HOW TO MEASURE A SANDING BELT

Belt sanders are used for a variety of projects that include metalworking, woodworking, bladesmithing, and much more. The great thing about sanding belts is that they come in so many sizes – manufacturers can make custom belts specific for what works for you. 

Sanding belts not only come in many different sizes, but they also range in how they can be used. For example, there are sanding belts that are great for sanding wood floors or there are stationary belt sanders that can be used for knifemaking or other projects. Stationary belt sanders can be mounted on stands or benches. Not only are those belt sanders available, but there are also belt file sanders which are small handheld machines that can be equipped with a smaller belt – these are useful for areas that are hard to reach such as corners and tight spaces. Hand powered belt sanders can be used for small or large projects to smooth and finish the surface you are working on. They are also portable which can be helpful. 

Different Ways to Measure a Sanding Belt 

1. Depending on the size of your sanding belt, you can push it flat against the floor and use a tape measure. Make sure to multiply the number you got by two to get the correct belt size. A smaller belt would work best with this.
2. If you have a sanding belt that you no longer need or that is old, you can cut it so that you can lay it down in one long strip in order to measure the total length. This method will work with all belt sander sizes. 
3. Using string, you can wrap the sanding belt –the way you would apply it to the machine– with string and when the string meets itself, you cut it and measure it that way. 
4. The last method involves a pen. Using the pen, you want to mark the inside of the belt along with a flat surface such as the floor that matches up on that line perfectly. You then will want to rotate the belt slowly until the mark on the belt reaches the floor again. Make sure to mark where the line meets the surface again so you can measure the distance between the two marks at the end. 

Here at Maverick Abrasives, we sell lots of belt sizes that can be beneficial to you and your projects. Along with custom belts, we sell common stock belt sizes such as 6 x 80, 6 x 48, 6 x 89, 37 x 60, 37 x 75, 2 x 72, 1 x 42, 4 x 36, 4 x 24, and much more.