An edge sander runs a long belt horizontally over a flat platen, with a table in front for the work. It sands the edges and faces of boards square and flat, and on many models the belt also oscillates up and down so it wears evenly and leaves fewer scratch lines. The belts are long, and their lengths vary more from model to model than on almost any other sander.
Why the lengths vary.
An edge sander’s belt length depends on the distance between its drums, which each manufacturer chooses. In our catalogue, 6 in wide belts appear in lengths of 48, 79, 80, 89, 102 and 108 in, and 9 in belts in 108, 138 and 138-1/2 in. Even small differences matter: whether a 138 in belt works on a machine documented for 138-1/2 in depends on how far its tensioner travels, which manuals rarely say. Buy the length documented for your model.
Metric documents add their own figures. A 6 × 89 in belt is 152.4 × 2260.6 mm, and machines documented in metric give 150 × 2260 mm. German documents in our catalogue also list 150 × 2270 mm, 152 × 2010 mm and 150 × 2600 mm, each for a different machine. Close is not the same: 2260 and 2270 mm are 10 mm apart, which is a different belt.
Choosing and fitting the belt.
- Width. Edge sander belts are commonly 6 in (150 mm) or 9 in wide. The width has to match the platen and drums.
- Grit. Edge sanders are often used to true up edges after the saw, so mid grits (P80 to P120) are common; see grits and abrasives.
- Platen. The belt runs over a graphite-covered platen on many models. A worn or torn graphite sheet makes the belt drag and heat; it is a cheap part to replace.
- Tracking and oscillation. Long belts need careful tracking. Adjust it with the machine jogged briefly, and check again once the oscillation is running.
Sizes documented for edge sanders.
These are the belt sizes in our catalogue for edge sanders, with the number of machines documented for each. Open a size to see every machine that takes it.
| Size | Machines of this kind | For example |
|---|---|---|
| 6 × 89 in152.4 × 2260.6 mm | 7 machines | Craftex CX505, Grizzly G0563, JET OES-689-BLK |
| 6 × 108 in152.4 × 2743.2 mm | 6 machines | Grizzly G0564, King Canada CT-108C, King Canada KC-108-OSC |
| 150 × 2260 mm5.91 × 88.98 in | 4 machines | Axminster Trade AT220BS, Carbatec WBS-2200C, HAFCO L-80 |
| 6 × 80 in152.4 × 2032 mm | 3 machines | Grizzly G0512, Grizzly G1140, Shop Fox W1688 |
| 9 × 138-1/2 in228.6 × 3517.9 mm | 3 machines | Grizzly G9984, Grizzly G9985, Oliver 6320 |
| 9 × 138 in228.6 × 3505.2 mm | 2 machines | Powermatic OES9138B, Powermatic OES9138B-3 |
| 6 × 48 in152.4 × 1219.2 mm | 1 machine | Oliver 6301 |
| 6 × 102 in152.4 × 2590.8 mm | 1 machine | Grizzly G0401 |
| 6 × 79 in152.4 × 2006.6 mm | 1 machine | Grizzly G0839P |
| 9 × 108 in228.6 × 2743.2 mm | 1 machine | Oliver 6318 |
Counts are the machines of this kind documented for each exact size today. A size page also lists other kinds of machine that take the same size.
Find your edge sander’s belt size ↗︎