Why does the sand belt on my sander keep snapping?

Question

Im using a belt sander to sand down the staircase and the skirting boards in my hallway, ive bought new sanding belts and they are the correct size for the sander, but everytime I begin sanding, after a couple of seconds the belts snap, ive spent a fortune replacing them and they all keep doing the same thing, why?

Answer 1

i suspect the rollers are out of alignment.could be they are just wore out.this would cause the belt to run to one side and to snag on something .another possibilty is you are running the belt too loose or too tight.is this a rental machine? if it is id take it back and have them show you how to change and adjust the belt.

Answer 2

Belt Sander Paper

Answer 3

Yes they can, would take longer than with a floor sander and would be more expensive, but it is possible. Start with the coarsest grit you can find for your make of belt sander. This will remove any old paint/varnish and will level out the floorboards where they join, if any are high. Work the sander with and across the grain of the timber Then work down the grades of paper to a fine grit working the sander with the grain, before applying varnish/sealant etc

Answer 4

Its a common problem.
Does your belt sander have an adjuster on it?
If so ease it back a little and retighten.
Are the sand belts of a poorer quality than that recommended by the manufacturer?
Suggest also that you present with the offending item at the shop you bought it in an demand an answer to this problem.

Answer 5

Some belts have a "direction" arrow inside. The direction the belt moves must match the arrows or it can be damaged. I believe it has something to do with the way the belt is glued together.

Answer 6

As already mentioned Alignment or even sharp edges on rollers or tension.