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Wide Belt Basics

Last edited: 28 February 2022

Wide Belts are a common product used in many industries. Knowing some basics will help you choose the right belt for your needs.

When is a belt considered a wide belt?

Generally, wide belts have a width of 12" - 60". There are wider belts out there, however, if the belt is wider than the parent roll of abrasive material, known as the jumbo roll, it is referred as a segmented belt, because excess material is needed to get to that width.

Important: Some belts, for example 6" x 186", are very long but are not wide enough to be considered a wide belt. When purchasing belts, always make sure to buy the correct size for your machine.

Which backings are available and which one should you choose?

Wide belt sanding is an application with high pressure on the abrasive and the work piece. Therefore the backing should be thick and durable. For coarser grits, up to 120, polyester belts are ideal. The polymer-based material is extremely strong and heavy-duty. Additional advantage: it's waterproof, and can be washed if it gets super dirty.

Pick a paper-backed belt for finish sanding with grit 150 and up, as the abrasive grains sit very flat on the surface of the paper. Usually, wide belts have an F-weight paper backing, because it is heavy enough to withstand the pressures of the sanding application.

Which belt joints are available?

The most common joint is the #4 joint, a standard butt splice that is the default for abrasive belts 120 grit and below. On paper-backed belts, you'll often find a #1 joint, an over-lap joint that uses no tape as the ends are glued directly together making a perfectly smooth running joint.

Be sure that we provide a belt that has the ideal joint for your application. However, if you want to learn more about the details, check out our video on belt joints.

Which grit size for which application?

  • Grits 24-60 are for material removal, planing, or dimensioning with a cloth or polyester backing.
  • Grits 80-120 are for intermediate sanding, usually with a cloth backing.
  • Grits 150 and up are the finishing grits, best used with a paper backing and a #1 joint.

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Products Used

Wide Belts

KLINGSPOR offers a large selection of wide belts for a variety of industries and applications. Please contact us if you can't find the correct belt for your machine, and we're happy to discuss custom sizes with you!

Cloth:
24 - 36 Inch37 - 52 Inch52+ Inch
Paper:
24 - 36 Inch37 - 52 Inch52+ Inch
Polyester:
24 - 36 Inch37 - 52 Inch52+ Inch
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