Start with the model label.

Every size on BenchRefill belongs to an exact machine: a brand, a model and a configuration. The quickest way to identify yours is the plate the manufacturer fixed to it. This guide shows where to look, what to copy down and what to do when the plate is missing.

The exact model matters.

A brand name or a wheel diameter is not a model. Two machines that look alike can take different blades or belts, and one model can change between production years or between countries. The model designation on the plate, with every letter and number after it, is what identifies yours.

Where to look.

Manufacturers put the plate where it will survive, not where it is easy to read. Start here:

• Floor-standing and benchtop bandsaws. The back or side of the frame, the stand, or the body behind the wheel covers. On some machines it sits inside a cover or under the table.
• Belt and disc sanders, bench belt sanders and belt grinders. The motor housing or the base, often at the back.
• Handheld belt sanders, belt files and portable band saws. The motor housing or the handle. On cordless tools, look where the battery slides in.

Wipe the plate clean before you read it. A phone photo taken at an angle, without the flash, often shows worn lettering better than your eyes do.

What to copy down.

• Brand and model, exactly as printed, with every suffix.
• Type or order number. Some brands print a longer catalogue number as well as the model name; Bosch gives the GBS 75 AE belt sander the number 0 601 274 703. It can tell versions apart where the model name doesn’t.
• Serial number and date code. They show when the machine was made, which matters when a model was changed during production.
• Voltage and frequency. A clue to the market the machine was built for: 120 V at 60 Hz points to North America, 230–240 V at 50 Hz to the UK, Europe or Australia (UK site tools are often 110 V). Versions for different markets don’t always take the same blade or belt.

Suffixes and kit codes.

Letters after the model often describe what came in the box, such as a battery or a case, rather than the machine itself. Not always, though, so keep them. DEWALT files its North American manual for the DCS374 portable band saw under DCS374B and its UK manual under DCS374N. The North American manual gives the blade as 44-7/8 in (1140 mm), the UK manual as 1140 mm, and BenchRefill keeps a separate record for each market.

Keep the configuration with the model.

Some machines come in more than one configuration: a bandsaw with a riser block that raises the upper wheel, a different belt path, or a version for another country. Each can take its own blade or belt. On a machine page, compare the configuration with your machine before you rely on the size. If they differ, treat the fit as unresolved.

When the plate is missing.

• Paperwork. The manual, the receipt and the original box usually name the exact model.
• The manufacturer. Send their support team photos of the machine and any serial number you can find.
• Not by looks. A similar-looking model is not a substitute, even from the same brand.
• The old blade or belt. Measure it and compare the result with the documented sizes.

Then look it up.

Search for the model as printed; BenchRefill matches it with or without spaces and hyphens. With the machine in front of you, you can also scan the label: the scanner reads the text on your device and suggests matching models. If your machine isn’t listed, its manual or manufacturer is the place to ask. Our catalogue doesn’t cover every model.