Belts for grinding (sanding) handles?

J

jaymeister99

Joined
Sep 14, 2010
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Ok, I I've seen the posts saying to use AO belts for wood handles. But what about the other materials like G10, Micarta, Carbon Fiber, Etc?

Ive been using ceramic and zirconia belts, but they seem to dull quick on the handles. Im assuming its not dulling but getting filled with wood dust?

But if you use AO belts will they cut through the pins/rivets (I last used 416 stainless pins) or will it be better with zirc/ceramic?
 
Yes the AO will work on all of those,they will also grind steel just don't last as long.You also need to get a belt cleaner stick,looks like a big eraser and use it to clean the wood dust and such out of your belts.
Stan
 
SBuzek said:
Yes the AO will work on all of those,they will also grind steel just don't last as long.You also need to get a belt cleaner stick,looks like a big eraser and use it to clean the wood dust and such out of your belts.
Stan
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Am I better off just using the ceramic/zirc belts and cleaning them or using AO belts just for the handles?
 
I like useing the cheap Ao belts on handle materals,hard materials like Desert Ironwood,mesquite and g-10 will eat up a belt pretty quick so I would rather burn up a 2.50 belt compaired to a 6.00 belt,I also think the AO cuts better on wood.
Stan
 
SBuzek said:
You also need to get a belt cleaner stick,looks like a big eraser and use it to clean the wood dust and such out of your belts.
Stan
Click to expand...

It will give new life to a belt you thought was dead. Well worth the cost.
 
An alternative to the rubber belt cleaning sticks that I've heard of (but never tried for myself) is to use the sole of an old tennis shoe. Apparently it works just as well.
 
+1 on the cheap AO belts for handles. I use 60 grit to start, then cheaper 220 and 400 Jflex belts. As long as I don't stay on any one pin too long, and am conscious of how hot they are getting, AO belts will cut the pins fine and nothing gets overheated or burned. I hit my belts while running with a wire brush, it gets a lot of the clogging out. That's because as of yet I've been too cheap to buy a belt cleaning stick.
 
Salem Straub said:
+1 on the cheap AO belts for handles. I use 60 grit to start, then cheaper 220 and 400 Jflex belts. As long as I don't stay on any one pin too long, and am conscious of how hot they are getting, AO belts will cut the pins fine and nothing gets overheated or burned. I hit my belts while running with a wire brush, it gets a lot of the clogging out. That's because as of yet I've been too cheap to buy a belt cleaning stick.
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Can grips be dipped in water while you are grinding em to cool off the pins? I wouldnt do it with virgin wood, but what about stabilized wood, G10, or Micarta?
 
Yes, I dip handles to cool them all the time. Just don't do it with something that may soak up a large amount of water.
 
If you have any horse stall mat it works well to clean your belts, I keep a small piece next to the grinder.

Great question, I was wondering what to use on G10. I have tried all kinds of belts besides AO and they all clog quickly.
 
I use AO for all types of material, it works well on synthetics. G10, except for bandsawing, is about the easiest thing there is to shape and sand IMO. I saw it slow on my metal saw, it knocks the edge right off of wood blades at wood speeds.

+1 what Darrin said. I dip G10 and phenolic while grinding. For more sensitive stuff, I was shown to have ice cubes in a cup by the grinder, and touch the bolt/pin heads with it for a fast cool when necessary.
 
knife to a gunfight said:
An alternative to the rubber belt cleaning sticks that I've heard of (but never tried for myself) is to use the sole of an old tennis shoe. Apparently it works just as well.
Click to expand...

I used to help an old woodworker in his shop in my early teens. he would have me hand sand small parts for whatever projects he was working on. he had a 4" X a jillion foot (not sure how long the belt was but it must have been 20+ feet ) belt sander and he would dress the belt with the soles of old woork boots. It had to be the ones with the natural tan colored rubber soles.
 
Thanks for all the responses! I'm going out today on my lunch break for my first visit to Harbor Freight Tools. I'll be picking up a bar of belt cleaner. Can't wait to see the rest of the store, I feel like a kid about to go to a giant candy store!
 
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