1/2" x 24" Surface Conditioning Belts (Non-Woven) , 24 PACK

A 1/2" x 24" non-woven belt is the finishing belt for pneumatic file belt sanders that run this length, including the Dynabrade 14000 named on our original listing. Where a coated file belt cuts a new scratch, this nylon-web belt blends the one that is already there: it deburrs a machined edge, knocks the heat tint off a TIG weld in a corner, and leaves a uniform satin line on stainless, aluminum or titanium without changing the part's dimensions.

We convert them in Anaheim, California, and sell them 24 to a pack in four grades: Coarse (brown), Medium (maroon), Very Fine (blue) and Ultra Fine (grey). The grades are colour-coded so an operator can grab the right belt off the hook without reading a label.

• Nylon web with aluminum oxide grain: blends and deburrs, removes almost no stock
• Four grades from Coarse (40-60 grit equivalent) to Ultra Fine (320-400 grit equivalent)
• Reinforced scrim backing tracks on a 1/2" file arm and forms into inside radii
• Runs cool and resists loading, so one belt lasts through many parts
• 24 belts per pack keeps a deburring bench stocked in every grade
• Converted in Anaheim, California; free shipping on orders over $200

Which grade should you choose for a 1/2" file belt sander?

Match the grade to the finish you are trying to hit, not to the coated belt you just used. Every grade is the same nylon web with aluminum oxide grain; only the grain size changes.

• Coarse (brown, 40-60 grit equivalent): heavy deburring of laser-cut and sheared edges, cleaning weld spatter and scale, stripping paint or rust from a small area. It is the only grade that removes noticeable material, so use a light hand.
• Medium (maroon, 80-120 grit equivalent): the general-purpose grade. Blends the scratch left by a 60-120 grit coated file belt, breaks sharp edges on machined parts, and cleans heat tint from stainless welds.
• Very Fine (blue, 180-240 grit equivalent): the grade fabricators use for a #4-style brushed stainless finish and for matching a factory satin on tube and sheet. Follow Medium with it, or run it straight after a 150-220 coated belt.
• Ultra Fine (grey, 320-400 grit equivalent): final blend before polishing or anodizing, a fine satin on aluminum and titanium, and light cleaning without leaving a visible scratch. We are one of the few converters that stock this grade in belt form.

If you are buying one grade to start, buy Medium. It corrects the widest range of prior scratches and its finish is acceptable on most fabricated parts as shipped.

Grit guide: what each grade replaces in a coated-belt sequence

Skipping a grade works better with non-woven than with coated belts because the web does not cut a deep new scratch, but a Coarse-to-Ultra-Fine jump will still leave brown-grade lines under the grey finish. Coarse to Very Fine, or Medium to Ultra Fine, are the largest jumps we recommend.

Which machines take a 1/2" x 24" belt?

• Dynabrade 14000 air-powered file belt sanders, as named on our original listing for this size.
• Other pneumatic file belt sanders and abrasive belt tools built around a 1/2" wide by 24" long belt. Measure your belt before ordering: 1/2" x 18" is a different, shorter file-belt size that we stock separately.
• Contact arms: the web is flexible enough to wrap a small-diameter contact wheel and to work on the slack of the belt for inside radii and tube intersections.

Mounting: release the arm tension, slide the belt on with the seam running the same way as the belt you removed, re-tension and spin the tool up briefly to confirm tracking before touching the part. Non-woven belts are thicker than coated belts, so a tracking adjustment is normal when you switch between the two. If your tool takes a length we do not list, we make custom belt sizes in about three days.

How to get the most out of a non-woven file belt

1. Back the air pressure off. Non-woven works best below the speed you would run a coated belt. Throttle the tool down and let the web polish rather than tear.
2. Light pressure only. The nylon does the work. Pressing hard folds the web over, generates heat and shreds the belt in minutes. The Coarse grade in particular can remove real material if leaned on.
3. Move in one direction. For a linear satin, draw the tool along the part in straight, overlapping passes. Circles and cross-hatching show up immediately on stainless.
4. Come in from the right coated grit. Use these after a 120-220 grit coated belt. A non-woven belt will not remove 36-60 grit scratches, only soften them.
5. Use a little lubricant on aluminum. A light wipe of oil or wax on soft aluminum keeps the web from smearing and extends belt life. Run stainless dry.
6. Store them flat and dry. Keep spare belts in the pack, away from solvents and sunlight, and rotate grades in use so the whole 24-pack wears evenly.

Use it for / don't use it for

Use it for

• Deburring and edge-breaking on stainless, mild steel, aluminum and titanium parts
• Removing heat tint and discolouration from TIG and MIG welds in corners and tubing joints
• Blending grinder or coated-belt scratches into a uniform satin finish
• Cleaning light rust, oxidation and old coatings from small areas before paint or powder coat
• Finishing fiberglass, plastics and non-ferrous alloys without loading

Don't use it for

• Stock removal, weld knockdown or shaping; use a coated or zirconia file belt first
• Removing deep coarse-grit scratches; the web blends, it does not re-cut
• Producing a mirror; follow Ultra Fine with buffing wheels and compound
• Heavy pressure or full tool speed, which tears the web and wastes the belt

Specifications

Frequently asked questions

Related products and guides

• All surface conditioning belts, discs and flap discs
• 1/2" x 18" Surface Conditioning Belts, 24 pack
• 3/4" x 18" Surface Conditioning Belts, 16 pack
• Airway buffing wheels for a mirror finish after Ultra Fine
• Custom sanding belts made to order in about 3 days