1" x 12" Surface Conditioning Belts (Non-Woven), 12 PACK

The shortest belt in our surface conditioning range is made for the compact pneumatic belt sanders that shops use for edge work: breaking the edges on sheet-metal parts, deburring a machined slot, cleaning a small weld and blending a repair into the surrounding finish. A 1" x 12" non-woven belt gives those short-arm tools a finishing belt that conforms, runs cool and does not change the part's size.

Each pack holds 12 belts of one grade. The four grades are colour-coded: Coarse is brown, Medium is maroon, Very Fine is blue and Ultra Fine is grey, and each leaves a finish that corresponds to a band of coated-belt grits. We convert them in Anaheim, California.

• Short 12" length for compact air belt sanders used on edge and detail work
• Nylon web with aluminum oxide grain: deburrs and blends without removing stock
• Coarse, Medium, Very Fine and Ultra Fine grades, brown through grey
• Reinforced scrim backing tolerates the tight wheel radius of a short arm
• Reduced loading and heat build-up on aluminum, plastics and stainless
• 12 belts per pack; converted in Anaheim, California

Which grade should you choose for edge deburring and finishing?

A 1" x 12" belt spends most of its life on edges and small features, so the choice usually comes down to how sharp the burr is and what finish the part needs afterward.

• Coarse (brown, 40-60 grit equivalent): knocking down raised burrs on sheared, punched and laser-cut steel and stainless, cleaning scale beside a small weld, stripping a coating from an edge. Use it lightly; it is the one grade that removes noticeable material.
• Medium (maroon, 80-120 grit equivalent): the default. Breaks machined edges on aluminum and steel to a safe, uniform radius, blends the scratch from an 80-120 grit coated belt and cleans heat tint. If you buy one grade, buy this one.
• Very Fine (blue, 180-240 grit equivalent): a #4-style satin on a stainless edge or face, and a fine, even finish on titanium and aluminum parts that will be visible in service.
• Ultra Fine (grey, 320-400 grit equivalent): a final blend before anodizing, passivation or buffing, and a low-sheen satin on plastics and fiberglass edges. We are one of the few converters who stock this grade as a belt.

On plastics and fiberglass, start at Medium; Coarse can fuzz the edge. On titanium, Medium then Very Fine gives a clean, uniform surface with no embedded grit.

Grit guide: grade, colour and the finish it leaves

These are finish equivalents. Non-woven belts leave a scratch pattern in these ranges but cut far slower than a coated belt of the same number, which is exactly why they can deburr an edge without altering a toleranced dimension.

Which machines take a 1" x 12" belt?

• Compact pneumatic belt sanders designed around a 1" wide by 12" long belt. These are the short-arm air tools sold for edge sanding, deburring and finishing in production and repair shops, and the tools our original listing described this belt as ideal for.
• Small bench mini belt sanders that specify a 1" x 12" belt.

We do not list a specific model for this size, so confirm the belt dimension in your tool's manual or on the belt you are replacing. To mount, release the arm or tension lever, slip the belt over both wheels with the seam running the same direction as the old belt, re-tension and jog the tool to confirm it tracks centred. The web is thicker than a coated belt, so expect to adjust tracking slightly when you switch. If your tool uses a length we do not stock, we make custom belt sizes in about three days.

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

1. Reduce speed. A 12" belt passes the contact wheel more often than a longer belt, so heat builds faster. Feather the throttle or turn the regulator down; the web finishes better and lasts longer slow.
2. Light pressure. Let the belt touch the edge rather than pushing the edge into the belt. Heavy pressure folds the web, heats the part and tears the belt.
3. Keep the work moving. Draw the edge across the belt in one direction; dwelling in one spot rounds the edge unevenly and leaves a bright patch.
4. Use the slack for radii. Where the arm allows, the unsupported belt between wheels conforms to small inside radii and slot ends.
5. Start from a 120-220 grit surface. Non-woven will not remove coarse 36-60 grit scratches; use a coated belt for those first.
6. Lubricate on aluminum. A trace of oil or wax on the belt stops soft alloys smearing into the web. Run steel and stainless dry.
7. Store spares flat in the pack, away from solvents and sunlight.

Use it for / don't use it for

Use it for

• Edge breaking and burr removal on sheet-metal, machined and laser-cut parts
• Cleaning heat tint and light scale from small welds on stainless and steel
• Blending repairs and tool marks into a uniform satin finish
• Finishing edges on aluminum, titanium, plastics and fiberglass
• Prepping small features for anodizing, passivation, paint or powder coat

Don't use it for

• Stock removal, shaping or weld grinding; use a coated belt first
• Removing deep scratches from coarse belts
• Producing a mirror; after Ultra Fine, move to buffing wheels and compound
• Running at full pressure and full speed, which shreds the web

Specifications

Frequently asked questions

Related products and guides

• All surface conditioning belts, discs and flap discs
• 1" x 18" coated sanding belts for stock removal first
• 1/2" x 18" Surface Conditioning Belts, 24 pack
• Rolloc surface conditioning discs, 2" and 3"
• Custom sanding belts made to order in about 3 days