Belt sander, Mark V question

[jim2007]

Received an old mark V. Tried the sanding belts that came with it on the belt sander and they came apart at the glued seam (they were pretty old, so no real problem with that).

How do I check that the sander is properly tensioned and aligned? I searched this forum and the books I got with the the Mark V, and I can not see how to properly set tension on the belt sander.

Thanks.

[stephanos]

If your 6 X 48 belt sander is like mine, the tension is set automatically when you mount a new belt. To center the running belt, there is an adjustment wheel on the side. I am not aware of any way to adjust the tension of the belt itself, however.

I have also had belts come unglued. I think storing them in a place where they are exposed to temperature extremes contributes to this type of failure. Don't throw away the belts, though. You can affix them to a flat surface and use them to flatten waterstones (the finer grit ones, at least) or to lap the sole of a handplane, sharpen plane blades and chisels, etc. I suppose you could glue one to a stair tread to provide a slip-proof surface.

Steve

[robg]

If I remember correctly (I just set up a new belt sander a month ago, but I could still be mistaken), there isn't any tension adjustment at all. The screw spring release is all you get. I don't think that's uncommon with belt sanders though. I have seen industrial sanders with tension adjustments, but I have also seen a lot of sanders with positioning adjustments only.

[nimrod]

The belt tension is adjusted by the knob on the end of the top roller. If i remember right, you loosen it all the way, then crank it back 3 full turns to start.

It's all detailed in the instruction book.

[robg]

Nimrod, they might have changed the way it works since you got your sander. (or I might just misunderstand it). My knob is spring loaded. I turn it to loosen the belt, but let it go to provide tension.

[Nick]

Folks, I wrote the belt sander manual (eons ago, it seems), so I put the "Alignment and Adjustment" section in a .pdf file for all to share. It answers all the issues raised in this thread. Here's the link:http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/Academy_Notes_files%20--%20SSNWA/Belt_Sander_Alignment.pdf

With all good wishes,

[reible]

Thanks Nick! Your version is going in my shopsmith folder right next to the one that came with my belt sander (which is from a 1972 issue of a 1955 copyrighted manual back when shopsmith was in Vandalia). That is what I was shipped with my beltsander back in 1976. I never knew they had updated the manual...

Ed

[fixit]

So, is it just my machine that can't open the file? I get a "404" error (file not found) when trying to open the belt sander alignment and adjustment link in Nick's post.