right wires to switch to reverse direction even though the manufacturer didnt bring them out as "user serviceable"


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

Thank you Reo but I cannot find you post. 
Could you help?
Thank you.


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

Thanks REO.

I'll look into that.

Right now, my top problem is tracking.


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## REO (Sep 20, 2012)

here it is took a bit of digging
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/48372


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

FWIW, 4yr later and I STILL have not worn the OEM belt out from twisting it!


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

> FWIW, 4yr later and I STILL have not worn the OEM belt out from twisting it!
> 
> - HorizontalMike


I hear ya, but many years ago the university declared me to be an electrical engineer, so even though I'm more of a digital guy, I pretty much have to do the motor mod just for pride's sake.

-Paul


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