The bane of my existence

JTknives

JTknives

Joined
Jun 11, 2006
Messages
8,651
So one thing above all others is a thorn in my side. This thing always gives me problems, never fails. And this thing of which I speek is nortons "norax" belts. Thy grind fine but when off the grinder thy will take any chance thy can get to twist them selves up into a ball. It's so bad it just about takes 2 people to get them straightened out. Have any of you experienced this. I really love 3M gator belts but the norax belts have there place as well. The only thing I have found that keeps them under control is hanging then and putting a large roller bearing in the belt to keep it straight.

If norax belts are not your thorn then what is and how do you deal with it?
 
You must have a lot of humidity. I use a lot of norax belts and have not had that problem at all. I might add, I live in a low humidity area.
 
I'm just north of you, so the same climate here. I can't say I've really had that issue with norax belts. They'll get the occasional twist, but it's easy enough to get out. Jflex belts on the other hand will turn themselves into cork screws if I take them off the gridnder for more than an hour or two....
 
Down here on the gulf coast everything but X weight belts wad themselves into a ball.
 
Yeah I have to weigh them down too. I prefer them to every other finishing belt so I deal.
 
My Norax stay flat and true but the J flex look like a ball python.

I take my belts that curl and put them together and use a flat clip to pinch them together in the middle to manage them.
 
i wonder if it had something to do with the amount of radius I have on my tracking and drive wheel.
 
JT, I live in So. California and it is hot. We have had over 60 days this summer over a hundred degrees...I mean like 105 or so...yesterday was 112. My belts are limp as a ...well you get the drift. I have j-flex belts that hang in a ball over the back of my chair and have to be straightened out by a team of weavers every time I want to use one. I will say this however... I don't buy a lot of Norax belts but I were very wealthy I would buy a ton of them because when they are new they leave a beautiful finish to my hollow grinds. Honestly I don't think there is an answer to your problem. If it wasn't that It would be something else. maybe we must all suffer a little bit for our art. Gold luck friend. You make nice knives and that is all that is important on this forum. Larry

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I'm near the sea, I use many norax ceramic belts and I haven't this problem. I buy many tapes (to try to get a good price) keep them in a big Pelican bag, taking out only 3-4 tapes at a time. I have to say that all used tapes are hanged and I haven't this problem anyway.
 
This is how I have been hanging mine but thy are all used belts. I have a real hard time tossing belts. Maybe that's why I have a billion used roughing belts. I have Been trying to get into the habit of when a belt feals used up I take it off at rip it in half. Befor I would toss it in a pile and now I have a bunch of belts that I'm going through.

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The problem seems to be caused by static electricity. Here is what I have found helps. Get yourself an aresol can of CLOTHES static remover. Spray the inside of these belts 1,2, 3. as they are moving. They will be straight to hang up. Frank
 
mknife said:
I'm near the sea, I use many norax ceramic belts and I haven't this problem. I buy many tapes (to try to get a good price) keep them in a big Pelican bag, taking out only 3-4 tapes at a time. I have to say that all used tapes are hanged and I haven't this problem anyway.
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The ceramic is probably the difference. The few of them I've tried (don't particularly like them myself and haven't bought more than the initial two) were closer to an X weight, and the regular norax I've used were more like a J.
 
1 inch j-flex scalloped edge belts look like burritos! Or at least mine do.
 
I don't know if it is related to the crowning in the tracking wheel, or by uneven strain by the tracking due to default wheels misalignment recovery.
It happens to me with all the jflex types...more severe in case of wet grinding, which affects also lower grits.
I'll try the antistatic trick, but i'm fine with hanging them with a weight...only difference i use pieces of cardboard pipe, with larger radius than the rollerbearing...either up and down, to avoid sharp bends setting in.
 
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