3M Gator Belts??

They're great belts. You can refresh the grit using a burr edge on scrap steel and get them cutting like new. The grit is deep and even and the belts can last a long time. The only caveat I've found is that they can wear unevenly, resulting in a face that is not flat. For that reason I use each belt either for totally flat stuff, or only compound shapes; not for both. They are worth the money in my opinion.
 
They are great.I use them on stainless (S30V,ATS-34),and they really last.They are aggressive enough,but don't gouge the steel.This makes the finer grinds easier to clean up,later.They run cooler,too.
SA
 
I have tried a couple and so far I will get more of them. I used them on the finishing of hollow grinds and thy worked great, one thing I noticed it that you don't need to run the belt over the edge of the wheel to finish the plunge cut. Gib
 
Dave: are you sure it's not the diameter of the contact wheel that's causeing the "un-eveness" prob? or perhaps serrated as opposed to non?? Just a thought. As for me I just discovered the damn things last week!! Imagine. I've so far, found'em to be just dandy of course I'm a flat grinder almost exclusively. Just a great belt for that final finsh so's we ain't gotta hand sand'em, (what joy that is....)


mitch
 
Here in Texas we've re-named the damned things "dillo" belts cuz it's the coonasses what's got gators all to de sev's ,(ah-yo mesh'a(n) tre bien!!....)


I just love phonics!


mitch
 
I've done a couple with them so far. I thought they ran a little hotter than a sharp ceramic but my fingers had gone soft from not grinding for awhile so that may have been it.

I'm learning to like them but to Dave's point, they will wear unevenly and I had a bugger of time chasing an even grind line the other day on one of them that had worn unevenly. I finally changed belts and the grind line straightened right out. They are so thick, I'm going to figure out a way to dress them with a diamond point to keep them fresh. Next to Norax, they may be the longest lasting (and best value) belts out there.
 
anvilring said:
Dave: are you sure it's not the diameter of the contact wheel that's causeing the "un-eveness" prob? or perhaps serrated as opposed to non?? Just a thought.
mitch
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Yeah, I'm sure. If you try shaping something on it the belt will wear unevenly. It's no big deal if you reserve some for flat grinding too.
 
Tracy I use all those scrap cutoffs to dress em with. The burr from the bandsaw is about perfect for it. I use em to dress the Norax belts too.
 
Like a cork belt?, are they that tough? Do you run'em at a high speed when doing so? filp them around so they run the opposite direction as well?

help!, I want to start useing these more!

regards, mitch
 
I've tried flipping them around, doesn't seem to matter much. They have a ton of grit on em and you can dress them often and keep on cutting. I haven't had as much luck with cork belts as I have just using a sequence of structured abrasive. Could be me, others have great luck with them.
 
I use 'em and like them alot. although I find that the 80 grit doesn't cut as well as a 80 grit 967 ceramic. the higher grits don't load up nearly as fast the ceramics. I dress mine with a stainless steel wire brush.

Jerry
 
ddavelarsen said:
Tracy I use all those scrap cutoffs to dress em with. The burr from the bandsaw is about perfect for it. I use em to dress the Norax belts too.
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Thanks for the tip Dave!

I've been using a piece of sheet metal from a computer case - it just screams when I jam it edge first into the belt. I'll still do that for the perverse, payback pleasure I get out of doing that to a computer.

Your idea will be for really dressing the belts.

Steve
 
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