Do I Need To Get A Belt Sander?

[DavidL]

When dealing with leathers like horween has anyone used a belt sander? The leather may be too soft?

Also, How do you get all the edges squared? With multiple pieces its hard to get the piece square and flat. My pieces have a lot of dips and valleys and takes forever to sand by hand even with 80 grit.

[mlapaglia]

Cut the edges a little longer than needed and power sand them to size. Its not needed but will save a LOT of time.

Belt, drum, dremel, some kind of power sander will really help.

[snubbyfan]

From my wood worker days, I've got 3 kinda power sanders. A vertical disc, horizontal belt and a sanding drum chucked into my drill press. For a long straight edge the belt sander works best. On an edge with inside curves, I use the sanding drum.

I also do some hand sanding. For that I use a sanding block with 150 grit.

Belt sanded this one.

Used the sanding drum on this one.

Hand sanded the belt with 150 grit on a sanding block.

[DavidL]

snubby those are great edges. I will check out a sanding drum.

I redid the edges and they came out fine with sanding block this time. For longer items I will pick up a sanding belt

[CustomDoug]

I thought I needed a belt sander so I ran out to Harbour Freight and bought one of their small vertical belt sanders that sits on a table top. It uses like a 3/4 to 1" sanding belt (can't remember which). I do not recommend this version of a sander - it's only useful for the shortest pieces like small card holders, wallets, etc - with straight edges of course. It was cheap so I'll have it when needed but honestly I'm really still wanting a much bigger horizontal belt sander. For long belts and straps my little sander is useless and frustrating. I feel like a bigger horizontal machine with like a 3-4"wide sanding belt would be a heck of a lot better.tion

I also plan on getting drum sanders in some configuration, definitely needed.

Doug C

[DavidL]

I will keep that in mind. A horizontal sander w/ an 90 degree flat guide.

[Dwight]

I own two of the Harbor Freight $49.95 or thereabouts belt sanders, . . . I think it is a 1 inch belt sander.

They are worth their weight in gold for me: holsters, purses, belts, . . . you name it. I don't know what problems others have with it, . . . I can sand down the edge of a 44 inch belt in about 4 minutes, . . . perfectly straight, . . . square, . . . and ready for the edger. Anything wider cuts far too much of the leather, . . . leaves valleys, . . . etc.

Drum sanders for me are only good for inside curves, . . . something I do not do a lot with. I got one from Menard's with a coupon, . . . would probably take it back if I could, . . . it oscillates, . . . which doesn't do well for my leather work.

I also have a big 12 inch disc sander, . . . very rarely use it with leather.

My suggestion is to try the Harbor Freight belt sander, . . . I give it 2 thumbs up.

May God bless,

Dwight

[DavidL]

What grit do you use? 220, 400?

[Dwight]

80 and 120

May God bless,

Dwight

[CustomDoug]

The only problem with the 1" version of HF's sander (for me) is that there is not enough room to work longer pieces. The base plate is in the way. Maybe if the whole sanding belt protruded completely and could be mounted so that the belt stuck out past a table edge it would be a lot better. A horizontal belt sander on the other hand is completely open on both ends (and is longer).

Dwight wrote: "..Anything wider cuts far too much of the leather, . . . leaves valleys, . . . etc..." - Dwight are you saying that a wider sanding belt causes those problems? I'm not sure how that would be the case as the grit is going to be the same between the narrow and wider belt. Do you have experience with a horizontal sander? If that's true I may need to reconsider. Thanks.

Doug C

Edited August 17, 2015 by CustomDoug

[Nuttish]

https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/oscillating-edge-belt-spindle-sander.

It's a nice machine, particularly because you can't get spindles in fine grits, but you can get very high quality 4x24 belts up to 600 from Klingspor.

Many Horween leathers are much harder to work with than people give them credit for. It's hard to answer until you get more specific about what tannages you intend to use.

[Dwight]

Doug, . . . I come from a carpentry / woodworking background, . . . so I've used just about every type of sander that is made. Honestly if someone brought me a horizontal sander, . . . it would go into the corner until I found a buyer for it. I just don't like them.

Look at the little drawing, . . . that is how I use the HF belt sander for belts, purses, leashes, holsters, . . . everything but my fingernails. It was drawn as though you were up looking straight down over top of the top pulley.

I can control the "cut" with this sander, . . . wider ones I cannot as well, . . . but probably something in that may be due to using this kind more.

I can do everything except an inside curve smaller than about 4 inches, . . . then I go to the drum sander.

What I really like about it, . . . it works for all my stuff, . . . I'm constantly making little wooden jigs, . . . adjusting a mold, . . . stuff like that where a sander is needed, and it does double duty by doing the wood as well as the leather, . . . I even sharpen my drill bits on it, . . . my chisels too.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited August 17, 2015 by Dwight

[Dwight]

FWIW, . . . had 4 belts to sand, . . . edge, . . . groove, . . . stitch, . . . and dye.

Done !

This pic is after they have been sanded and edged, . . . should have taken the picture before edging, . . . didn't think of it.

May God bless,

Dwight

[snubbyfan]

FWIW, . . . had 4 belts to sand, . . . edge, . . . groove, . . . stitch, . . . and dye.

Done !

This pic is after they have been sanded and edged, . . . should have taken the picture before edging, . . . didn't think of it.

May God bless,

Dwight

Looks good, that's gonna burnish nice. If I did a lot of belts, I'd use your system.

I just got a holster sanded.

[Chief31794]

I've got a belt sander but I got a oscillating drum sander a while back from Harbor Freight and I use it 95% of the time now, quick change for different diameter drums and it does a great job on straight or curved edges including inside curves. I did cover the table with shelf paper which I do with my drill press and some other machines to prevent metal oxidation from getting on the leather.

Chief

[oltoot]

I didn'y need one til I got one now I can't imagine life without it. And I have a HFT vertical belt sander too. Great little tool but I wouldn't trade though I'm glad I don't have to.

[CustomDoug]

Wow Dwight nice illustration! And I have to admit that I have not tried pulling the leather across the sanding belt like that. I've only thought to run the sanding belt perpendicular with the leather. I will give it a go and try to look at my 1" vertical belt sander with new eyes. Sure seems effective from the look of your straps. I do sort of feel like that's going to take a good eye for "wavy-ness" in the line .. but I have a good eye (haha).

What I was thinking (w/ the horizontal unit) is to make a sort of thin wooden clamp to sandwich the leather in - think two paint stir sticks clamped together with wing nuts/bolts or even just simple office bull clips. Clamp it about 1/8" from the edge of the leather or so, then sand it level holding the piece perpendicular to the horizontal belt. This would help develop an even line quicker and control the strap at the same time.

I like that Rigid machine too. Does harbor freight have similar?

Doug C

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Just to add this, a guy can never have enough "toys or tools". If you think you need it, you can even put up a good case to your wife for having her get it for you, birthday, anniversary, Father's day whatever.

Bob

[snubbyfan]

Just to add this, a guy can never have enough "toys or tools". If you think you need it, you can even put up a good case to your wife for having her get it for you, birthday, anniversary, Father's day whatever.

Bob

That reminds me. My wife asked me one day,"How many power tools do you need?" My reply was,"All of them."

[JLSleather]

I don't have a belt sander, and I get by jus' fine I used to do woodwork, back when i had the space, and a belt sander was nice. Also table saw, router, variable drill press, planer, shaper, and some hand tools (and a million billion clamps). Been thinking about getting some more room and opening a wood shop -- in which case I'll need a belt sander.

BUT, back to leather craft. Cut with a SHARP knife (yes, I know it's harder to find a sharp knife now than it used to be). Save the 400 grit for sanding walnut or oak.