2-1/2" x 60" Sanding Belts, 8 PACK
2-1/2" x 60" Sanding Belts, 8 PACK
Available in stock (49995)
Bench belt sanders and belt-disc combination machines built around a 2-1/2" x 60" belt sit in a lot of small metal shops, maintenance departments and home workshops, and the belt does everything from deburring sheared steel brackets and rounding aluminum corners to squaring wood blanks and touching up chisels. We convert 2-1/2" x 60" belts in Anaheim, California in two grains: Aluminum Oxide on poly-cotton cloth for wood, aluminum and light general work, and Zirconia on Y-weight poly-cotton for steel, stainless and heavy removal.
Both can be run wet or dry. Eight belts per pack in 36 through 400 grit, so a bench machine that eats belts on small parts stays stocked without reordering every week.
- 2-1/2" x 60" length for bench belt sanders and belt-disc combination machines
- Aluminum Oxide for wood and aluminum; Y-weight Zirconia for steel and stainless
- Poly-cotton cloth backing survives the tight drums and platen of a bench sander
- 36 to 400 grit: shaping and deburring through fine finishing and tool touch-up
- Eight belts per pack for machines that go through belts on small parts
- Converted in Anaheim, California; free shipping on orders over $200
Which 2-1/2" x 60" belt material should you choose?
On a bench sander the choice comes down to what you sand most and how hard the machine lets you push.
- Aluminum Oxide: heat-treated grain, closed coat, on poly-cotton cloth that can run wet or dry. The right belt for hardwood and softwood, plywood, aluminum, brass, plastics and general deburring, and the only grain here offered from 150 through 400. It cuts steadily at the light pressure a bench sander allows and is the lowest cost per belt. If you are unsure, start here.
- Zirconia: alloyed grain on Y-weight poly-cotton cloth that fractures under load to expose fresh edges. Choose it for mild and carbon steel, stainless, weld cleanup on brackets and small frames, and fast shaping on hardwood. It wants firm pressure, so lean the part in; run it light and it dulls like an expensive aluminum oxide belt. Offered in 36 through 120 grit.
A metal shop should stock Zirconia 36 to 80 for removal and Aluminum Oxide 120 to 220 to blend and finish. A woodshop or hobby shop should stock Aluminum Oxide 80, 120 and 220 and add one Zirconia 60 for the occasional steel job. If you need ceramic or grinding-aid belts in this size for hardened steel, we can convert them to order.
Grit guide for bench sanding wood, aluminum and steel
| Grit | Use it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 36–40 | Rough shaping, weld cleanup, taking a blank to a line | Zirconia on steel; firm pressure |
| 60 | Removing saw and shear marks, chamfering, squaring ends | Zirconia on steel; AO on wood |
| 80–100 | General deburring, fitting parts, first pass on wood | The belt that stays on the machine |
| 120 | Removing the coarse scratch; last zirconia grit | Switch to AO after this on metal |
| 150–180 | Pre-finish on wood, satin on aluminum | AO, light pressure |
| 220 | Final on wood before finish; smooth deburr on metal | Stop here before stain |
| 320–400 | Fine finishing, tool and chisel touch-up, pre-polish | AO; keep the part cool |
Step through grits one at a time. On a bench sander it is quick to swap belts, so there is no excuse for jumping from 60 to 220 and leaving deep scratches under a smooth surface.
What machines take a 2-1/2" x 60" belt?
- Bench belt sanders built around a 2-1/2" wide, 60" long belt, running vertically or tilting to horizontal, with a platen for flat work and an exposed drum for curves.
- Belt-disc combination sanders that pair a 2-1/2" x 60" belt with a disc; sand long edges on the belt and end grain on the disc.
- Small belt grinders in maintenance shops and metal fabrication used for deburring and light shaping.
Measure before you order: 2-1/2" x 60" is close to a few other bench sizes but not interchangeable with them. Check the size plate or manual, or measure the circumference of a belt that fits. We also stock 2-1/2" x 48" and 2" x 60", and any other size can be converted to order.
Check the inside of the belt for a direction arrow and mount it so it runs that way. Release the tension lever, slide the belt over both drums, re-tension, spin by hand and adjust tracking until it rides centred on the platen, then power up and fine-tune.
How to get the most out of it
- Platen for flat, drum for curves. Hold flat edges and bevels against the platen so they stay square; use the exposed drum or slack section of the belt for inside curves and rounding corners.
- Move the part across the belt width. A 2-1/2" belt wears a groove fast if every part rides the same track. Shift across the width so the grain wears evenly.
- Give zirconia pressure, aluminum oxide a light touch. Zirconia sharpens itself under load; aluminum oxide just needs steady contact. Neither wants the part parked in one spot.
- Keep steel cool. Small parts heat quickly. Dip in water between passes and never let an edge change colour; a blued edge on a tool has lost its temper.
- Grease the belt for aluminum. A belt grease stick touched to the running belt stops aluminum packing between the grains.
- Sand end grain on the disc if you have a combination machine; the belt does long edges better and the disc keeps ends square.
- Clean aluminum oxide belts with a belt eraser. Wood resin and dust load the grain long before it wears. A crepe-rubber belt eraser restores the cut.
- Keep steel dust out of the wood collector. Sparks from zirconia on steel and wood dust in one bag is a fire risk; use a separate metal-rated collector or a spark trap.
Use it for / don't use it for
Use it for
- Deburring sheared and saw-cut steel brackets, plates and tubing (Zirconia 36–120)
- Weld cleanup on small frames and fixtures (Zirconia)
- Rounding corners and chamfering aluminum and brass parts (Aluminum Oxide with grease stick)
- Squaring, shaping and pre-finishing wood blanks, handles and small parts (Aluminum Oxide 80–220)
- Touching up chisels, scrapers and lawn tools (Aluminum Oxide 220–400, kept cool)
- Plastics, phenolic and composite parts at light pressure (Aluminum Oxide)
Don't use it for
- Zirconia above 120 grit expecting a finish; switch to Aluminum Oxide
- Running one belt on steel and then on stain-grade wood
- Dwelling a small steel part in one spot until it colours
- Wet running on a bench machine not built for it
- Any belt with a lifted joint
Specifications
| Size | 2-1/2" wide x 60" long |
|---|---|
| Abrasive grains | Aluminum Oxide, Zirconia |
| Backing | Poly-cotton cloth; Y-weight on Zirconia |
| Coat | Closed coat |
| Joint | Check inside of belt for direction arrow before mounting |
| Grits offered | 36, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, 320, 400 (Zirconia 36–120) |
| Pack quantity | 8 belts |
| Wet or dry | Both |
| Machine type | Bench belt sanders, belt-disc combination sanders, small belt grinders |
| Converted in | Anaheim, California |
| Custom sizes | Other sizes and grains made to order in about 3 days |
Frequently asked questions
What machines use a 2-1/2" x 60" sanding belt?
Bench belt sanders and belt-disc combination sanders built around a 2-1/2" wide, 60" long belt, plus some small belt grinders in maintenance and fabrication shops. The size is close to a few other bench sizes but not interchangeable, so check the size plate on your machine or measure the circumference of a belt that fits before ordering.
Aluminum oxide or zirconia for a bench sander?
Aluminum oxide for wood, aluminum, brass, plastics and general work, and for every grit from 150 up. Zirconia for steel and stainless in 36 through 120, where its self-sharpening grain removes metal much faster if you press firmly. Most shops keep both: zirconia for the coarse steel work and aluminum oxide to finish.
Can I sharpen chisels and knives on a 2-1/2" x 60" belt?
You can set and touch up edges on chisels, plane irons, scrapers and garden tools with aluminum oxide at 220 to 400 grit on the platen, using light pressure and dipping the tool in water often so the edge never changes colour. For serious knife grinding, a 2" x 72" belt grinder and our knife-making belts are the better tool.
Why does zirconia stop at 120 grit?
Zirconia works by fracturing under pressure to expose new cutting edges, which is what you want at coarse grits for removal. At finishing grits you use light pressure, the grain cannot fracture, and it simply glazes. Aluminum oxide is offered through 400 for the finishing steps, and that is the grain to use there.
Do you have ceramic or grinding-aid belts in 2-1/2" x 60"?
Not as a stocked option on this listing, which is aluminum oxide and zirconia. If you grind hardened or tool steel on a bench machine and want ceramic or a grinding-aid zirconia in 2-1/2" x 60", we can convert it to order in about three days; call 714-646-3299 or email sales@maverickabrasives.com.
Can these belts be run wet?
Yes. Both the aluminum oxide and the zirconia are on poly-cotton cloth that can be run wet or dry. Only do so on a machine built for coolant. A standard bench belt sander has open electrics and should be run dry; cool small steel parts by dipping them in water between passes instead.
How many belts come in a pack and is there bulk pricing?
Eight 2-1/2" x 60" belts of one grain and grit per pack. Orders over $200 ship free, and shops that run several bench sanders can get bulk or case pricing by calling 714-646-3299 or emailing sales@maverickabrasives.com. Other sizes and grains can be converted to order in about three days.
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